The effect of extreme weather events on breeding parameters of the White Stork Ciconia ciconia

Capsule Although the White Stork avoids adverse weather conditions by modifying its arrival and breeding, it cannot avoid extreme weather events during the breeding season.

Aims To show how extreme weather conditions can influence breeding attempts of a large, long-lived species, the White Stork.

Methods We analysed data on arrivals of White Storks in Western Poland from 2005 to 2013 and detailed breeding biology parameters from 2009 to 2013 in relation to weather conditions. We analysed breeding success and breeding failure rate from 1974 to 2013.

Results In years with a cold March White Storks arrived later than when March was warmer. Frost during incubation negatively influenced the hatching success. Extreme weather events caused high late mortality even for nestlings older than 30 days. Data from 27 breeding seasons showed a significant increase in mean breeding success but also a significant increase in the proportion of pairs which lost broods in the nestling stage.

Conclusion The White Stork can modify its arrival in response to current weather conditions on the breeding grounds but it cannot respond to extreme weather events. Due to increasing frequency of extreme weather events caused by climate change, White Stork breeding success may decrease in the future.     

Genome-wide interval mapping using SNPs identifies new QTL for growth,body composition and several physiological variables in an F2 intercross between fat and lean chicken lines

Background

For decades, genetic improvement based on measuring growth and body composition traits has been successfully applied in the production of meat-type chickens. However, this conventional approach is hindered by antagonistic genetic correlations between some traits and the high cost of measuring body composition traits. Marker-assisted selection should overcome these problems by selecting loci that have effects on either one trait only or on more than one trait but with a favorable genetic correlation. In the present study, identification of such loci was done by genotyping an F₂ intercross between fat and lean lines divergently selected for abdominal fatness genotyped with a medium-density genetic map (120 microsatellites and 1302 single nucleotide polymorphisms). Genome scan linkage analyses were performed for growth (body weight at 1, 3, 5, and 7 weeks, and shank length and diameter at 9 weeks), body composition at 9 weeks (abdominal fat weight and percentage, breast muscle weight and percentage, and thigh weight and percentage), and for several physiological measurements at 7 weeks in the fasting state, i.e. body temperature and plasma levels of IGF-I, NEFA and glucose. Interval mapping analyses were performed with the QTLMap software, including single-trait analyses with single and multiple QTL on the same chromosome.

Results

Sixty-seven QTL were detected, most of which had never been described before. Of these 67 QTL, 47 were detected by single-QTL analyses and 20 by multiple-QTL analyses, which underlines the importance of using different statistical models. Close analysis of the genes located in the defined intervals identified several relevant functional candidates, such as ACACA for abdominal fatness, GHSR and GAS1 for breast muscle weight, DCRX and ASPSCR1 for plasma glucose content, and ChEBP for shank diameter.

Conclusions

The medium-density genetic map enabled us to genotype new regions of the chicken genome (including micro-chromosomes) that influenced the traits investigated. With this marker density, confidence intervals were sufficiently small (14 cM on average) to search for candidate genes. Altogether, this new information provides a valuable starting point for the identification of causative genes responsible for important QTL controlling growth, body composition and metabolic traits in the broiler chicken.     

Stevens-Johnson Syndrome Associated with Drugs and Vaccines in Children: A Case-Control Study

Objective

Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS) is one of the most severe muco-cutaneous diseases and its occurrence is often attributed to drug use. The aim of the present study is to quantify the risk of SJS in association with drug and vaccine use in children.

Methods

A multicenter surveillance of children hospitalized through the emergency departments for acute conditions of interest is currently ongoing in Italy. Cases with a diagnosis of SJS were retrieved from all admissions. Parents were interviewed on child’s use of drugs and vaccines preceding the onset of symptoms that led to the hospitalization. We compared the use of drugs and vaccines in cases with the corresponding use in a control group of children hospitalized for acute neurological conditions.

Results

Twenty-nine children with a diagnosis of SJS and 1,362 with neurological disorders were hospitalized between 1^st November 1999 and 31^st October 2012. Cases were more frequently exposed to drugs (79% vs 58% in the control group; adjusted OR 2.4; 95% CI 1.0–6.1). Anticonvulsants presented the highest adjusted OR: 26.8 (95% CI 8.4–86.0). Significantly elevated risks were also estimated for antibiotics use (adjusted OR 3.3; 95% CI 1.5–7.2), corticosteroids (adjusted OR 4.2; 95% CI 1.8–9.9) and paracetamol (adjusted OR 3.2; 95% CI 1.5–6.9). No increased risk was estimated for vaccines (adjusted OR: 0.9; 95% CI 0.3–2.8).

Discussion

Our study provides additional evidence on the etiologic role of drugs and vaccines in the occurrence of SJS in children.     

Phase II Study of Concurrent Capecitabine and External Beam Radiotherapy for Pain Control of Bone Metastases of Breast Cancer Origin

Background

Pain from bone metastases of breast cancer origin is treated with localized radiation. Modulating doses and schedules has shown little efficacy in improving results. Given the synergistic therapeutic effect reported for combined systemic chemotherapy with local radiation in anal, rectal, and head and neck malignancies, we sought to evaluate the tolerability and efficacy of combined capecitabine and radiation for palliation of pain due to bone metastases from breast cancer.

Methodology/Principal Findings

Twenty-nine women with painful bone metastases from breast cancer were treated with external beam radiation in 10 fractions of 3 Gy, 5 fractions a week for 2 consecutive weeks. Oral capecitabine 700 mg/m² twice daily was administered throughout radiation therapy. Rates of complete response, defined as a score of 0 on a 10-point pain scale and no increase in analgesic consumption, were 14% at 1 week, 38% at 2 weeks, 52% at 4 weeks, 52% at 8 weeks, and 48% at 12 weeks. Corresponding rates of partial response, defined as a reduction of at least 2 points in pain score without an increase in analgesics consumption, were 31%, 38%, 28%, 34% and 38%. The overall response rate (complete and partial) at 12 weeks was 86%. Side effects were of mild intensity (grade I or II) and included nausea (38% of patients), weakness (24%), diarrhea (24%), mucositis (10%), and hand and foot syndrome (7%).

Conclusions/Significance

External beam radiation with concurrent capecitabine is safe and tolerable for the treatment of pain from bone metastases of breast cancer origin. The overall and complete response rates in our study are unusually high compared to those reported for radiation alone. Further evaluation of this approach, in a randomized study, is warranted.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov {"type":"clinical-trial","attrs":{"text":"NCT01784393","term_id":"NCT01784393"}}NCT01784393{"type":"clinical-trial","attrs":{"text":"NCT01784393","term_id":"NCT01784393"}}NCT01784393     

Lactobacillus gasseri SF1183 Affects Intestinal Epithelial Cell Survival and Growth

It is now commonly accepted that the intestinal microbiota plays a crucial role in the gut physiology and homeostasis, and that both qualitative and quantitative alterations in the compositions of the gut flora exert profound effects on the host’s intestinal cells. In spite of this, the details of the interaction between commensal bacteria and intestinal cells are still largely unknown and only in few cases the molecular mechanisms have been elucidated. Here we analyze the effects of molecules produced and secreted by Lactobacillus gasseri SF1183 on human intestinal HCT116 cells. L. gasseri is a well known species of lactic acid bacteria, commonly associated to the human intestine and SF1183 is a human strain previously isolated from an ileal biopsy of an healthy volunteer. SF1183 produces and secretes, in a growth phase-dependent way, molecule(s) able to drastically interfere with HCT116 cell proliferation. Although several attempts to purify and identify the bioactive molecule(s) have been so far unsuccessful, a partial characterization has indicated that it is smaller than 3 kDa, thermostable and of proteinaceous nature. L. gasseri molecule(s) stimulate a G1-phase arrest of the cell cycle by up-regulation of p21WAF1 rendering cells protected from intrinsic and extrinsic apoptosis. A L. gasseri-mediated reduction of apoptosis and of cell proliferation could be relevant in protecting epithelial barrier integrity and helping in reconstituting tissutal homeostasis.     

The Advocacy for Pedestrian Safety Study: Cluster Randomised Trial Evaluating a Political Advocacy Approach to Reduce Pedestrian Injuries in Deprived Communities

Objective

To determine whether advocacy targeted at local politicians leads to action to reduce the risk of pedestrian injury in deprived areas.

Design

Cluster randomised controlled trial.

Setting

239 electoral wards in 57 local authorities in England and Wales.

Participants

617 elected local politicians.

Interventions

Intervention group politicians were provided with tailored information packs, including maps of casualty sites, numbers injured and a synopsis of effective interventions.

Main outcome measures

25–30 months post intervention, primary outcomes included: electoral ward level: percentage of road traffic calmed; proportion with new interventions; school level: percentage with 20 mph zones, Safe Routes to School, pedestrian training or road safety education; politician level: percentage lobbying for safety measures. Secondary outcomes included politicians’ interest and involvement in injury prevention, and facilitators and barriers to implementation.

Results

Primary outcomes did not significantly differ: % difference in traffic calming (0.07, 95%CI: −0.07 to 0.20); proportion of schools with 20 mph zones (RR 1.47, 95%CI: 0.93 to 2.32), Safe Routes to School (RR 1.34, 95%CI: 0.83 to 2.17), pedestrian training (RR 1.23, 95%CI: 0.95 to 1.61) or other safety education (RR 1.16, 95%CI: 0.97 to 1.39). Intervention group politicians reported greater interest in child injury prevention (RR 1.09, 95%CI 1.03 to 1.16), belief in potential to help prevent injuries (RR 1.36, 95%CI 1.16 to 1.61), particularly pedestrian safety (RR 1.55, 95%CI 1.19 to 2.03). 63% of intervention politicians reported supporting new pedestrian safety schemes. The majority found the advocacy information surprising, interesting, effectively presented, and could identify suitable local interventions.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates the feasibility of an innovative approach to translational public health by targeting local politicians in a randomised controlled trial. The intervention package was positively viewed and raised interest but changes in interventions were not statistically significance. Longer term supported advocacy may be needed.

Trial Registration

Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN91381117