Unsustainable urbanization in the Indo-Pacific continues to threaten terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems due to habitat disturbances driven by human pressures. The Marikina Watershed, one of the most ...critical watersheds in the Philippines, has been exposed to economic and population growth resulting in landscape modification and water quality degradation. This led to establishment of the Upper Marikina River Basin Protected Landscape (UMRBPL) to rehabilitate the watershed ecosystem. To strengthen this conservation initiative, we aimed to assess whether the establishment of UMRBPL has been effective in conservation of benthic macroinvertebrate diversity in streams of the Marikina Watershed. Sixteen streams, eight from UMRBPL and eight from adjoining unprotected areas, were monitored for benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages and their habitat environments, such as pH, water temperature, dissolved oxygen, total dissolved solids, conductivity, salinity, and canopy openness. Principal component analysis and non-metric multidimensional scaling based on the environmental variables and biological metrics, respectively, revealed that habitat quality and benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages significantly differed between the protected and unprotected streams, with the former having better environment and higher biodiversity. More precisely, protected streams have significantly higher dissolved oxygen and lower canopy openness and material loadings as compared to unprotected streams. Consequently, taxon richness was four-fold higher in protected streams while stream quality indices based on abundance of key invertebrate groups (EPTand EPTC) were ten-fold higher in protected streams, as compared to unprotected streams. This study demonstrates that freshwater protected areas play crucial roles in the conservation of stream ecosystems and biodiversity under rapid urbanization in developing countries, like the Philippines. Keywords: Philippines, biomonitoring, freshwater protected area, watershed governance, tropical streams, Aichi Target 11
Unsustainable urbanization in the Indo-Pacific continues to threaten terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems due to habitat disturbances driven by human pressures. The Marikina Watershed, one of the most ...critical watersheds in the Philippines, has been exposed to economic and population growth resulting in landscape modification and water quality degradation. This led to establishment of the Upper Marikina River Basin Protected Landscape (UMRBPL) to rehabilitate the watershed ecosystem. To strengthen this conservation initiative, we aimed to assess whether the establishment of UMRBPL has been effective in conservation of benthic macroinvertebrate diversity in streams of the Marikina Watershed. Sixteen streams, eight from UMRBPL and eight from adjoining unprotected areas, were monitored for benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages and their habitat environments, such as pH, water temperature, dissolved oxygen, total dissolved solids, conductivity, salinity, and canopy openness. Principal component analysis and non-metric multidimensional scaling based on the environmental variables and biological metrics, respectively, revealed that habitat quality and benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages significantly differed between the protected and unprotected streams, with the former having better environment and higher biodiversity. More precisely, protected streams have significantly higher dissolved oxygen and lower canopy openness and material loadings as compared to unprotected streams. Consequently, taxon richness was four-fold higher in protected streams while stream quality indices based on abundance of key invertebrate groups (EPT and EPTC) were ten-fold higher in protected streams, as compared to unprotected streams. This study demonstrates that freshwater protected areas play crucial roles in the conservation of stream ecosystems and biodiversity under rapid urbanization in developing countries, like the Philippines.
Unsustainable urbanization in the Indo-Pacific continues to threaten terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems due to habitat disturbances driven by human pressures. The Marikina Watershed, one of the most ...critical watersheds in the Philippines, has been exposed to economic and population growth resulting in landscape modification and water quality degradation. This led to establishment of the Upper Marikina River Basin Protected Landscape (UMRBPL) to rehabilitate the watershed ecosystem. To strengthen this conservation initiative, we aimed to assess whether the establishment of UMRBPL has been effective in conservation of benthic macroinvertebrate diversity in streams of the Marikina Watershed. Sixteen streams, eight from UMRBPL and eight from adjoining unprotected areas, were monitored for benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages and their habitat environments, such as pH, water temperature, dissolved oxygen, total dissolved solids, conductivity, salinity, and canopy openness. Principal component analysis and non-metric multidimensional scaling based on the environmental variables and biological metrics, respectively, revealed that habitat quality and benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages significantly differed between the protected and unprotected streams, with the former having better environment and higher biodiversity. More precisely, protected streams have significantly higher dissolved oxygen and lower canopy openness and material loadings as compared to unprotected streams. Consequently, taxon richness was four-fold higher in protected streams while stream quality indices based on abundance of key invertebrate groups (EPT and EPTC) were ten-fold higher in protected streams, as compared to unprotected streams. This study demonstrates that freshwater protected areas play crucial roles in the conservation of stream ecosystems and biodiversity under rapid urbanization in developing countries, like the Philippines.
Objective
Lennox–Gastaut syndrome (LGS) is a severe form of epileptic encephalopathy, presenting during the first years of life, and is very resistant to treatment. Once medical therapy has failed, ...palliative surgeries such as vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) or corpus callosotomy (CC) are considered. Although CC is more effective than VNS as the primary neurosurgical treatment for LGS‐associated drop attacks, there are limited data regarding the added value of CC following VNS. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of CC preceded by VNS.
Methods
This multinational, multicenter retrospective study focuses on LGS children who underwent CC before the age of 18 years, following prior VNS, which failed to achieve satisfactory seizure control. Collected data included epilepsy characteristics, surgical details, epilepsy outcomes, and complications. The primary outcome of this study was a 50% reduction in drop attacks.
Results
A total of 127 cases were reviewed (80 males). The median age at epilepsy onset was 6 months (interquartile range IQR = 3.12–22.75). The median age at VNS surgery was 7 years (IQR = 4–10), and CC was performed at a median age of 11 years (IQR = 8.76–15). The dominant seizure type was drop attacks (tonic or atonic) in 102 patients. Eighty‐six patients underwent a single‐stage complete CC, and 41 an anterior callosotomy. Ten patients who did not initially have a complete CC underwent a second surgery for completion of CC due to seizure persistence. Overall, there was at least a 50% reduction in drop attacks and other seizures in 83% and 60%, respectively. Permanent morbidity occurred in 1.5%, with no mortality.
Significance
CC is vital in seizure control in children with LGS in whom VNS has failed. Surgical risks are low. A complete CC has a tendency toward better effectiveness than anterior CC for some seizure types.
Background/Objectives
Ataxia telangiectasia (A‐T) is a multiorgan disorder with increased vulnerability to cancer. Despite this increased cancer risk, there are no widely accepted guidelines for ...cancer surveillance in people affected by A‐T. We aimed to understand the current international practice regarding cancer surveillance in A‐T and agreed‐upon approaches to develop cancer surveillance in A‐T.
Design/Methods
We used a consensus development method, the e‐Delphi technique, comprising three rounds. Round 1 consisted of a Delphi questionnaire and a survey that collected the details of respondents' professional background, experience, and current practice of cancer surveillance in A‐T. Rounds 2 and 3 were designed based on previous rounds and modified according to the comments made by the panellists. The pre‐specified consensus threshold was ≥75% agreement.
Results
Thirty‐five expert panellists from 13 countries completed the study. The survey indicated that the current practice of cancer surveillance varies widely between experts and centres'. Consensus was reached that evidence‐based guidelines are needed for cancer surveillance in people with A‐T, with separate recommendations for adults and children. Statements relating to the tests that should be included, the age for starting and stopping cancer surveillance and the optimal surveillance interval were also agreed upon, although in some areas, the consensus was that further research is needed.
Conclusion
The international expert consensus statement confirms the need for evidence‐based cancer surveillance guidelines in A‐T, highlights key features that the guidelines should include, and identifies areas of uncertainty in the expert community. This elucidates current knowledge gaps and will inform the design of future clinical trials.
Ataxia Telangiectasia (A‐T) is a multiorgan disorder with increased vulnerability to cancer. Despite this increased cancer risk, there are no widely accepted guidelines for cancer surveillance in people affected by A‐T. The international expert consensus statement developed in this study, confirms the need for evidence‐based cancer surveillance guidelines in A‐T, highlights key features that the guidelines should include, and identifies areas of uncertainty in the expert community.
Inguinal hernia repair (IHR) is a common pediatric operation performed via open or laparoscopic approaches. The objective of this survey study was to assess current approaches to IHR in a national ...sample of pediatric general surgeons.
A REDCap survey was distributed to all pediatric general surgeons at 21 US institutions in 2023. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze responses.
The response rate was 70.0% (145/207) with median fellowship graduation year of 2011. Respondents reported they were primarily taught either an open (73.1%) or laparoscopic (6.9%) technique in fellowship, while 18.6% reported being taught both techniques equally. Overall, 60.7% of respondents reported currently performing both laparoscopic and open IHR, while 27.6% reported performing only open IHR and 11.7% reported performing only laparoscopic IHR. During unilateral open IHR, 75.8% of respondents check for and repair a contralateral inguinal hernia, most commonly by placing a laparoscope via the hernia sac (76.3%). Selective mesh use in adolescents was similar between laparoscopic and open repair approaches. For recurrent hernias, 37.2% of respondents indicated performing the approach that was not performed previously, while 38.6% and 22.8% indicated they routinely perform a laparoscopic or open approach, respectively, regardless of initial repair approach.
Over two thirds of surgeons reported incorporating laparoscopic IHR into their practice despite nearly three-quarters of respondents indicating they were primarily taught an open approach in training. Training in laparoscopic IHR has been increasing over time, and respondents reported a wide variety of laparoscopic and open repair techniques.
IV.
What is currently known about this topic?•Current technical approaches for pediatric inguinal hernia repair in the United States have not been described recently for open repair and have not been described for laparoscopic repair. The use of laparoscopy has previously been reported to be increasing based on billing data.
What new information is contained in this article?•There is a wide variation in laparoscopic and open inguinal hernia repair techniques in children. Over two thirds of surgeons incorporate laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair into their practice despite nearly three-quarters of respondents indicating they were primarily taught an open approach in training.
A 52 year old patient showed, for two years, symptoms compatible with sensorimotor polyneuropathy preventing him from walking. An electroneuromyography found a demyelinating pattern suggesting ...Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP). The patient did not respond to corticosteroid therapy and later suffered sexual Dysfunction, Swelling, Lymphadenopathy, Hypotension, astrointestinal dysmotility, urinary retention and neuropathic pain. Analysis of the Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) revealed elevated protein levels and Computed Tomography (CT) scan found sclerotic bone lesions. High Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) levels and the results of Lambda light-Chain monoclonal gammopathy in urine protein Electrophoresis Suggested a Diagnosis of POEMS syndrome. The most striking feature, in this case, was the patient’s heightened and atypical polyneuropathy without axonal injury even after an extended period of time, and significant and atypical dysautonomia.
Role of the proteasome in Alzheimer’s disease Checler, Frédéric; Alves da Costa, Cristine; Ancolio, Karine ...
BBA - Molecular Basis of Disease,
07/2000, Letnik:
1502, Številka:
1
Book Review, Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
The proteasome is a multicatalytic complex involved in the degradation of polyubiquitinated proteins. Here we review the clues of a possible involvement of the proteasome in Alzheimer’s disease ...neuropathology. Thus, we discuss the fact that the proteasome modulates the intracellular concentrations of presenilins 1 and 2. These two proteins, when mutated, appear responsible for most of early onset forms of Alzheimer’s disease and this is thought to be due to the exacerbation of the pathogenic pathway of the maturation of the β-amyloid precursor protein. Controlling presenilins concentrations could have drastic repercussions on cell physiology as suggested by the fact that proteasome inhibitors drastically potentiate the ‘normal’ or ‘pathogenic’ presenilins phenotype related with βAPP processing. The possibility of considering the proteasome as a potential target for therapeutic intervention in Alzheimer’s disease is discussed.
Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus spp. was considered nonpathogenic
until the emergence of multiresistance and the demonstration of their
participation as infectious agents. In Brazil, oxacillin ...resistance may
be present in over 80% of isolates, and the Clinical and Laboratory
Standards Institute standardized a disk-diffusion method to predict
this resistance in Staphylococcus. The aim of this study was to
evaluate the variability among commercial disks of oxacillin (1
μg) and cefoxitin (30 μg) widely used in clinical
laboratories of microbiology, compared with mecA gene and minimum
inhibitory concentration (MIC) of oxacillin. The use of oxacillin and
cefoxitin disks simultaneously allowed the detection of important
differences, particularly, in less frequent species such as S. cohnii,
S. haemolyticus, S. saprophyticus, and S. sciuri. Disks of cefoxitin of
the brand 2 displayed good correlation with the mecA gene (98.7%) and
oxacillin MIC (97.8%), while major discrepancies were observed using
disks of brand 1. One of the critical points in the diffusion disk test
is the quality of the disks: the use of better quality disks associated
with molecular methods lead to better results to define the best
antibiotic therapy.
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