Regional variations in the incidence of upper urinary tract stones in England and Wales.

Data from the Hospital In-patient Enquiry were used to define the regional patterns of hospital discharge rates for upper urinary tract stones and renal colic in England and Wales. By combining the rates for stones and colic, and by distinguishing emergency from planned admissions, the biases produced by repeated admissions of the same patient and by regional variations in diagnosis and coding may be reduced. There are regional variations in incidence of upper urinary tract stones: Wales and the southern regions of England have a generally higher incidence than northern regions. These variations may be related to regional differences in diet or occupation; or they may partly depend on associations between stone incidence and atmospheric temperature, exposure to ultraviolet irradiation, and hardness of drinking water.     

气温突变对高血压大鼠心梗发病及心肌损害的影响

目的:探索气温突变对高血压大鼠心梗发病及心肌损害的影响。方法:给予肾动脉半结扎大鼠一次维生素D370 U/kg体重腹腔注射,22℃环境下饲以高脂饲料。10周后随机分为S、J和D三组,S组予以30分钟内升温至40℃处理,J组予以30分钟内降温至4℃的处理,D组为对照组。结果:S组大鼠急性心梗发病率为59.09%,J组大鼠发病率为26.32%,D组发病率为28.57%,S组大鼠以及J组大鼠血清肌钙蛋白、肌酸激酶、谷草转氨酶、肌酸激酶同工酶、乳酸脱氢酶含量(P<0.05)均明显高于D组大鼠,S组与D组大鼠肌钙蛋白等含量(P>0.1)无显著差异。结论:气温骤升、骤降均能加重造成心肌损害,但夏季气温骤升所造成的急性心梗发病率高于气温的骤降。     

The use of D-penicillamine in cystinuria: efficacy and untoward reactions.

A retrospective study was conducted to assess the efficacy of D-penicillamine in the management of cystinuria, as well as to define the frequency and nature of untoward reactions to this drug. Fifty-six individuals were identified who, by stone analysis and/or biochemical studies, met the accepted diagnostic criteria for phenotypic cystinuria. The majority of these patients presented in the second decade of life with evidence of stone formation: renal colic, hematuria, and/or stone passage. Thirty-five individuals were considered to have clinically advanced cystinuria because they had required at least one urinary tract lithotomy. In these advanced cases, frequency of subsequent lithotomies and episodes of renal colic per 100 patient-years of observation were used as indices to measure the efficacy of D-penicillamine treatment. By both measurements, D-penicillamine significantly improved the clinical course of patients. The incidence of acute drug sensitivity reactions (rash, fever, and/or arthropathy) was in excess of 40 percent. Delayed drug-induced proteinuria occurred in 34 percent of treated patients. We conclude that D-penicillamine is useful in the treatment of cystinuria. Because of the significant number of untoward drug reactions, however, we believe the drug should be instituted only in selected, high-risk patients.     

近50年山东省农业气候资源变化特征

利用山东省90个气象站1961-2010年逐日气象观测数据,比较分析了该区域冬小麦和夏玉米生长季光、热、水等农业气候资源的时空变化特征.结果表明: 研究期间,山东省冬小麦和夏玉米生长季各项气温指标均呈显著升高趋势,冬小麦生长季升高趋势更明显;日照时数显著减少;降水量和干燥度无显著变化;夏玉米生长季蒸散量显著减少.冬小麦和夏玉米生长季各农业气候资源呈大致的经向或纬向递增或递减的空间分布.不同区域各农业气候资源历年变化特征差异明显,鲁西地区各气温指标升高趋势较弱,鲁中和鲁西南地区日照时数减少趋势最显著,鲁西地区蒸散量和干燥度减少趋势最显著,鲁中和鲁东南地区冬小麦生长季降水量增加趋势较明显,鲁中和鲁南地区夏玉米生长季降水量增加趋势较明显.山东省热量资源的增加有利于冬小麦生长季各阶段的发育,但植物病虫害的防治难度及农作物遭受高温热害的风险加大,日照时数减少不利于农作物生长期的光合作用,蒸散量减少则有利于土壤水分的保存.
     

Impact of Colic Pain as a Significant Factor for Predicting the Stone Free Rate of One-Session Shock Wave Lithotripsy for Treating Ureter Stones: A Bayesian Logistic Regression Model Analysis

Purpose

This study was conducted to evaluate colic pain as a prognostic pretreatment factor that can influence ureter stone clearance and to estimate the probability of stone-free status in shock wave lithotripsy (SWL) patients with a ureter stone.

Materials and Methods

We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 1,418 patients who underwent their first SWL between 2005 and 2013. Among these patients, 551 had a ureter stone measuring 4–20 mm and were thus eligible for our analyses. The colic pain as the chief complaint was defined as either subjective flank pain during history taking and physical examination. Propensity-scores for established for colic pain was calculated for each patient using multivariate logistic regression based upon the following covariates: age, maximal stone length (MSL), and mean stone density (MSD). Each factor was evaluated as predictor for stone-free status by Bayesian and non-Bayesian logistic regression model.

Results

After propensity-score matching, 217 patients were extracted in each group from the total patient cohort. There were no statistical differences in variables used in propensity- score matching. One-session success and stone-free rate were also higher in the painful group (73.7% and 71.0%, respectively) than in the painless group (63.6% and 60.4%, respectively). In multivariate non-Bayesian and Bayesian logistic regression models, a painful stone, shorter MSL, and lower MSD were significant factors for one-session stone-free status in patients who underwent SWL.

Conclusions

Colic pain in patients with ureter calculi was one of the significant predicting factors including MSL and MSD for one-session stone-free status of SWL.     

Transmission dynamics of hepatitis E among swine: potential impact upon human infection

Background

Colic (abdominal pain) is a clinical condition of serious concern affecting the welfare and survival of donkeys at the Donkey Sanctuary in the UK. One of the most commonly reported causes is due to impacted ingesta in the large intestine ("impaction colic"). However little is known about the incidence of, or risk factors for, this condition. Here we describe the epidemiology of colic in donkeys, specifically impaction colic. We focus on temporal aspects of the disease and we identify environmental and management related risk factors for impaction colic in UK donkeys.

Results

There were 807 colic episodes in the population of 4596 donkeys between January 1^st 2000 and March 31^st 2005. The majority (54.8%) of episodes were due to a suspected or confirmed diagnosis of impaction of the gastrointestinal tract. The mortality risk for all colics (51.1%) was higher than reported in other equids. The incidence rate of all colics (5.9 episodes per 100 donkeys per year) and of impaction colic (3.2 episodes) was similar to that in horses. A retrospective matched case-control study of all impaction colics from January 2003 (193) indicated that older donkeys, those fed extra rations and those that previously suffered colic were at increased risk of impaction. Lighter body weight, musculo-skeletal problems, farm and dental disease were also significantly associated with a diagnosis of impaction colic.

Conclusion

To our knowledge this is the first study to estimate the incidence rate of colic in a large population of donkeys in the UK. In contrast to other equids, impaction was the most commonly reported cause of colic. We identified several risk factors for impaction colic. Increasing age, extra rations and previous colic are known risk factors for colic in other equids. Results support the hypothesis that dental disease is associated with impaction colic. Musculo-skeletal problems may be associated with colic for various reasons including change in amount of exercise or time at pasture. Other associated factors (weight and farm) are the subject of further research. Identification of risk factors for impaction colic may highlight high risk donkeys and may allow intervention strategies to be introduced to reduce the incidence of the disease.     

Diurnal temperature range and mortality in Urmia,the Northwest of Iran

Diurnal Temperature Range (DTR) is a meteorological index which represents temperature variation within a day. This study assesses the impact of high and low values of DTR on mortality. Distributed Lag Non-linear Models combined with a quasi-Poisson regression model was used to assess the impact of DTR on cause, age and gender specific mortality, controlled for potential confounders such as long-term trend of daily mortality, day of week effect, holidays, mean temperature, humidity, wind speed and air pollutants. As the effect of DTR may vary between the hot season (from May to October) and cold season (from November to April of the next year), we conducted analyses separately for these two seasons. In high DTR values (all percentiles), the Cumulative Relative Risk (CRR) of Non-Accidental Death, Respiratory Death and Cardiovascular Death increased in the full year and hot season, and especially in lag (0−6) of the hot season. In the cold season and high DTR values (all percentiles), the CRR of Non-Accidental Death and Cardiovascular Death decreased, but the CRR of Respiratory Death increased. Although there was no clear significant effect in low DTR values. High values of DTR increase the risk of mortality, especially in the heat season, in Urmia, Iran.     

High environmental temperature and humidity decrease oocyte quality in Bos taurus but not in Bos indicus cows

Two experiments were conducted to assess the effects of environmental temperature and humidity on the quality and developmental capabilities of bovine oocytes. In Experiment 1, Bos taurus (Holstein and crossbred Angus) cows were subjected to 5 weekly sessions of ultrasound-guided follicle aspiration from February 16 through March 23 (cool season) and 5 sessions from May 22 through June 20 (hot season). In Experiment 2, Bos taurus (Holstein) and Bos indicus (Brahman) cows were superstimulated (Super-Ov) during the months of August (hot season) or January (cool season), and each cow was subjected to a single oocyte aspiration session. In each experiment, oocytes were classified as normal or abnormal based on ooplasm morphology and cumulus cell layers. In Experiment 1, oocytes classified as normal were in vitro matured and fertilized (IVM/IVF), and the resulting embryos cultured for 8 d. All oocytes recovered from superstimulated cows in Experiment 2 were matured and fertilized in vitro and the subsequent embryos cultured for 8 d, regardless of their morphological appearance. In Experiment 1, Bos taurus cows produced a higher (P = 0.02) percentage of normal oocytes during the cool season (75.9 +/- 8.0) than during the hot season (41.0 +/- 9.5). The percentage of fertilized oocytes developing to the 2-cell (82.4), 8-cell (65.4) and morula (46.6) stages were also greater (P < or = 0.06) during the cool season than the hot season (45.0, 21.2, 6.0 for 2-cell, 8-cell and morula stages, respectively). In Experiment 2, Bos taurus cows (Holstein) had a lower (P = 0.01) percentage of normal oocytes in the hot season (24.5 vs 80.0) and a lower (P < or = 0.003) percentage of fertilized oocytes developing to the 8-cell, morula and blastocyst stages. No difference (P > or = 0.57) in the percentage of normal oocytes or in embryo development was detected between seasons in Bos indicus (Brahman) cows. In conclusion, high environmental temperature and humidity resulted in a marked decline in the quality of oocytes retrieved from Bos taurus cows and markedly decreased their in vitro developmental capabilities. In contrast, a high percentage of oocytes retrieved from Bos indicus cows exhibited normal morphology and yielded a high proportion of blastocysts, regardless of season.     

Characterizing the effect of summer temperature on heatstroke-related emergency ambulance dispatches in the Kanto area of Japan

Despite rising concern on the impact of heat on human health, the risk of high summer temperature on heatstroke-related emergency dispatches is not well understood in Japan. A time-series study was conducted to examine the association between apparent temperature and daily heatstroke-related ambulance dispatches (HSAD) within the Kanto area of Japan. A total of 12,907 HSAD occurring from 2000 to 2009 in five major cities—Saitama, Chiba, Tokyo, Kawasaki, and Yokohama—were analyzed. Generalized additive models and zero-inflated Poisson regressions were used to estimate the effects of daily maximum three-hour apparent temperature (AT) on dispatch frequency from May to September, with adjustment for seasonality, long-term trend, weekends, and public holidays. Linear and non-linear exposure effects were considered. Effects on days when AT first exceeded its summer median were also investigated. City-specific estimates were combined using random effects meta-analyses. Exposure-response relationship was found to be fairly linear. Significant risk increase began from 21 °C with a combined relative risk (RR) of 1.22 (95 % confidence interval, 1.03–1.44), increasing to 1.49 (1.42–1.57) at peak AT. When linear exposure was assumed, combined RR was 1.43 (1.37–1.50) per degree Celsius increment. Overall association was significant the first few times when median AT was initially exceeded in a particular warm season. More than two-thirds of these initial hot days were in June, implying the harmful effect of initial warming as the season changed. Risk increase that began early at the fairly mild perceived temperature implies the need for early precaution.     

西双版纳热带雨林干季林冠层雾露形成的小气候特征研究

对西双版纳热带雨林干季林冠层雾露形成的小气候特征进行了观测研究。结果表明,雾露首先形成于最上林冠层,林下露水的形成迟于林上3～4h,林下雾是由上层雾变浓、下沉而来。夜间,雾形成前,气温高于叶表温;雾形成后,气温则低于叶表温,且气温及叶表温均有回升。雾露的形成不仅凝结了水汽进入森林,同时也对森林起到了一定的保温作用,这对热带雨林的生存和发展具有致关重要的作用。     

Physico-chemical limnology and plankton dynamics of Mazvikadei,a tropical reservoir in Zimbabwe

The limnology of Mazvikadei Reservoir, northern Zimbabwe, was investigated in 2015 to determine whether it had changed since filling in 1990. The reservoir is characterised by low algal biomass, low nutrients (i.e. N and P) and high water clarity/transparency. Fifty-four species of phytoplankton were recorded, comprising Bacillariophyta, Chlorophyta, Cyanophyta, Desmids, Dinophyta and Euglenophyta. Chlorophyta numerically dominated in the hot dry season, whereas Bacillariophyta, Desmids, Dinophyta and Euglenophyta dominated in the cool dry season. Species richness was highest at the onset of the cool dry season, in response to high nutrient concentrations. Phytoplankton abundance and composition were significantly correlated with temperature, nitrates and total nitrogen. Nineteen zooplankton species were recorded, including Copepoda, Cladocera and Rotifera. Overall, Cladocera were numerically dominant and became most abundant during the cool dry season. Rotifers and copepods dominated during the hot dry season. The zooplankton abundance was correlated with reactive phosphorus and phytoplankton abundance. The trophic state of Mazvikadei Reservoir seems to have stabilised and to have assumed the physico-chemical characteristics and plankton community typical of an oligotrophic lake.     

坦洛新对输尿管下段结石患者体外冲击波碎石术后排石及血清IL-6，IL-10和CRP水平的影响

目的:探讨输尿管下段结石行体外冲击波碎石术(ESWL)后应用坦洛新辅助排石的临床效果及对患者血清白细胞介素-6(IL-6)、白细胞介素-10(IL-10)、C反应蛋白(CRP)水平的影响。方法:选取我院2015年1月～2016年12月收治的122例输尿管下段结石患者,采用随机数字表法均分为两组。于ESWL术后,对照组给予硝苯地平治疗,观察组予以坦洛新治疗。记录比较两组术后排石效果、疼痛情况,治疗前后血清IL-6、IL-10和CRP水平的变化及不良反应的发生情况。结果:治疗后,观察组无石率(91.8%)明显高于对照组(78.7%)(P0.05);观察组排石时间短于对照组,排石直径大于对照组(P0.05);观察组患者血清IL-6,IL-10及CRP水平均显著低于对照组(P0.05)。与对照组相比,观察组肾绞痛发生率、镇痛剂使用率及VAS评分均较低(P0.01)。用药期间,两组均未发生明显不良反应(P0.05)。结论:坦洛新能有效提高输尿管下段结石患者体外冲击波碎石术的排石效果,减轻机体损伤,缓解术后疼痛,并且安全性较高。     

Untersuchungen zum Einfluß von Jahreszeit und Wetter auf das experimentelle Magenulkus der Ratte

Three different models for the induction of gastric ulcers in rats (phenylbutazone, 200 mg/kg; swimming, 3 × 30 min, water temperature 26–27°C; immobilization, 30 hours) were used to investigate the influence of weather and season. In a systematic study experiments were carried out weekly over a period of one year with male (phenylbutazone, immobilization) and female (swimming) rats of the same age kept under controlled conditions. The highest incidence of gastric ulcers was found in the swimming test; the lowest in the immobilization test. Maximum and minimum gastric ulcer rates were observed for each test but at different times. There was no uniform seasonal pattern. With decreasing atmospheric pressure a higher incidence of gastric ulcers was found 24 hours before the phenylbutazone and immobilization tests. Low atmospheric pressure and high relative humidity during the phenylbutazone and swimming tests also caused a higher incidence of gastric lesions (P<0.05). No correlation was found between the other meteorological conditions and the incidence of gastric ulcer.     

Alnus Pollen Incidence in the Stockholm Area, 1973-1976

Alder (Alnus) pollen in Stockholm, central Sweden, was sampled by means of a Burkard Volumetric Spore Trap and analysed during four consecutive years, 1973 to 1976. The start of the season and the main pollen season occurred in March during the first three years and much later in 1976. The difference between any two years seems to be related to differences in temperature, pollen incidence being initiated by a steady increase. A mild decade followed by a marked temperature increase seems to favour the initiation of the main pollen season. More than 50% of the total pollen amount was found between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Differences in the amounts of pollen over the years could not be explained by contemporary climatic changes.     

濒危树种钟萼木苗木年生长节律与适应性调查

对钟萼木Bretschneidera sinensis实播育苗、苗木物候期生长及不同试验点与不同培育方式的苗木生长进行研究。结果表明,该树种种子经催芽后发芽率达90%以上,苗木高与地径生长期主要在4～10月,10月后进入木质化状态,生长期较短是影响生长量的重要原因;高温与强光照对苗木顶芽与幼嫩叶产生灼伤影响,高温季节需进行遮荫;在高温高湿季节,易遭受病虫害为害,需加强病虫害防治。不同育苗方法表明,该树种大田裸根苗培育比容器苗更有利于苗木生长;不同生长类型的生长情况表明,良好的遗传个体在苗期表现良好的生长潜能。     

The interaction of salinity and temperature on the growth ofCaulerpa prolifera (Foerskäl) lamouroux

Summary It is showed that the growth ofCaulerpa prolifera was highly significantly affected by temperature and salinity variations as well as by their interaction. The optimum salinity shifted towards higher values by rising temperature. It was suggested that the rise in temperature probably increases the permeability of the cells followed by an increase in the osmotic pressure and consequently higher salt tolerance. The validity of this suggestion was proved by determining the amount of salts accumulated by the alga at different salinities and temperatures.     

Effects of temperature and rainfall on the incidence of wilt (Verticillium albo-atrum) in hops

Wilt incidence in certain hop cultivars recorded during 15 years of experiments on a plot infested with a virulent strain of V. albo-atrum, and over shorter periods on various infested farm sites, was studied by multiple regression analysis in relation to rainfall and soil temperature at various periods during the growing season. In the least-resistant cultivar, Fuggle, the incidence of wilt was always high, and was independent of rainfall and soil temperature. Wilt incidence in other cultivars showed a negative correlation with mean soil temperature at 20 cm for the period mid-April to late June; no other single or multiple regression was consistently significant. It was concluded that the commonly observed association of high wilt incidence with wet weather in early summer is attributable to low soil temperature rather than to high rainfall.     

Sap Flow of Populus euphratica in a Desert Riparian Forest in an Extreme Arid Region During the Growing Season

In the present study, the heat pulse technique was applied to investigate the stem sap flow of Populus euphratica in a desert riparian forest in an extreme arid region from April to October 2003 and from May to October 2004. The experimental sites were in Qidaoqiao （101 °10′ E, 41°59′ N） and Bayantaolai farm （101°14′ E, 42°01′ N） in Ejina county, in the low reaches of the Heihe River, China. The results indicated that the diurnal change in the velocity of sap flow showed minor fluctuations. At night, the rising of sap flow could be observed in the main tree species because of root pressure. During the growing season, the maximum average velocity was observed in July, followed by August, and the same velocity was observed in September and May; the minimum velocity was observed in October. The transpiration from June to August during the growing season accounted for approximately 70% of the annual total transpiration. The sap flow velocity of P. euphratica trees of different ages could be arranged in the order： 15 yr 〉 25 yr 〉 50 yr. Sap flow velocity was closely related to changes in micrometeorological factors, with average sap flow velocity showing a significant linear correlation with net radiation, air temperature and relative humidity.     

冷季型草坪草的耐热性调控研究进展

在非生物胁迫中,高温是影响草坪植物特别是对冷季型草坪草生长和发育最重要的生态因子之一. 高温胁迫会导致冷季型草坪草生长受到抑制、草坪质量下降、草坪植株体内的生理生化代谢紊乱,细胞内产生大量氧自由基,使膜脂过氧化,植株体内蛋白质变性,最后导致细胞死亡. 因此,如何提高冷季型草坪草的耐热性是目前冷季型草坪在热带、亚热带地区建植能否安全越夏的重要问题. 文中综述了国内外冷季型草坪草耐热性调控的研究进展, 在阐明冷季型草坪草耐热性调控原理的基础上,报道了用于草坪草耐热性鉴定的形态、生态、生理和生化等指标,以及通过降低土壤温度、叶面喷施生长调节剂、施肥、灌溉和修剪等养护管理措施来提高冷季型草坪草的耐热性研究进展.     

Dynamics of dissolved organic nitrogen in subalpine Castle Lake,California

Dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) concentrations were measured in meso-oligotrophic Castle Lake, California during the ice-free season in 1982, 1983 and 1984. No consistent relationships were found between DON and particulate-N, primary productivity rates or chlorophyll concentrations. However, increases in DON concentrations were observed in the early growing season of 1982 and 1984 when water temperature was rising and a diatom bloom was senescing. DON increased at a high rate (0.31 mg atom N m^–3 day^–1), and then rapidly disappeared. Sediment released appared to be the most important source of DON. Dissolved free amino acids were always less than 7.5% of the DON pool, and did not vary in the composition of specific amino acids during the growing season.