Initial mass of SOC (on a mass basis with bulk density data to a depth of 40 cm) at the plot areas before the onset of the tillage treatment in 1962 and 1964 is not reported but rather the SOC stock ...in adjacent woodlands (WL) is used as the SOC level at the time of clearing and cultivation, perhaps 80 or more years ago. Olson (2010) defined SOC sequestration as the process of transferring carbon dioxide from the atmosphere into the soil through plants, plant residues and other organic solids which are stored or retained as part of the soil organic matter (humus).
Species with broad geographic ranges may experience varied environmental conditions throughout their range leading to local adaptation. Variation among populations reflects potential adaptability or ...plasticity, with implications for populations impacted by disease, climate change, and other anthropogenic influences. However, behavior may counteract divergent selection among populations. We studied intraspecific variation in hibernation physiology of
Myotis lucifugus
(little brown myotis) and
Corynorhinus townsendii
(Townsend’s big-eared bat), two species of bats with large geographic ranges. We studied
M. lucifugus
at three hibernacula which spanned a latitudinal gradient of 1500 km, and
C. townsendii
from 6 hibernacula spread across 1200 km latitude and 1200 km longitude. We found no difference in torpid metabolic rate among populations of either species, nor was there a difference in the effect of ambient temperature among sites. Evaporative water loss was similar among populations of both species, with the exception of one
C. townsendii
pairwise site difference and one
M. lucifugus
site that differed from the others. We suggest the general lack of geographic variation is a consequence of behavioral microhabitat selection. As volant animals, bats can travel relatively long distances in search of preferred microclimates for hibernation. Despite dramatic macroclimate differences among populations, hibernating bats are able to find preferred microclimate conditions within their range, resulting in similar selection pressures among populations spread across wide geographic ranges.
Several quantitative trait loci (QTLs) that influence developmental dyslexia (reading disability RD) have been mapped to chromosome regions by linkage analysis. The most consistently replicated area ...of linkage is on chromosome 6p23-21.3. We used association analysis in 223 siblings from the United Kingdom to identify an underlying QTL on 6p22.2. Our association study implicates a 77-kb region spanning the gene
TTRAP and the first four exons of the neighboring uncharacterized gene
KIAA0319. The region of association is also directly upstream of a third gene,
THEM2. We found evidence of these associations in a second sample of siblings from the United Kingdom, as well as in an independent sample of twin-based sibships from Colorado. One main RD risk haplotype that has a frequency of ∼12% was found in both the U.K. and U.S. samples. The haplotype is not distinguished by any protein-coding polymorphisms, and, therefore, the functional variation may relate to gene expression. The QTL influences a broad range of reading-related cognitive abilities but has no significant impact on general cognitive performance in these samples. In addition, the QTL effect may be largely limited to the severe range of reading disability.
Reading and language abilities are heritable traits that are likely to share some genetic influences with each other. To identify pleiotropic genetic variants affecting these traits, we first ...performed a genome‐wide association scan (GWAS) meta‐analysis using three richly characterized datasets comprising individuals with histories of reading or language problems, and their siblings. GWAS was performed in a total of 1862 participants using the first principal component computed from several quantitative measures of reading‐ and language‐related abilities, both before and after adjustment for performance IQ. We identified novel suggestive associations at the SNPs rs59197085 and rs5995177 (uncorrected P ≈ 10–7 for each SNP), located respectively at the CCDC136/FLNC and RBFOX2 genes. Each of these SNPs then showed evidence for effects across multiple reading and language traits in univariate association testing against the individual traits. FLNC encodes a structural protein involved in cytoskeleton remodelling, while RBFOX2 is an important regulator of alternative splicing in neurons. The CCDC136/FLNC locus showed association with a comparable reading/language measure in an independent sample of 6434 participants from the general population, although involving distinct alleles of the associated SNP. Our datasets will form an important part of on‐going international efforts to identify genes contributing to reading and language skills.
Genome‐wide association scan meta‐analysis for reading and language ability.
Observations and experiments show that human adults preferentially share resources with close relations, with people who have shared with them (reciprocity), and with people who have shared with ...others (indirect reciprocity). These tendencies are consistent with evolutionary theory but could also reflect the shaping effects of experience or instruction in complex, cooperative, and competitive societies. Here, we report evidence for these three tendencies in 3.5-year-old children, despite their limited experience with complex cooperative networks. Three pillars of mature cooperative behavior therefore appear to have roots extending deep into human development.
Background: There is a growing interest in the study of the genetic origins of comorbidity, a direct consequence of the recent findings of genetic loci that are seemingly linked to more than one ...disorder. There are several potential causes for these shared regions of linkage, but one possibility is that these loci may harbor genes with manifold effects. The established genetic correlation between reading disability (RD) and attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) suggests that their comorbidity is due at least in part to genes that have an impact on several phenotypes, a phenomenon known as pleiotropy.
Methods: We employ a bivariate linkage test for selected samples that could help identify these pleiotropic loci. This linkage method was employed to carry out the first bivariate genome‐wide analysis for RD and ADHD, in a selected sample of 182 sibling pairs.
Results: We found evidence for a novel locus at chromosome 14q32 (multipoint LOD = 2.5; singlepoint LOD = 3.9) with a pleiotropic effect on RD and ADHD. Another locus at 13q32, which had been implicated in previous univariate scans of RD and ADHD, seems to have a pleiotropic effect on both disorders. 20q11 is also suggested as a pleiotropic locus. Other loci previously implicated in RD or ADHD did not exhibit bivariate linkage.
Conclusions: Some loci are suggested as having pleiotropic effects on RD and ADHD, while others might have unique effects. These results highlight the utility of this bivariate linkage method to study pleiotropy.
Context. Lactic acidosis is a well-recognized consequence of metformin. Hypoglycemia has been reported previously in metformin overdose, but the presence of other co-ingestions (e.g., a sulfonylurea) ...was not definitively excluded. Case details. A 15-year-old girl ingested 75 g of metformin and 3 g of quetiapine. On examination in the emergency department 2 h later, she was drowsy but had normal vital signs. She developed lactic acidosis, hypotension, and recurrent and severe hypoglycemia (15 mg/dL and 20 mg/dL), requiring boluses of 50%dextrose. The first episode of hypoglycemia occurred approximately 4 h after ingestion. Serum metformin level 2 h after ingestion was 267 mg/L (therapeutic range, 0.465-2.5), and serum insulin was 2 mU/L (normal range, 6-35). Extensive laboratory investigation using high-resolution mass-spectrometry ruled out other possible hypoglycemic agents. She recovered after hemodialysis. Discussion.Metformin overdose can cause severe hypoglycemia in the absence of other antidiabetic drugs. Potential mechanisms of metformin-induced hypoglycemia include decreased hepatic glucose production, decreased glucose absorption, and poor oral intake.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
An increasing number of patients with severe coronary artery disease (CAD) are not candidates for traditional revascularization and experience angina in spite of excellent medical therapy. Despite ...limited data regarding the natural history and predictors of adverse outcome, these patients have been considered at high risk for early mortality.
The OPtions In Myocardial Ischemic Syndrome Therapy (OPTIMIST) program at the Minneapolis Heart Institute offers traditional and investigational therapies for patients with refractory angina. A prospective clinical database includes detailed baseline and yearly follow-up information. Death status and cause were determined using the Social Security Death Index, clinical data, and death certificates. Time to death was analysed using survival analysis methods. For 1200 patients, the mean age was 63.5 years (77.5% male) with 72.4% having prior coronary artery bypass grafting, 74.4% prior percutaneous coronary intervention, 72.6% prior myocardial infarction, 78.3% 3-vessel CAD, 23.0% moderate-to-severe left-ventricular (LV) dysfunction, and 32.6% congestive heart failure (CHF). Overall, 241 patients died (20.1%: 71.8% cardiovascular) during a median follow-up 5.1 years (range 0-16, 14.7% over 9). By Kaplan-Meier analysis, mortality was 3.9% (95% CI 2.8-5.0) at 1 year and 28.4% (95% CI 24.9-32.0) at 9 years. Multivariate predictors of all-cause mortality were baseline age, diabetes, angina class, chronic kidney disease, LV dysfunction, and CHF.
Long-term mortality in patients with refractory angina is lower than previously reported. Therapeutic options for this distinct and growing group of patients should focus on angina relief and improved quality of life.
Magnetic resonance spectroscopy is a powerful, non-invasive, quantitative imaging technique that allows for the measurement of brain metabolites that has demonstrated utility in diagnosing and ...characterizing a broad range of neurological diseases. Its impact, however, has been limited due to small sample sizes and methodological variability in addition to intrinsic limitations of the method itself such as its sensitivity to motion. The lack of standardization from a data acquisition and data processing perspective makes it difficult to pool multiple studies and/or conduct multisite studies that are necessary for supporting clinically relevant findings. Based on the experience of the ENIGMA MRS work group and a review of the literature, this manuscript provides an overview of the current state of MRS data harmonization. Key factors that need to be taken into consideration when conducting both retrospective and prospective studies are described. These include (1) MRS acquisition issues such as pulse sequence, RF and B0 calibrations, echo time, and SNR; (2) data processing issues such as pre-processing steps, modeling, and quantitation; and (3) biological factors such as voxel location, age, sex, and pathology. Various approaches to MRS data harmonization are then described including meta-analysis, mega-analysis, linear modeling, ComBat and artificial intelligence approaches. The goal is to provide both novice and experienced readers with the necessary knowledge for conducting MRS data harmonization studies.
ABSTRACT
The objective of this study was to compare pre- and postweaning growth performance, carcass characteristics, and meat quality attributes of calves that did not receive an implant or were ...implanted early or late in the nursing period. Crossbred steer calves (n = 135) were stratified by birth date and birth weight and randomly assigned to the following implant treatments: control (CON; no preweaning implant), 58 d (EARLY; 36 mg zeranol, administered at an average of 58 ± 13 d of age), and 121 d (LATE; 36 mg zeranol, administered at an average 121 ± 13 d of age). After weaning, steers were blocked by initial feed yard BW to 15 pens (5 pens/treatment and 9 steers/pen). All steers were implanted on d 21 after arrival at the feed yard and again on d 108 of finishing. Steer BW and ultrasound assessment of rib eye area (uREA), rib fat thickness (uRFT), and percent intramuscular fat (uIMF) were collected when implants were administered, at weaning, and on harvest day. Carcass measurements included HCW, rib eye area (REA), 12th-rib fat thickness (FT), and marbling score. Objective color (L*, a*, and b*) was recorded, and a 3.8-cm strip loin section was removed from both sides of each carcass and portioned into 2.54-cm steaks that were aged for 3 or 14 d for analysis of cook loss and Warner–Bratzler shear force (WBSF). The remaining portion of each sample was used for analysis of moisture and crude fat. Steer BW, ADG, and G:F did not differ among treatments (P > 0.05). Steers implanted in the EARLY treatment had a greater (P < 0.05) cumulative DMI than CON but were not different from steers implanted in the LATE treatment. Ultrasound REA and uRFT (averaged across all collection days) did not differ (P > 0.05); however, steers on the CON treatment had a greater (P ≤ 0.05) percent uIMF than EARLY implanted steers, whereas steers receiving the LATE implant were intermediate and not different from the other treatments. Hot carcass weight, REA, FT, USDA yield grade, marbling score, and objective color did not differ (P > 0.05) among treatments. The proportion of steers in each USDA yield and quality grade was similar (P > 0.05) among treatments, and no differences were detected for total carcass value or price per 45.4 kg (hundredweight; P > 0.05). Treatment did not influence (P > 0.05) percent cook loss, crude fat, moisture, or WBSF. In conclusion, administering a nursing implant, regardless of timing, did not influence live performance, carcass characteristics, or meat quality of steers fed in this study.
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