We describe the first application of confocal Brillouin and Raman microscopy to
ex vivo
human epithelial tissue - Barrett's oesophagus. This non-invasive label-free approach provides high-resolution ...mechanical mapping with chemical specificity, opening the route to a new integrated method for multiple biomedical and bioengineering applications, and potentially
in vivo
real-time diagnostics.
Confocal Brillouin and Raman microscopies provide non-contact label-free mechanochemical mapping of epithelial tissue, Barrett's oesophagus at high spatial resolution.
Purpose of Review
Our aim was to examine the current evidence behind prescribing statins to individuals over 65 years of age with emphasis on those older than 75. Individuals over 75 years of age may ...often have multiple comorbidities and take many medications. Additionally, they are often underrepresented in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of statins in older populations. While results of RCTs demonstrate the benefit of statin therapy in both primary and secondary prevention patients, clinicians must more carefully consider adverse effects and drug–drug interactions before prescribing statin therapy as well as determining the intensity in older individuals.
Recent Findings
Four primary prevention trials support statins for primary prevention following a clinician–patient risk discussion. Of these, JUPITER and HOPE-3 studied participants 70 years of age and over who derived benefit. However, in those over 85 years, available information is inadequate to guide decisions regarding statin therapy. Documented statin adverse effects include new onset diabetes, myopathy, and medication interactions. Although cognitive decline has been reported anecdotally, its incidence was comparable to placebo in two RCTs with validated cognitive evaluations. Concerns about significant liver and kidney injury with statins were not corroborated in RCTs. For most patients, the potential for reducing ASCVD risk outweighs possible adverse effects; however, in the elderly, the impact of drug treatment on cognition, musculoskeletal ability, and independence must be heavily weighed.
Summary
Given the limited high quality evidence for primary prevention in individuals over 75 years of age, neither the ACC–AHA nor USPSTF cholesterol guidelines recommend statin therapy for primary prevention in this patient population. If prescribed, physician judgment and shared decision-making are crucial. To aid clinicians, imaging studies of subclinical atherosclerosis may improve specificity of statin therapy to prevent ASCVD in the elderly in primary prevention.
Tear fluid is a complex aqueous solution containing proteins, metabolites, electrolytes and lipids. This study uses Raman spectroscopy to analyse the composition of human tear fluid from three ...healthy volunteers. Two different methods are used to obtain Raman spectra from the 3
μL tear samples: (i) solution-phase Raman spectroscopy, and (ii) drop coating deposition Raman spectroscopy (DCDRS). Tear samples were either basal fluid, or yawn reflex secreted fluid. Calibration of the solution technique with standard protein solutions (5–15
mg
mL
−1) showed that this method could predict the protein concentration (cross-validation) with an error of less than 1
mg
mL
−1. The Raman signals from the tear fluid were very weak but signals due to protein and urea were clearly observable in all samples. The drop coating deposition technique was shown to produce very high signal-to-noise spectra for relatively short acquisition times, and small sample volumes. Raman point mapping combined with principal components analysis showed that the protein, urea, bicarbonate and lipid could all be detected in the tear samples and that the distribution of these components was inhomogeneous. Their position within the drying pattern was shown to depend on their relative solubilities. The results of this study suggest that solution Raman measurements may be calibrated to give the total tear protein concentration and DCDRS could be used to give a fingerprint of the tear protein (and lipid) composition.
The city as a refuge for insect pollinators Hall, Damon M.; Camilo, Gerardo R.; Tonietto, Rebecca K. ...
Conservation biology,
February 2017, Letnik:
31, Številka:
1
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Research on urban insect pollinators is changing views on the biological value and ecological importance of cities. The abundance and diversity of native bee species in urban landscapes that are ...absent in nearby rural lands evidence the biological value and ecological importance of cities and have implications for biodiversity conservation. Lagging behind this revised image of the city are urban conservation programs that historically have invested in education and outreach rather than programs designed to achieve high-priority species conservation results. We synthesized research on urban bee species diversity and abundance to determine how urban conservation could be repositioned to better align with new views on the ecological importance of urban landscapes. Due to insect pollinators' relatively small functional requirements—habitat range, life cycle, and nesting behavior—relative to larger mammals, we argue that pollinators put high-priority and high-impact urban conservation within reach. In a rapidly urbanizing world, transforming how environmental managers view the city can improve citizen engagement and contribute to the development of more sustainable urbanization. Las investigaciones sobre los insectos polinizadores urbanos están cambiando las percepciones sobre el valor biológico y la importancia ecológica de las ciudades. La abundancia y la diversidad de las especies nativas de abejas en los paisajes urbanos, que además están ausentes en los terrenos rurales cercanos, evidencian el valor biológico y la importancia ecológica de las ciudades y tienen implicaciones para la conservación de la biodiversidad. A paso lento detrás de esta imagen revisada de las ciudades están los programas de conservación urbana que históricamente han invertido en la educación y el alcance en lugar de los programar diseñados para adquirir resultados de conservación para especies de prioridad alta. Sintetizamos las investigaciones sobre la diversidad de especies de abejas urbanas y la abundancia para determinar cómo la conservación urbana podría ser reposicionada para alinearse de mejor manera con las nuevas visiones sobre la importancia ecológica de los paisajes urbanos. Debido a los requerimientos funcionales relativamente pequeños de los insectos polinizadores - extensión del hábitat, ciclo de vida, comportamiento de anidamiento - en relación con los mamíferos más grandes, argumentamos que los polinizadores colocan a la conservación urbana de alta prioridad y alto impacto dentro de nuestro alcance. En un mundo rápidamente urbanizado, transformar la forma en que los administradores ambientales ven a las ciudades puede mejorar la participación ciudadana y contribuir al desarrollo de una urbanización más sustentable.
Pelvic ramus fractures in older patients are associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. There is a paucity of literature on fractures of the pelvis in this age group. The purpose of this ...study was to report mortality rates following such injuries. In addition, we aimed to describe and quantify the important resultant morbidity in this vulnerable population.
We performed a retrospective chart review of all low-energy pelvic ramus fractures in patients more than age 60 years that occurred between January 2000 and December 2005. Data on survival, hospital length of stay, ambulatory status and place of residence were recorded. For comparison, we calculated the mortality rate for a surrogate age- and sex-matched group using Statistics Canada survival data for use as an uninjured control group.
We identified 43 patients (32 women 74%; mean age 79.4 yr) with isolated low-energy pelvic ramus fractures over the study period. The 1- and 5-year mortality rates were 16.3% (95% confidence interval CI 7.8%–30.3%) and 58.1% (95% CI 43.3%–71.6%), respectively, both significantly higher than the point estimates for the control group (6.6% and 31.3%, respectively). Following injury, 14/39 patients (36%) permanently required increased ambulatory aids, and 8 (20%) required a permanent increase in everyday level of care.
The results suggest that there may be increased mortality and morbidity following low-energy pattern pelvic ramus fractures in an older population compared to age- and sex-matched uninjured control subjects.
A Dose–Response Study for I-125 Prostate Implants Stock, Richard G; Stone, Nelson N; Tabert, Andrea ...
International journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics,
04/1998, Letnik:
41, Številka:
1
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Purpose: No dose–response study has ever been performed for I-125 prostate implants using modern techniques of implant evaluation and modern treatment outcome end points. The amount of activity per ...volume implanted was increased over time based on review of postimplant dosimetry. This resulted in different delivered dose levels. This study explores the relationship between dose, biochemical failure, and biopsy results.
Materials and Methods: 134 patients with T1–T2 prostate cancer were implanted with I-125 radioactive seeds and followed from 12 to 74 months (median: 32) postimplant. No patient received external beam irradiation or hormonal therapy. All patients implanted with I-125 had Gleason scores ≤6. One month postimplant, a CT-based three-dimensional dosimetric evaluation was performed on all patients. Using TG43 guidelines, dose–volume histograms were calculated. The dose delivered to the gland was defined as the D90 (dose delivered to 90% of prostate tissue as defined by CT). The D90s ranged from 26.8 to 256.3 Gy (median: 140.8 Gy). Biochemical failure was defined as two consecutive rises in prostate specific antigen (PSA) or a nadir level above 1.0 ng/ml. Posttreatment prostate biopsies (six to eight core samples) were routinely performed at 2 years postimplant.
Results: Improvements in freedom from biochemical failure (FFBF) rates were seen with increasing D90 levels. The 4-year FFBF rates for patients with D90 values <100 Gy, 100–119.9 Gy, 120–13.9 Gy, 140–159.9 Gy, and ≥160 Gy were 53, 82, 80, 95, and 89%, respectively (
p = 0.02). Patients receiving a D90 <140 Gy (65 patients) were similar with respect to presenting disease prognostic factors to those receiving a D90 ≥140 Gy (69 patients). Patients receiving a D90 <140 Gy had a 4-year FFBF rate of 68% compared to a rate of 92% for those receiving a D90 ≥140 Gy (
p = 0.02). Two-year posttreatment biopsies were negative in 70% (33 of 47) of patients with a D90 < 140 Gy compared to a rate of 83% (24 of 29) in patients with a D90 ≥140 Gy (
p = 0.2). A multivariate analysis using dose, PSA, score, and stage revealed that dose was the most significant predictor of biochemical failure (
p = 0.001). This dose response was more pronounced in patients presenting with PSA levels >10 ng/ml. In these patients, the 4-year FFBF rates were 51 and 100% for the low and high dose groups, respectively (
p = 0.009) and the negative biopsy rates were 64% (14 of 22) and 100% (8 of 8), respectively (
p = 0.05). In patients with presenting PSA <10 ng/ml, the 4-year FFBF rates were 82 and 88% for the low and high dose groups, respectively (
p = 0.29).
Conclusion: A dose response was observed at a level of 140 Gy. Adequate I -125 implants should deliver a dose of 140–160 Gy using TG43 guidlines.
Four species of Dryocosmus cynipid gallwasps are now known to induce galls on Chrysolepis in California and Oregon. Two new species, Dryocosmus demartinii Melika, Nicholls Stone and Dryocosmus juliae ...Melika, Nicholls Stone are described. Males of the sexual generation of D. rileypokei plus adults of the asexual generation of this species are both described for the first time. A detailed description of D. castanopsidis is given for the first time. In addition to descriptions we provide diagnoses and information on biology and host associations for all four species. All the newly described taxa are supported by morphological and molecular data.
How geographically widespread biological communities assemble remains a major question in ecology 1–4. Do parallel population histories allow sustained interactions (such as host-parasite or ...plant-pollinator) among species, or do discordant histories necessarily interrupt them? Though few empirical data exist, these issues are central to our understanding of multispecies evolutionary dynamics 3–6. Here we use hierarchical approximate Bayesian analysis 7 of DNA sequence data for 12 herbivores and 19 parasitoids to reconstruct the assembly of an insect community spanning the Western Palearctic and assess the support for alternative host tracking and ecological sorting hypotheses 2, 8, 9. We show that assembly occurred primarily by delayed host tracking from a shared eastern origin. Herbivores escaped their enemies for millennia before parasitoid pursuit restored initial associations, with generalist parasitoids no better able to track their hosts than specialists. In contrast, ecological sorting played only a minor role. Substantial turnover in host-parasitoid associations means that coevolution must have been diffuse 4–6, probably contributing to the parasitoid generalism seen in this and similar systems 10, 11. Reintegration of parasitoids after host escape shows these communities to have been unsaturated 12, 13 throughout their history, arguing against major roles for parasitoid niche evolution or competition 3, 4, 6 during community assembly.
► Assembly of an oak insect community in Europe involved multiple invasions from Asia ► Herbivores escaped many of their parasitoid enemies for millennia ► Parasitoid pursuit through the Pleistocene rendered enemy escape only temporary ► Turnover in host-parasitoid associations predicts diffuse coevolution in this system
To analyze the effect of biologically effective dose (BED) values on prostate-specific antigen (PSA) failure and posttreatment biopsy.
From 1990 to 2003, 1,377 patients had prostate brachytherapy ...alone (I-125 or Pd-103) (571), hormonal and brachytherapy (371), and trimodality therapy (hormonal, implant, and external beam) (435). Dose was defined as the D90 (dose delivered to 90% of the gland from the dose-volume histogram).
Freedom from PSA failure (FFPF) at 10 years was 87%. The 10-year FFPF for BED<100, >100-120, >120-140, >140-160, <160-180, >180-200, and >200 were 46%, 68%, 81%, 85.5%, 90%, 90%, and 92%, respectively (p<0.0001). BED and Gleason score had the greatest effect, with p values of p<0.0001 in multivariate analysis. Posttreatment positive biopsy rate was 7% (31/446). The positive biopsy rates for BED<or=100, >100-120, >120-140, >140-160, >160-180, >180-200, and >200 were 24% (8/33), 15% (3/20), 6% (2/33), 6% (3/52), 7% (6/82), 1% (1/72), and 3% (4/131), respectively (p<0.0001). BED was the most significant predictor of biopsy outcome in multivariate analysis (p=0.006).
Biologically effective dose equations provide a method of comparing different isotopes and combined therapies in the brachytherapy management of prostate cancer. The effects of BED on FFPF and posttreatment biopsy demonstrate a strong dose-response relationship.
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