This report describe the first application of environmental DNA‐metabarcoding approach for the assessment of fish species diversity in two marine protected areas of the North Sea: the Doggerbank and ...the Sylt Outer Reef. We collected 64 water samples and detected 24 fish species. We discuss qualitative differences between MPAs and compare the results with those obtained from bottom‐trawl surveys in the same areas. We found three additional species to those documented in the same year with trawls, including the critically endangered European eel.
Introduction
Intensified hand hygiene measures were recommended for preventing the spread of SARS‐CoV‐2. However, these measures can lead to skin damage and the development of hand eczema, ...particularly among health professionals.
Objectives
This pilot study aimed to evaluate the effects of repeated antiseptic use on healthy skin under controlled conditions and to assess the emollient use.
Methods
Twelve healthy volunteers (nine females, age = 22.3 ± 2.8 years (mean ± SD), Fitzpatrick phototypes II and III) with no skin diseases were recruited. Antiseptic was applied daily for 3 weeks on the volar sides of forearms. Emollient cream was also applied daily. Skin assessments were performed using non‐invasive methods (transepidermal water loss—TEWL, skin hydration, erythema and melanin content).
Results
Prolonged antiseptic use increased TEWL, decreased hydration and elevated erythema and melanin levels. Emollient cream significantly reduced TEWL and improved hydration on antiseptic‐treated sites, and also enhanced hydration on intact skin.
Conclusions
Prolonged use of antiseptics can have adverse effects on the skin, including barrier disruption and inflammation. Emollient showed promise in improving skin hydration and reducing the damage caused by antiseptics. Further research with a larger sample is needed to confirm these findings and assess emollient efficacy during frequent antiseptic use.
This pilot study established a controlled model to assess the impact of prolonged chlorhexidine‐based antiseptic use on skin. Healthy participants underwent a three‐week regimen, revealing that prolonged antiseptic use damaged the skin barrier, with elevated transepidermal water loss and reduced hydration. Topical emollient treatment mitigated damage, suggesting potential protective effects.
Solid organ transplantation is a life-saving intervention for individuals with end-stage organ failure. Despite the effectiveness of immunosuppressive therapy, the risk of graft rejection persists in ...all viable transplants between individuals. The risk of rejection may vary depending on the degree of compatibility between the donor and recipient for both human leucocyte antigen (HLA) and non-HLA gene-encoded products. Monitoring the status of the allograft is a critical aspect of post-transplant management, with invasive biopsies being the standard of care for detecting rejection. Non-invasive biomarkers are increasingly being recognized as valuable tools for aiding in the detection of graft rejection, monitoring graft status and evaluating the efficacy of immunosuppressive therapy. Here, we focus on the importance of molecular biomarkers in solid organ transplantation and their potential role in clinical practice. Conventional molecular biomarkers used in transplantation include HLA typing, detection of anti-HLA antibodies, killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor genotypes, and anti-MHC class 1-related chain A antibodies, which are important for assessing the compatibility of the donor and recipient. Emerging molecular biomarkers include the detection of donor-derived cell-free DNA, microRNAs (regulation of gene expression), exosomes (small vesicles secreted by cells), and kidney solid organ response test, in the recipient's blood for early signs of rejection. This review highlights the strengths and limitations of these molecular biomarkers and their potential role in improving transplant outcomes.
Data concerning hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment using direct-acting agents (DAAs) post liver transplantation (LT) remains scarce in low- and average-income countries.
To evaluate the safety and ...efficacy of post-LT HCV treatment using DAAs in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), and to assess the course of hepatic biomarkers after sustained virological response (SVR).
Data from LT recipients with recurrent HCV treated using DAAs was retrospectively analyzed. HCV was defined by detectable HCV-RNA with elevated aminotransferases and/or histological signs of infection on liver biopsy post LT. SVR was defined as undetectable HCV-RNA 12 weeks after the end of treatment. Aspartate-to-Platelet Ratio Index (APRI) and Fibrosis-4 score (FIB-4) were calculated before treatment and after SVR. Results: 116 patients (63% male, median age 62 years, 75% genotype 1 and 62% with hepatocellular carcinoma HCC prior to LT) were included. Cirrhosis was identified in the allograft of 21 subjects (18%). The overall SVR was 96.6% without differences in SVR proportion according to clinical/demographic characteristics, genotype or presence of cirrhosis. SVR rates were similar in individuals with and without HCC pre-LT (95.8% 95% CI: 87.6–98.7 vs. 97.7% 95% CI: 85.0–99.7%, p = 0.588). No serious adverse events were observed and the use of ribavirin was associated with at least one adverse event (OR = 8.71 95% CI: 3.17–23.99). SVR was associated with regression of APRI (OR = 26.00 95% CI 4.27–1065.94) and FIB-4 (OR = 15.00 95% CI: 2.30–631.47).
Post-LT HCV treatment with DAAs was safe and effective and associated with a significant decrease in hepatic biomarker levels after SVR.
•XRCT and endoscopy as new approach to investigate biopore characteristics.•Highly advantageous characterization of structural elements (blockages, linings).•Observation of dynamic development of ...pore network after introduction of earthworms in microcosms.•Rate of colonization of existing biopores by earthworms is higher than rate of newly formed pores.•Favorable effects on the nutrient contents of the biopore walls as result of fresh earthworm cast.
Bioporosity in subsoils is strongly influenced by either deep rooting taproots or earthworms, which can affect important properties for plant growth provided by soils. The open question of this study was, in how far the combination of X-ray computed tomography (XRCT) and endoscopy may support the analysis of soil bioporosity and the effects induced by earthworm activity. The hypothesis were that earthworms can re-open, close and re-connect pores as well as change the biopore wall properties (by leaving coatings at the wall) and that with a combination of XRCT and endoscopy much more detailed information about those changes can be observed. Soil monoliths were collected from a Haplic Luvisol (developed from loess) at the experimental station Klein Altendorf (University of Bonn, Germany). The microcosms were then prepared under laboratory conditions in terms of temperature, soil temperature gradient, relative humidity, illumination, watering and fertilizer. The microcosms were examined before cultivation and incubation, and re-examined after one-month earthworm incubation (Lumbricus terrestris L.), three months wheat growth period and shoot harvesting. XRCT and endoscopy were used to qualitatively and quantitatively analyze the soil microcosms. After the incubation with earthworms, physical properties like porosity and accessible surface area of biopores have changed with respect to the original state. Coatings at the biopore walls resulted in smaller pore diameters of large biopores with a diameter >0.5cm, while some of them have previously been pores with diameters <0.5cm. Contrary to this, biopores with a diameter <0.5cm were increased after earthworms, i.e. widened due earthworm passage. It was found that earthworms may have disconnected lateral pores that reach into the bulk soil from the vertical biopores by pore wall coatings. After incubation, biopores lined with fresh earthworm coatings in the monolith increased from 30% to 80%, which may indicate that earthworms potentially have a considerable influence on biopore properties and therefore the physical, chemical and microbiological environment which roots are exposed to in biopores.
Dogs Canis lupus familiaris are increasingly being used in wildlife conservation studies, due to their extensive ofactory capabilities. Dogs are a useful tool for species detection, species ...discrimination (or subspecies), and scent-matching of individuals within a species. Scent-matching can reduce or eliminate the need for expensive genotyping of obtained biological samples. We investigated the potential use of dogs to scent-match individual Eurasian beavers Castor fiber via anal gland secretion (AGS) samples, in 30 double blind floor platform experiments. We hypothesised that dogs can scent-match individual beavers when presented with AGS from different beavers of both sexes. We showed that dogs were able to scent-match individual beavers with average accuracy of 88.9%, sensitivity of 66.7% and specificity of 93.3%. Our results suggest that scent-matching dogs may be used as a reliable additional method to DNA analysing of biological samples to improve accuracy of individual beaver detection, and a better alternative than live-trapping/capturing in monitoring of specific beavers in e.g. a reintroduction project.
The great incidence of cardiovascular (CV) diseases in the world spurs the search for new solutions to enable an early detection of pathological processes and provides more precise diagnosis based in ...multi-parameters assessment. The pulse wave velocity (PWV) is considered one of the most important clinical parameters for evaluate the CV risk, vascular adaptation, and therapeutic efficacy. Several studies were dedicated to find the relationship between PWV measurement and pathological status in different diseases, and proved the relevance of this parameter. The commercial devices dedicate to PWV estimation make a regional assessment (measured between two vessels), however a local measurement is more precise evaluation of artery condition, taking into account the differences in the structure of arteries. Moreover, the current devices present some limitations due to the contact nature. Emerging trends in CV monitoring are moving away from more invasive technologies to non-invasive and non-contact solutions. The great challenge is to explore the new instrumental solutions that allow the PWV assessment with fewer approximations for an accurately evaluation and relatively inexpensive techniques in order to be used in the clinical routine.
Background & Aims Real-time shear wave elastography (SWE) is a new two-dimensional transient elastography which had no assessment of factors associated with reliability, and had limited comparisons ...with other validated fibrosis biomarkers. The aim was to assess the applicability and performances of SWE for the diagnosis of fibrosis as compared with FibroTest (FT) and liver stiffness measurement (LSM) by transient elastography using two probes (TE-M and TE-XL). Methods Without a gold standard, the strength of concordance, discordance analysis and latent class analysis (LCM) were applied. Results 422 patients were included. The applicability of SWE (90.0%) was significantly lower than that of FT (97.9%; p <0.0001) and did not differ from those of TE-M (90.5%) and TE-XL (90.3%); it was higher though for SWE (86%) in 22 patients with ascites vs. 55% using TE-M ( p = 0.04). For the diagnosis of all fibrosis stages as presumed by FT, the performance of SWE was highly significant (Obuchowski measure 0.807 ± 0.013 m ± se), but lower than those of TE-M (0.852; p = 0.0007) and TE-XL (0.834; p = 0.046). SWE had a low performance for discrimination between F0 and F1. For the diagnosis of cirrhosis using LCM, SWE specificities were all equal to 99%, and SWE sensitivities ranged from 0.47 to 0.64. For the diagnosis of non-cirrhotic stages, the results were heterogeneous. Conclusions The performance of SWE for the diagnosis of cirrhosis was similar to those of FT and TE. SWE applicability was lower than that of FT, but greater than that of TE in patients with ascites.
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