Genetic variation between hybrid (Labeo rohita ♂, Cirrhinus mrigala ♀ and Labeo rohita) by RAPD marker

The present work was to study the genetic variability between the major carps Labeo rohita and Cirrhinus mrigala and their hybrids of L. rohita (male♂) and C. mrigala (female♀). Genetic variability was studied by employing RAPD molecular markers. 25 samples of each target species having different sizes with the same age group for the determination of interspecific variation were collected. The morphometric parameters such as body weight, total length, tail length, and lengths of dorsal and anal fins of each individual were recorded and results showed that wet body weight, total length, dorsal fin, anal fin, and tail fin length are positively correlated and then the DNA was extracted using the inorganic salt-based method and conformed by Gel electrophoresis. Twenty-four arbitrary decamer primers were used to get species-specific RAPD analysis Distinct and highly reproducible RAPD profiles with significant genetic variability was detected among species. Only five primers showed amplification. The RAPAD primer OPB-05 produced a total of seven bands out of these 5 monomorphic and 2 polymorphic, so in this case, the percentage polymorphism was 28.57%. The Hybrid show more than a 50% difference from the Labeo rohita. This shows that the Hybrid more resembles C.mrigala. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that hybrid (L. rohita ♂ X Cirrhinus mrigala ♀) is the closest to C. mrigala and the farthest from L. rohita. Overall data are presented concerning the applications of RAPD markers for hybrid identification, genetic diversity assessment, and studying taxonomic relationships at a molecular level.

The Postvitrectomy Cataract

To review the recent literature regarding risk factors for cataract formation after vitrectomy, the challenges and management strategies for anterior segment surgeons when facing post-vitrectomy cataract surgery, and the visual outcomes of patients undergoing post-vitrectomy cataract surgery. Cataract surgery after vitrectomy can be safely performed to significantly improve the visual outcome in most post-vitrectomy patients, although final visual acuity is primarily limited by the patient’s underlying vitreoretinal pathology.

Secondary intraocular lens implantation: Complication rates, visual acuity, and refractive outcomes

PURPOSE

To compare complication rates, visual acuity, and refractive outcomes of secondary intraocular lens (IOLs) implantation.

SETTING

Department of Ophthalmology, Cullen Eye Institute, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA.

DESIGN

Retrospective case series.

METHODS

All secondary IOLs placed by the anterior segment service were reviewed. Preoperative data, operative reports, and data from each subsequent postoperative visit were evaluated. Patients were divided into 5 groups based on the final IOL position: (1) sulcus with optic capture, (2) sulcus without optic capture, (3) anterior chamber (AC), (4) iris-fixated, and (5) transscleral-sutured. Complication rates, visual acuity, and refractive outcomes were compared for each group.

RESULTS

The sulcus with and without optic capture groups had the lowest complication rates and best visual acuity outcomes. There was no difference in final corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) between the transscleral-sutured IOL, iris-fixated IOL, and AC IOL groups, although the AC IOL group had the lowest rates of early postoperative complications and a significant improvement in vision. The transscleral-sutured IOL group had the highest complication rates, and 25% of patients in the iris-fixated IOL group lost 2 or more lines of CDVA.

CONCLUSIONS

When a secondary IOL cannot be placed within the capsular bag, sulcus with optic capture is the best alternative, followed by sulcus without optic capture. There was no difference in visual acuity outcomes between transscleral-sutured IOLs, iris-fixated IOLs, and AC IOLs. Anterior chamber IOLs resulted in fewer early complications.

Subjective measures of health and all-cause mortality - the Rotterdam Study

BACKGROUND

Subjectively assessed health is related to mortality. Various subjective indicators of health have been studied, but it is unclear whether perceived physical functioning or mental health best accounts for the relation with mortality.

METHOD

We studied the relation of subjective measures of health with all-cause mortality in 5538 participants of age 55 to 96 years at baseline from the Rotterdam Study. Various instruments of subjectively assessed health were used, that included basic activities of daily living (BADL), instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), quality of life (QoL), positive affect, somatic symptoms and negative affect. All participants completed questionnaires for each subjective measure of health and were followed for mortality for a mean of 12.2 (s.e. = 0.09) years. Cox regression analysis was conducted in the total sample.

RESULTS

In this cohort, 2021 persons died during 48 534 person-years of follow-up. All measures of subjective health were related to mortality after adjusting for age, gender, education, cognition, prevalent chronic diseases and cardiovascular risk [BADL hazard ratio (HR, calculated per Z-score) = 1.35, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.29-1.41; IADL HR = 1.27, 95% CI 1.22-1.32; QoL HR = 0.85, 95% CI 0.81-0.89; positive affect HR = 0.92, 95% CI 0.88-0.96; somatic symptoms HR = 1.11, 95% CI 1.06-1.16; and negative affect HR = 1.05, 95% CI 1.01-1.10]. In the mutually adjusted model, only BADL (HR = 1.24, 95% CI 1.16-1.32) and IADL (HR = 1.10, 95% CI 1.04-1.17) remained independently associated with mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

Measures of subjectively assessed health are important indicators of mortality. Our study shows that of the different measures of subjective health, perceived physical health predicts mortality over and above mental health. Conversely, the association between mental health and mortality may partly be explained by poor perceived physical health.

Pollen Deposition Is More Important than Species Richness for Seed Set in Luffa Gourd

In the context of global biodiversity decline, it is imperative to understand the different aspects of bee communities for sustaining the vital ecosystem service of pollination. Bee species can be assigned to functional groups (average difference among species in functionally related traits) on the basis of complementarity (trait variations exhibited by individual organisms) in their behavior but is not yet known which functional group trait is most important for seed set. In this study, first, the functional groups of bees were made based on their five selected traits (pollen deposition, visitation rate, stay time, visiting time of the day, body size) and then related to the seed set of obligate cross-pollinated Luffa gourd (Luffa aegyptiaca). We found that bee diversity and abundance differed significantly among the studied plots, but only the bee species richness was positively related to the seed set. Functional group diversity in terms of pollen deposition explained even more of the variance in seed set (r ² = 0.74) than did the species richness (r ² = 0.53) making it the most important trait of bee species for predicting the crop reproductive success.

Linking pollination effectiveness and interspecific displacement success in bees

Pollen deposition, a surrogate for bee efficiency, becomes increasingly important during their interspecific interactions. We conducted field experiments on highly cross-pollinated melon (Cucumis melo) and watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) in order to understand how bee species with different pollination efficiencies displace each other from floral resources. We observed significant displacement of less abundant but more efficient bees by the more abundant but less efficient bees in both crops, which may lead to deficient pollination. We did not find significant relationship of the bee displacement success and body size or abundance. Apis florea (Fabricius) and Nomia sp.2 (Latreille) had significantly more winner events in melon, while the former also had significantly more winner events in watermelon. A. florea was the only bee species that foraged mostly within the 1-m(2) virtual area after their displacement, which may indicate its behavior of geitinogamous pollination. The two bee species, Ceratina sexmaculata (Smith) and Lasioglossum sp. (Curtis), were more sensitive to displacement as their proportion of leaving the 1-m(2) virtual area was higher.

Effects of chronic NMDA-NR2b inhibition in the median eminence of the reproductive senescent female rat

Gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurones of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis drive reproductive function and undergo age-related decreases in activation during the transition to reproductive senescence. Decreased GnRH secretion from the median eminence (ME) partially arises from attenuated glutamatergic signalling via the NMDA receptor (NMDAR) and may be a result of changing NMDAR stoichiometry to favour NR2b over NR2a subunit expression with ageing. We have previously shown that the systemic inhibition of NR2b-containing receptors with ifenprodil, an NR2b-specific antagonist, stimulates parameters of luteinising hormone (used as a proxy for GnRH) release in both young and middle-aged females. In the present study, we chronically administered ifenprodil, an NR2b-specific antagonist, at the site of GnRH terminals in the ME or at GnRH perikarya in the preoptic area, in reproductively senescent middle-aged female rats, aiming to determine whether NR2b antagonism could restore aspects of reproductive functionality. Effects on oestrous cyclicity, serum hormones, and protein expression of GnRH, NR2b and phosphorylated NR2b (Tyr-1472) in the ME were measured. Chronic ifenprodil treatment in the ME (but not the preoptic area) altered oestrous cyclicity by increasing the percentage of days spent in pro-oestrus. This was accompanied by increased GnRH fluorescence intensity in the external ME zone and a greater proportion of GnRH terminals that co-labelled with pNR2b with treatment. We also observed changes in the relationships between protein immunofluorescence, serum hormone levels and other aspects of reproductive physiology in acyclic females, as revealed by bionetwork analysis. Together, these data support the hypothesis that NMDAR-NR2b expression and phosphorylation state play a role in reproductive senescence and highlight the ME as a major player in reproductive ageing.

Single-incision laparoscopic splenectomy with innovative gastric traction suture

Laparoscopic splenectomy is now the gold standard for patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) undergoing splenectomy. There are a few reports in literature on single-incision laparoscopic (SIL) splenectomy. Herein, we describe a patient undergoing SIL splenectomy for ITP without the use of a disposable port device. We report a 20-year-old female patient with steroid-refractory ITP having a platelet count of 14,000/cmm who underwent a SIL splenectomy. Dissection was facilitated by the use of a single articulating grasper and a gastric traction suture and splenic vessels were secured at the hilum with an endo-GIA stapler. She made an uneventful postoperative recovery and was discharged on the second postoperative day. She is doing well with no visible scar at 8-month follow-up.

Ciprofloxacin suppresses bacterial overgrowth, increases fasting insulin but does not correct low acylated ghrelin concentration in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis

BACKGROUND

Insulin resistance and oxidative stress induced by products of small intestinal bacterial activity are putative factors in the pathogenesis of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. Acylated ghrelin is the biologically active form of an orexigenic gastric hormone that modifies insulin sensitivity and body composition.

AIM

To investigate the effect of ciprofloxacin on small intestinal bacterial activity, ethanol, ghrelin and insulin in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis patients.

METHODS

Twelve non-alcoholic steatohepatitis patients and 11 controls were studied before and after ciprofloxacin 500 mg b.d. for 5 days. After an overnight fast, 75 g glucose was ingested and blood was sampled every 20 min for 120 min. Acylated and total ghrelin, ethanol and insulin were measured. Small intestinal bacterial activity was detected by glucose hydrogen breath test.

RESULTS

Mean (range) integrated plasma acylated ghrelin which was 102 (21-241) and 202 (88-366) pg/mL . 2 h in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and controls respectively (P = 0.015). This difference persisted after correction for body mass index and was unaffected by ciprofloxacin treatment. One of six non-alcoholic steatohepatitis patients positive for small intestinal bacterial activity remained positive after ciprofloxacin. In contrast, the one healthy control positive for small intestinal bacterial activity remained positive after ciprofloxacin (P = 0.025). Ethanol was detected in two subjects in each group, becoming immeasurable after ciprofloxacin. In non-alcoholic steatohepatitis patients median (range) fasting insulin increased from 113 (10-223) to 152 (32-396) pmol/L (P < 0.02), after ciprofloxacin. This was accompanied by similar changes in insulin resistance.

CONCLUSIONS

Small intestinal bacterial activity is common in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. Low acylated ghrelin in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis cannot be attributed to small intestinal bacterial activity. Changes in fasting insulin and ethanol following ciprofloxacin suggest that these parameters may be influenced by small intestinal bacterial activity.

Rapid-rate thermophilic, single-stage and two-phase methane fermentation of synfuel-industry wastewaters

Thermophilic (55 degrees C) anaerobic digestion of wastewaters from wet carbonization of Minnesota peat was conducted in a simple, upflow digester at an HRT of one day to provide a methane yield of 0.20 SCM/kg VS added and a BOD5 reduction of 85%. Carbonization of Maine peat conducted for a much longer duration of thermal treatment produced recalcitrant and potentially toxic end products that reduced the biodegradability of wastewaters. Methane fermentation of the Maine-peat wet-carbonization waste was inhibited at an HRT of one day in the single-stage digester. However, two-phase digestion with separate acid-phase fermentation to promote hydrolytic degradation of toxic end products followed by separate methane fermentation at an HRT of 2 days exhibited a methane yield of 0.21 SCM/kg VS added and a BOD5 reduction of 76%. Volatile fatty acids profiles along the depths digesting cultures indicated that single-stage and two-phase digestion could be accomplished at one-half the reactor residence times (one day for single-stage and three days for two-phase) used in this research.

Pilot-scale gasification of municipal solid wastes by high-rate and two-phase anaerobic digestion (TPAD)

Bioconversion of municipal solid waste-sludge blend by conventional high-rate and two-phase anaerobic digestion was studied. RDF (refused-derived fuel)-quality feed produced in a Madison, Wisconsin, USA, MRF (materials-recovery facility) was used. High-rate digestion experiments were conducted with bench-scale digesters under target operating conditions developed from an economic feasibility study. The effects of digestion temperature, RDF content of digester feed, HRT, loading rate, RDF particle size, and RDF pretreatment with cellulase or dilute solutions of NaOH or lime on digester performance were studied. A pilot-scale two-phase digestion plant was operated with 80:20 (weight ratio) RDF-sludge blends to show that this process exhibited a higher methane yield, and produced a higher methane-content digester gas than those obtained by single-stage, high-rate anaerobic digestion.

Infected right atrial thrombus presenting as pulmonary embolism complicating central venous cannulation

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Chlorobium limicola forma thiosulfatophilum : Biocatalyst in the Production of Sulfur and Organic Carbon from a Gas Stream Containing H 2 S and CO 2

Chlorobium limicola forma thiosulfatophilum (ATCC 17092) was grown in a 1-liter continuously stirred tank reactor (800-ml liquid volume) at pH 6.8, 30°C, saturated light intensity, and a gas flow rate of 23.6 ml/min from a gas cylinder blend consisting of 3.9 mol% H 2 S, 9.2 mol% CO 2 , 86.4 mol% N 2 , and 0.5 mol% H 2 . This is the first demonstration of photoautotrophic growth of a Chlorobium sp. on a continuous inorganic gas feed. A significant potential exists for applying this photoautotrophic process to desulfurization and CO 2 fixation of gases containing acidic components (H 2 S and CO 2 ).