Inhibition of parathormone-stimulated bone resorption by type I interferon

The effect of Type I interferon on bone resorption was studied by measuring its effect on parathormone-stimulated calcium release from neonatal murine calvaria in vitro. A pure human recombinant leukocyte interferon hybrid of the A and D subtypes was used, which has high antiviral activity on mouse cells. Calcium release was inhibited in a dose dependent fashion with 50% inhibition at about 10(-10) M or 600 U/ml, and the inhibition was reversible. The presence of interferon was required before or during the activation phase of the resorptive response, when the formation of osteoclasts from precursor cells would occur. When added to actively resorbing bone it had no effect. The data suggest that Type I interferon can inhibit the parathormone-regulated development of active osteoclasts, possibly by inhibiting osteoclast precursor differentiation.     

Better survival after transcatheter aortic valve replacement by process improvements

ObjectiveThe aim of this study is to assess the effects on procedural, 30-day, and 1‑year all-cause mortality by a newly introduced quality improvement strategy in patients after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR).MethodsIn October 2015, a coherent set of quality improving interventions with respect to patient geriatric screening, general diagnostic examination and safety of the procedure was implemented at a single centre in the Netherlands. Patients undergoing TAVR in 2013–2018 were included for retrospective analysis. Mortality was assessed in the pre-quality improvement strategy cohort (January 2013 to October 2015; cohort A) and in the post-quality improvement strategy cohort (November 2015 to December 2018; cohort B). Logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the influence of patient and procedural characteristics on the results of the quality improvement strategy in terms of procedural, 30-day, and 1‑year all-cause mortality.ResultsIn total, 806 patients were analysed with 274 patients in cohort A and 532 patients in cohort B. After introduction of the quality improvement strategy, procedural (4.4% to 1.3%, p < 0.01), 30-day (8.4% to 2.7%, p < 0.01) and 1‑year (16.4% to 8.5%, p < 0.01) all-cause mortality significantly decreased. Multivariate regression analysis showed that the quality improvement strategy also significantly reduced 30-day (odds ratio [OR] 0.19, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.09–0.42) and 1‑year (OR 0.38, 95% CI 0.24–0.61) all-cause mortality if corrected for patient characteristics.ConclusionStructural meetings on evaluation of outcomes highlight potential areas for improvement and subsequent outcome-based quality improvement initiatives can result in lower procedural, 30-day, and 1‑year all-cause mortality.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1007/s12471-020-01526-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

The invasive cervical cancer review: psychological issues surrounding disclosure

An audit of the screening history of all new cervical cancer cases has been a requirement since April 2007. While NHS cervical screening programmes (NHSCSP) guidance requires that women diagnosed with cervical cancer are offered the findings of the audit, as yet there has been no research to investigate the psychological impact that meeting to discuss the findings might have on patients. This is in spite of the fact that cytological under‐call may play a role in as many as 20% of cervical cancer cases. This review draws on the literature concerning breaking bad news, discussing cancer and disclosing medical errors, in order to gain insight into both the negative and positive consequences that may accompany a cervical screening review meeting. We conclude that while patients are likely to experience some distress at disclosure, there are also likely to be positive aspects, such as greater trust and improved perception of care.     

消息与动态

这次会议是由美国缅因大学的最早美洲人研究中心主办的,由1989年5月24日开到28日。地点在缅因州的奥罗诺(Orono)的缅因大学校园内。 会议内容主要有38篇科研报告,包括拉丁美洲各国和北美的学者们报告的近年各国的考古发现,如智利南端蒙特凡尔德(Monte Verde)遗址的可能早达距今33000年的石器,墨西哥中北部的兰乔拉阿玛玻拉(Rancho La Amapola)的37694±1963年前的火堆,33000+2701-1800年前的刮削器等。还有我国、苏联和朝鲜、日本的学者报告的各该国对远古人类的研究以及一些新技术等。 会议的最后一天对古环境古气候、考古资源管理、科研资金来源等专题进行了事先组织的有准备     

Meeting Report: The 24th Fungal Genetics Conference at Asilomar, California, USA

<正>The 24~(th) Fungal Genetics Conference was recently held at the Asilomar Conference Center in the coastal town of Pacific Grove,Monterey County,California,USA,between March 20~(th) and 25~(th),2007.At this conference,there were 750 participants representing 33 countries,with the number of participants reaching the maximum holding capacity of the conference center.About 200 people were on the waiting list and could not attend the meeting because of space limitations.     

Biodiversity matters in a changing world

It is now widely accepted that the climate of our planet is changing, but it is still hard to predict the consequences of these changes on ecosystems. The impact is worst at the poles, with scientists concerned that impacts at lower latitudes will follow suit. Canada has a great responsibility and potential for studying the effects of climate changes on the ecological dynamics, given its geographical location and its scientific leadership in this field. The 5th annual meeting of the Canadian Society for Ecology and Evolution was held in the International Year of Biodiversity, to share recent advances in a wide variety of disciplines ranging from molecular biology to behavioural ecology, and to integrate them into a general view that will help us preserve biodiversity and limit the impact of climate change on ecosystems.     

简述《2020年后全球生物多样性框架》谈判进展

《生物多样性公约》(简称《公约》)第十五次缔约方大会(COP15)第二阶段会议上将审议通过正在编制的2020年后全球生物多样性框架(简称“框架”)。该框架具有里程碑意义, 对未来全球生物多样性保护、经济和社会发展有重要指导作用。由于生物多样性的持续丧失, 只有通过变革式的转型, 才能实现到2050年人与自然和谐发展的美好愿景。框架以变革理论为基础, 拟制定雄心勃勃又务实平衡的生物多样性保护目标。生物多样性与人类息息相关, 目标的制定将对人类社会的生产、消费等产生重大影响。由于《公约》机制和框架磋商的复杂性等多种原因, 仅极少数人完整地了解框架的内容和谈判进程。经过框架不限成员名额工作组(以下简称“OEWG”) 4次会议的磋商, 框架结构和要素已基本确定, 其中最受关注的是22个2030年行动目标, 包括减少对生物多样性的威胁(行动目标1‒8)、通过可持续利用和惠益分享来满足人的需求(行动目标9‒13)和执行工作和主流化的工具和解决方案(行动目标14‒22) 3个部分。本文介绍了OEWG第四次会议磋商的框架草案中行动目标的谈判进展, 对框架中30 × 30目标、资源调动等核心议题进行了分析, 从而为管理部门、科研机构、企业、社会组织、从事生物多样性教育和保护的广大工作者等社会各界了解全球生物多样性治理对国际经济秩序的重塑提供视角和方法上的参考, 从而更好地把握参与科技、贸易、投资、制造等领域国际竞争的环境政治动态与方向, 促进人与自然和谐共生, 共建地球生命共同体。     

A general theory on fish aggregation to floating objects: An alternative to the meeting point hypothesis

An immense variety of fish may, on occasions, aggregate around or beassociated with floating structures such as drifting algae, jelliedzooplankton, whales, floats or anchored fish aggregating devices (ineffect, there are over 333 fish species belonging to 96 familiesrecorded in the literature).Several hypotheses have been advanced to explain this behaviour ofpelagic fish, although the most widely accepted theory is that fish usefloating materials, to some extent, to protect themselves frompredators. However, we think that aggregation under floats may be theresult of behaviour that has evolved to safeguard the survival of eggs,larvae and juvenile stages, during dispersion to other areas. Naturalfloating structures (e.g., algae, branches of trees) drift in seacurrents that originate in places where the floating objects arefrequently found (e.g., river estuaries, coastal areas). These same seacurrents also introduce some of the planktonic production generated inthese areas into the oligotrophic pelagic environment. Fish associatedwith drifting floating structures probably feed on invertebratesassociated with the structures. However, they may also benefit from theaccumulated plankton in the converging waters. Adult fish of somemigratory species (tuna, dolphinfish, etc.) have also developed similarassociative behaviour around drifting objects for other reasons (e.g.,resting places, presence of bait fish, geographical references andschool recomposition). In this context, the meeting point hypothesis isonly applicable to one specific case, the tuna and tuna-like species.Aggregative and associative behaviour, under and around floatingdevices, may be the result of convergent behaviors that result fromdifferent motivations. However, generally this behaviour can beexplained by the fact that drifting floating objects represent a meansof reaching relatively rich areas, where larvae and juvenile fish havean increased chance of survival.