Genetic Determinants of Pelvic Organ Prolapse among African American and Hispanic Women in the Women’s Health Initiative

Current evidence suggests a multifactorial etiology to pelvic organ prolapse (POP), including genetic predisposition. We conducted a genome-wide association study of POP in African American (AA) and Hispanic (HP) women from the Women’s Health Initiative Hormone Therapy study. Cases were defined as any POP (grades 1–3) or moderate/severe POP (grades 2–3), while controls had grade 0 POP. We performed race-specific multiple logistic regression analyses between SNPs imputed to 1000 genomes in relation to POP (grade 0 vs 1–3; grade 0 vs 2–3) adjusting for age at diagnosis, body mass index, parity, and genetic ancestry. There were 1274 controls and 1427 cases of any POP and 317 cases of moderate/severe POP. Although none of the analyses reached genome-wide significance (p<5x10^-8), we noted variants in several loci that met p<10⁻⁶. In race-specific analysis of grade 0 vs 2–3, intronic SNPs in the CPE gene (rs28573326, OR:2.14; 95% CI 1.62–2.83; p = 1.0x10^-7) were associated with POP in AAs, and SNPs in the gene AL132709.5 (rs1950626, OR:2.96; 95% CI 1.96–4.48, p = 2.6x10^-7) were associated with POP in HPs. Inverse variance fixed-effect meta-analysis of the race-specific results showed suggestive signals for SNPs in the DPP6 gene (rs11243354, OR:1.36; p = 4.2x10^-7) in the grade 0 vs 1–3 analyses and for SNPs around PGBD5 (rs740494, OR:2.17; p = 8.6x10^-7) and SHC3 (rs2209875, OR:0.60; p = 9.3x10^-7) in the grade 0 vs 2–3 analyses. While we did not identify genome-wide significant findings, we document several SNPs reaching suggestive statistical significance. Further interrogation of POP in larger minority samples is warranted.     

Is routine episiotomy necessary?

One hundred and eighty one primigravid women delivering vaginally in July and August 1982 in the Rotunda Hospital, Dublin, were randomly allocated to one of two groups. Patients in one group were to undergo episiotomy. Those in the other group were not to undergo episiotomy unless it was considered to be essential. The outcome was compared with that of the clinical practice over the previous six months at the hospital. Of the 92 patients allocated not to undergo episiotomy, seven (8%) had one done for medical reasons compared with 507 (89%) in the previous six months. First degree tears occurred in 23 (25%) and second degree tears in 43 (47%). Nineteen (21%), however, retained an intact perineum compared with only 35 (6%) of the women who had delivered in the preceding six months. Assessments of perineal pain, bruising, swelling, and healing and records of ingestion of analgesics were made for the first four days after delivery, and again at a check up six weeks after delivery, in patients who had had spontaneous vertex deliveries. Forty patients who underwent episiotomy and 37 who sustained a second degree tear formed two comparable groups. There was no difference in outcome between them. Data were also evaluated for 19 women who retained an intact perineum, 22 who sustained a first degree tear, and 11 who underwent episiotomy and epidural anaesthesia; all 52 of these women had spontaneous vertex deliveries. Despite severe soft tissue injury in two patients those who fared best were those who retained an intact perineum. First degree tears were associated with symptoms similar to those associated with second degree tears. Those who fared worst were women who underwent episiotomy after epidural anaesthesia. The value of routine episiotomy in primigravid patients is questioned, but the final decision can be made only by the accoucheur at the time of imminent delivery.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-Linked glycoengineering for human therapeutic proteins in bacteria

Approx. 70% of human therapeutic proteins are N-linked glycoproteins, and therefore host cells for production must contain the relevant protein modification machinery. The discovery and characterisation of the N-linked glycosylation pathway in the pathogenic bacterium Campylobacter jejuni, and subsequently its functional transfer to Escherichia coli, presents the opportunity of using prokaryotes as cell factories for therapeutic protein production. Not only could bacteria reduce costs and increase yields, but the improved feasibility to genetically control microorganisms means new and improved pharmacokinetics of therapeutics is an exciting possibility. This is a relatively new concept, and progress in bacterial N-glycosylation characterisation is reviewed and metabolic engineering targets revealed.     

A comparison of indices and measured values of eggshell thickness of different shell regions using museum eggs of 230 European bird species

The thickness of avian eggshells is used to assess shell quality in wild and domestic species, as an indicator of environmental pollution and as an adaptive explanation for shell maculation. Both direct measurements and calculated eggshell thickness indices (ETI) are used in such research, yet this is the first study to quantify, across a large spectrum of bird families (and thus egg shapes), the correlation between measured thicknesses and ETI. Furthermore, few studies have quantified thickness variation across the entire length of the shell, although this variation may influence both gas transfer and embryonic development. We measured the thickness of 942 eggshells of 230 European bird species from the Class II material at the Natural History Museum, Tring, UK, both in the conventional manner, at the equator through the blowhole and, uniquely, after a single longitudinal, cut at its equator at the blunt and pointed ends. Over half of the samples revealed shell defects, cautioning against the indiscriminate use of museum specimens. Strong positive associations were found between species‐specific means of shell thickness with each other and also with ETI, especially those derived from Schönwetter's ‘Handbuch der Oologie’ method, validating the interspecific comparative use of ETI. Thickness measurements and ETI factors are provided for all 230 species. Eggshells were usually thinner at the blunt end (the location of the air sac) than at the equator, but of equal thickness in passerine eggs. This difference was greatest in species producing elongate eggs and suggests that there is a functional significance of shell thickness variation among species that requires further investigation.     

Analysis of Dictyostelium mucoroides Macrocysts by Using a Simple Breakage and Fractionation Procedure

A method is described for the breakage and fractionation of Dictyostelium macrocysts. It involves vortexing with large glass beads to disrupt the macrocyst wall followed by differential low-speed centrifugation. It yields fractions containing purified wall material and intact endocytes. The endocytes can themselves be disrupted by using smaller glass beads.     

The food chain dynamics of the oyster,clam, and mussel in an aquaculture food chain

The food chain dynamics of the edible mussel Mytilus edulis L., the American oyster Crassostrea virginica (Gmelin) and the hard clam Mercenaria mercenaria (L.) were investigated in large experimental tanks with flowing, filtered sea water and controlled addition of phytoplankton. The feeding rate of the mussel (5.36 μg carbon removed/l/g C animal was higher than that of the oyster (3.92) and clam (3.03) but the ecological efficiencies (net production/ingested food) × 100 of the clam (23.69 %) and the oyster (18.38 %) were higher than that of the mussel (10.01 %).The food chain efficiencies (net production/available food) were lower than the ecological efficiencies, suggesting under-exploitation of the available food. The clam, although having a lower feeding rate, was more efficient in utilizing the food it filtered and so showed the highest net production.The rates (μg-at/l/g C animal) of regeneration of nutrients, especially total inorganic nitrogen (mussel, 2.1723 × 10^?3; oyster, 7.4270 × 10^?3; and clam, 8.1750 × 10^?3) along with reported high biodeposition rates of bivalves suggest that multi-species aquaculture systems would be more efficient and productive than one-species systems.