An efficient survey method for estimating populations of Marsh Tits Poecile palustris,a low-density woodland passerine

Capsule: A playback survey comprising two visits to woodland in early spring can reliably detect Marsh Tits Poecile palustris and permit reasonable estimation of the number of territories.

Aims: To assess the efficacy of an efficient survey method for detecting and estimating populations of Marsh Tits.

Methods: Detection probability of colour-marked Marsh Tits, surveyed using playback, was assessed with Cormack–Jolly–Seber models. Reliability of territory estimates was compared between colour-marked and largely or wholly unmarked populations.

Results: Playback surveys over two visits in early spring were highly effective in detecting individual Marsh Tits. Territory estimates were similar for woods in years where less than 20% of the population was marked compared to years when a higher proportion of birds were colour-marked, although territories may be underestimated in larger woods with unmarked populations.

Conclusion: A playback survey comprising two visits in early spring is recommended as an efficient method of surveying Marsh Tit populations and locating individuals. A survey protocol is suggested.     

Habitat structure influences the song characteristics within a population of Great Tits Parus major

Capsule: The structure of Great Tit Parus major songs is shaped by the acoustic properties of the habitat within the breeding territory of individuals.

Aim: To test whether the structure of the habitat influences song structure within a population of Great Tits P. major.

Methods: We recorded Great Tit songs from 42 territories on two different days and measured the habitat structure in each territory. We also trapped the males and estimated the breeding density around each territory, so were able to control the analysis by date, breeding density and male characteristics.

Results: Song pause length was positively affected by the ground cover, while the song rate and the minimum frequency were negatively affected by the shrub cover. Male size negatively affected the peak frequency of the songs, whereas the age of the males affected the frequency range; older males sang with a broader bandwidth.

Conclusion: This study suggests that Great Tits are capable of adjusting their vocalizations in each territory, presumably to enhance transmission owing to vocal plasticity.     

Song learning in Varied Tits Poecile varia: sensitive period and the effects of night-sleep

Capsule: Varied Tits Poecile varia learned vocalizations in the first few weeks of their life. Night-sleep affected the development of vocal learning in Varied Tits.

Aims: We aimed to quantify the sensitive period of song learning and to examine the effects of sleep on song development in Varied Tits, an endemic forest songbird in East Asia.

Methods: Song development in Varied Tits was investigated in the first 90 days following hatching. The effect of night-sleep on birdsong learning was examined by analysing and comparing the song structure in the evening and the next morning.

Results: We found that most individuals began to sing a subsong from 15 days of age and acquired mature song at about 53 days. The sensitive period of song learning in Varied Tits was from 25 to 53 days after hatching. There were significant and positive correlations between maximum frequency and vocal changes before and after night-sleep.

Conclusion: Our findings uncover the timings and processes of song development, and highlight the importance of the sensitive period in birdsong development in wild birds.     

Release kinetics of high-sensitivity cardiac troponins I and T and troponin T upstream open reading frame peptide (TnTuORF) in clinically induced acute myocardial infarction

Context: Troponin T upstream open reading frame peptide (TnTuORF) may be useful as a novel biomarker in acute cardiac syndromes.

Objective: The study examined the early release kinetics of TnTuORF.

Materials and methods: We analyzed the time course of the release of cardiac troponins I and T and TnTuORF in patients (n?=?31) with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy undergoing transcoronary ablation of septal hypertrophy (TASH).

Results: Fifteen minutes after TASH, the levels of both troponins increased significantly (cTnT median: 18?ng/L versus 27?ng/L; cTnI median: 15?ng/L versus 25?ng/L). TnTuORF showed no variation.

Discussion: We observed a significantly greater increase in cTnI compared with cTnT.

Conclusion: Our results demonstrate that troponin assays allow early detection of myocardial injury, whereas TnTuORF levels remain unchanged in this setting.     

Riboflavin as an independent and accurate biomarker for adherence in a randomized double-blind and placebo-controlled clinical trial

Background: Medication adherence is critical for success of clinical trials.

Objective: To assess oral riboflavin is an adherence marker.

Methods: Riboflavin was incorporated into active treatment and placebo pills for a clinical trial lasting for 2 years.

Results: The accuracy (area under the receiver operating curve) of urinary riboflavin was 0.91 as a binary classifier of adherence, and was similar or better than for two active study ingredients daidzein (0.92) and genistein (0.87) (all p?<?0.0001). Decreased adherence over time was similar in the two study groups.

Conclusion: Riboflavin is an accurate and useful biomarker for study pill ingestion.     

Association between polymorphisms in IL21 gene and risk for sepsis

Context: Sepsis is now the leading cause of death in the noncardiovascular intensive care unit (ICU).

Objective: To investigate whether polymorphisms in IL21 gene contribute to sepsis susceptibility.

Materials and methods: Three single-nucleotide polymorphisms of IL21 (rs907715, rs2055979, rs12508721) were genotyped by TaqMan assay in patients with sepsis and control subjects.

Results: Polymorphisms rs2055979 and rs12508721 in IL21 were more frequent in sepsis patients compared to general population. But allele frequency of rs907715 was not significantly different between sepsis patients and control subjects.

Conclusion: Polymorphisms in IL21 may be associated with sepsis risk.     

Bacterial pili,with emphasis on Mycobacterium tuberculosis curli pili: potential biomarkers for point-of care tests and therapeutics

Context: Novel biomarkers are essential for developing rapid diagnostics and therapeutic interventions

Objective: This review aimed to highlight biomarker characterisation and assessment of unique bacterial pili.

Methods: A PubMed search for bacterial pili, diagnostics, vaccine and therapeutics was performed, with emphasis on the well characterised pili.

Results: In total, 46 papers were identified and reviewed.

Conclusion: Extensive analyses of pili enabled by advanced nanotechnology and whole genome sequencing provide evidence that they are strong biomarker candidates. Mycobacterium tuberculosis curli pili are emphasised as important epitopes for the development of much needed point-of-care diagnostics and therapeutics.     

H19 non-coding RNA in urine cells detects urothelial carcinoma: a pilot study

Context: Urothelial carcinoma (UC) is common and highly recurrent. Diagnosis and follow-up involve invasive cystoscopies.

Objective: To evaluate H19 RNA in urine cells as diagnostic tool for UC.

Materials and methods: RT-PCR analysis of urine samples from healthy volunteers and UC patients.

Results: H19 RNA was unequivocally detected in the urine of 90.5% of patients and 25.9% of controls. H19 copies were three orders of magnitude higher in patients. Receiver operating characteristic analysis showed an area under the curve of 0.933.

Conclusions: This pilot study shows that urinary cell H19 is a highly sensitive test for UC and pending verification could transform patient management.     

Circulating levels of apoptotic markers and oxidative stress parameters in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a case-controlled descriptive study

Context: Apoptotic dysregulation plays a role in the pathogenesis of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

Objective: To evaluate circulatory apoptotic markers and oxidative stress in patients with PCOS.

Materials and methods: Forty-four women with PCOS, and 44 healthy women as controls were enrolled in the study. Oxidative stress parameters and caspases levels were measured in serum.

Results: The caspase 9 level was significantly lower and related with oxidant status in patients with PCOS, while the circulating levels of caspases 3 and 7 were statistically similar in both groups.

Discussion: This study is the first report demonstrating the circulating levels of apoptotic markers and their relationship with oxidant status in PCOS.

Conclusion: The circulating caspase 9 and oxidant status might contribute to apoptotic dysregulation in PCOS.     

Propeptide big-endothelin,N-terminal-pro brain natriuretic peptide and mortality. The Ludwigshafen risk and cardiovascular health (LURIC) study

Context: The endothelin system (Big-ET-1) is a key regulator in cardiovascular (CV) disease and congestive heart failure (CHF).

Objectives: We have examined the incremental value of Big-ET-1 in predicting total and CV mortality next to the well-established CV risk marker N-Terminal Pro-B-Type Natriuretic Peptide (NT-proBNP).

Methods: Big-ET-1 and NT-proBNP were determined in 2829 participants referred for coronary angiography (follow-up 9.9 years).

Results: Big-ET-1 is an independent predictor of total, CV mortality and death due to CHF.

Discussion: The conjunct use of Big-ET-1 and NT-proBNP improves the risk stratification of patients with intermediate to high risk of CV death and CHF.

Conclusions: Big-ET-1improves risk stratification in patients referred for coronary angiography.     

Biomarker discovery for drug-induced phospholipidosis: phenylacetylglycine to hippuric acid ratio in urine and plasma as potential markers

Context: Drug-induced phospholipidosis is one of the significant concerns in drug development, especially in safety assessment and noninvasive diagnostic tool is highly desirable.

Objective: The objective of this study is to explored novel biomarkers for phospholipidosis using a metabolomic approach.

Method: NMR spectrometry and LC/MS/MS analyses were applied to urine and plasma of rats administrated cationic amphiphilic drugs.

Results: The phenylacetylglycine to hippuric acid ratio in plasma was increased in time and dose-dependent manners; and it was well correlated with histopathological observation.

Conclusion: The plasma phenylacetylglycine to hippuric acid ratio is a potential marker in monitoring drug-induced phospholipidosis.     

Rainfall,but not temperature,negatively affects the growth of Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus nestlings

Capsule: Growth trajectories of Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus nestlings differed between sexes and were negatively affected by rain but not by temperature during the linear growth phase (LGP).

Aims: To model the growth trajectories of Blue Tit nestlings and to identify the main ecological factors affecting them.

Methods: Sixty-five nestling Blue Tits from a population in northern Italy were weighed at regular intervals and sexed using molecular genetic techniques. The LGP period was identified and analysed to test for the influence of age, sex, hatching date, brood size, temperature and rainfall on individual daily growth rates during the LGP.

Results: Growth curves showed no pre-fledging mass loss. Body mass differed between the sexes, with males being 5% heavier than females at the pre-fledging stage. Daily growth rates during the LGP were higher for males and on non-rainy days, while they were not affected by other factors.

Conclusion: The higher daily growth rate observed in males during the LGP may determine the extent of sexual size dimorphism at the pre-fledging stage. Susceptibility of growth trajectories to environmental conditions was limited to rainfall and was similar in the two sexes. This contrasts with findings from previous studies, which found sex-biased environmental sensitivity of Blue Tit nestlings.     

Micronucleus frequency and content in healthy relatives of cancer patients

Objective: To compare chromosomal damage in lymphocytes of individuals who did or did not report first-degree relatives with cancer.

Materials and methods: Cases and controls (68 each) were matched for sex, age and radon exposure. Chromosomal damage was quantified as frequency of micronucleus-containing cells and proportion of centromere-free micronuclei.

Results: Individuals not reporting cancer in their families showed lower values of both the frequency of micronucleus-containing cells (n.s.) and the proportion of centromere-free micronuclei (p?<?0.05) in some subgroups, but not in all.

Conclusion: The chromosomal damage observed may be due to inheritable genomic instability, but environmental influences cannot be excluded.     

Big endothelin-1 level is a useful marker for predicting the presence of isolated coronary artery ectasia

Context: Endothelin-1(ET-1) has been implicated in coronary artery disease (CAD) and may be associated with coronary artery ectasia (CAE).

Objective: To clarify the relationship between big ET-1 and isolated CAE.

Methods: We measured big ET-1 with ELISA in 216 patients (CAE, n?=?72; CAD, n?=?72; normal, n?=?72) and evaluated the link with isolated CAE.

Results: The level of plasma big ET-1 was significantly higher in patients with isolated CAE (p?<?0.001). Big ET-1 was strongly and independently associated with CAE by multivariate analysis (OR 95%CI: 1.026 (1.018–1.034), p?=?0.000).

Conclusions: Big ET-1 may be a useful predictor for the presence of isolated CAE.     

Low YKL-40 in chronic heart failure may predict beneficial effects of statins: analysis from the controlled rosuvastatin multinational trial in heart failure (CORONA)

Context and objective: To evaluate if YKL-40 can provide prognostic information in patients with ischemic heart failure (HF) and identify patients who may benefit from statin therapy.

Materials and methods: The association between serum YKL-40 and predefined outcome was evaluated in 1344 HF patients assigned to rosuvastatin or placebo.

Results: YKL-40 was not associated with outcome in adjusted analysis. In YKL-40 tertile 1, an effect on the primary outcome (HR 0.50, p?=?0.006) and CV death (HR 0.54, p?=?0.040) was seen by rosuvastatin in adjusted analysis.

Conclusions: A beneficial modification of outcome was observed with statin therapy in patients with low YKL-40 levels.     

Plant sex and phenological stage affect interactions with rhizosphere nematode communities

Background: In dioecious plants, females and males associate differently with mycorrhizal fungi, but interactions with other rhizosphere organisms are less well studied.

Aims: We investigated the effect of plant sex on rhizosphere nematode communities associated with Corema album, a dioecious shrub occurring in coastal habitats.

Methods: Rhizosphere samples were collected from males and females in three populations (150 plants), during fruiting and flowering. Nematode communities were characterised and compared between plant sexes through statistical analyses of the abundance of trophic groups, plant parasitic nematode (PPN) genera and ecological indices.

Results: Free-living nematodes showed no statistically significant differences owing to plant sex. Conversely, PPN community composition was significantly different between plant sexes during fruiting but not flowering, suggesting that physiological requirements over the annual phenological cycle of the plant influence ecological interactions with the rhizosphere.

Of the 13 PPN genera identified, the ectoparasitic Criconema and Hemicriconemellawere more abundant in the rhizosphere of males during fruiting, whereas the endoparasitic Meloidogyne associated more frequently with females, suggesting that plant host suitability is related to PPN feeding strategy.

Conclusions: It appears that interactions of individuals of different sexes of C. album with the rhizosphere nematode community vary with phenological stage, especially for PPN.     

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.     

Morphological and sexual traits in Atlas and Iberian Pied Flycatchers Ficedula hypoleuca speculigera and F. h. iberiae: a comparison

Capsule: There are significant biometric differences between Pied Flycatchers from Iberian and north African populations which are consistent with proposals to classify the two forms into separate species.

Aims: To determine the similarities and differences in the main biometrical and plumage sex traits between populations of the Iberian Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca iberiae and the Atlas Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca speculigera.

Methods: Biometric and plumage traits of 193 breeding individuals of Iberian Pied Flycatchers and 43 Atlas Flycatchers were measured in 2014 with standardized protocols.

Results: Both sexes of Atlas Flycatchers were larger than Iberian Pied Flycatchers in skeletal (tarsus) and wing size and also differed in bill morphology, which was wider but shallower in speculigera than iberiae, with females (but not males) having shorter bills than iberiae females. Males differed in mantle colour and forehead patch size, with speculigera males being darker and displaying larger forehead patches than iberiae males. As in populations of iberiae, some speculigera females also expressed a white forehead patch.

Conclusion: We demonstrate significant phenotypic differences between Iberian Pied Flycatchers and Atlas Flycatchers with respect to size and traits of ecological and evolutionary relevance, supporting the recently proposed scenarios on their independent evolution.     

The effects of nifedipine on respiratory mechanics investigated by theend-inflation occlusion method in the rat

Context: Calcium channel blockers may theoretically exhibit relaxing effects not only on vascular smooth muscle but also on airway smooth muscle.

Objective: To investigate possible effects of nifedipine on respiratory mechanics in the rat.

Methods: Respiratory system mechanical parameters were measured by the end-inflation occlusion method in the rat in vivo before and after the intraperitoneal administration of nifedipine.

Results: We found that nifedipine affects respiratory mechanics, inducing a reduction of airway resistance and of respiratory system elastance, probably because of a relaxing action on airway and parenchimal smooth muscle cells.

Conclusion: Should these results be further confirmed by human investigations, a possible role of nifedipine in pharmacological respiratory system’s diseases treatment may be suggested.