Oocyte retrieval difficulties in women with ovarian endometriomas

Research question: What are the frequency, characteristics and consequences of technical diffiiculties encountered by physicians when carrying out oocyte retrieval in women with ovarian endometriomas? Design: We prospectively recruited women undergoing IVF and compared technical difficulties between women with (n = 56) and without (n = 227) endometriomas. Results: In exposed women, the cyst had to be transfixed in eight cases (14%, 95% CI 7 to 25%) and accidental contamination of the follicular fluid with the endometrioma content was recorded in nine women (16%, 95% CI 8 to 27%). Moreover, follicular aspiration was more frequently incomplete (OR 3.6, 95% CI 1.4 to 9.6). In contrast, the retrievals were not deemed to be more technically difficult by the physicians and the rate of oocytes retrieved per developed follicle did not differ. No pelvic infections or cyst ruptures were recorded (0%, 95% CI 0 to 5%). Conclusions: Oocyte retrieval in women with ovarian endometriomas is more problematic but the magnitude of these increased difficulties is modest

Registration of FC1740 and FC1741 multigerm, rhizomania-resistant sugar beet germplasm with resistance to multiple diseases

FC1740 (Reg No. GP-293, PI 681717) and FC1741 (Reg No. GP-294, PI 681718) sugar beet germplasm (Beta vulgaris L.) were developed by the USDA-ARS at Fort Collins, CO, Salinas, CA, and Kimberly, ID, in cooperation with the Beet Sugar Development Foundation, Denver, CO. These germplasm are diploid, multigerm sugar beet populations in normal cytoplasm, segregating for self-sterility (Sf:SsSs), genetic male sterility (A:aa), and hypocotyl color (R:rr). FC1740 and FC1741 have excellent resistance to rhizomania (Beet necrotic yellow vein virus). FC1740 was selected as homozygous resistant to markers linked to both Rz1 and Rz2 genes for rhizomania resistance. FC1741 was selected as homozygous to the marker linked to the Rz2 gene for resistance. Both germplasm also have resistance to beet curly top (Beet curly top virus) and Fusarium yellows (Fusarium oxysporum Schlechtend.:Fr. f. sp. betae (D. Stewart) W. C. Snyder & H. N. Hans. and other Fusarium spp.), as well as moderate resistance to Aphanomyces root rot (Aphanomyces cochlioides Drechs.). Neither line exhibited resistance to Cercospora leaf spot (Cercospora beticola Sacc.), Rhizoctonia crown and root rot (Rhizoctonia solani Kuhn.) or sugar beet root aphid (Pemphigus spp.). These germplasm provide sources from which to select disease-resistant, multigerm pollinator parents with either or both of the Rz1 and Rz2 sources of rhizomania resistance. Because they are from the same population, they also are useful as controls of known genetic background in comparing entries screened for rhizomania resistance conditioned by Rz1 or Rz2

Dendritic Peptide Release Mediates Interpopulation Crosstalk between Neurosecretory and Preautonomic Networks

SummaryAlthough communication between neurons is considered a function of the synapse, neurons also release neurotransmitter from their dendrites. We found that dendritic transmitter release coordinates activity across distinct neuronal populations to generate integrative homeostatic responses. We show that activity-dependent vasopressin release from hypothalamic neuroendocrine neurons in the paraventricular nucleus stimulates neighboring (∼100 μm soma-to-soma) presympathetic neurons, resulting in a sympathoexcitatory population response. This interpopulation crosstalk was engaged by an NMDA-mediated increase in dendritic Ca2+, influenced by vasopressin’s ability to diffuse in the extracellular space, and involved activation of CAN channels at the target neurons. Furthermore, we demonstrate that this interpopulation crosstalk plays a pivotal role in the generation of a systemic, polymodal neurohumoral response to a hyperosmotic challenge. Because dendritic release is emerging as a widespread process, our results suggest that a similar mechanism could mediate interpopulation crosstalk in other brain systems, particularly those involved in generating complex behaviors.Video Abstrac

Lill-kelb

Ġabra ta’ poeżiji u proża li tinkludi: Kemm hu kbir il-amar t’Alla! ta’ R. M. B. – Liż-żahrija ta’ V. M. B. – Il-Ġilju u l-warda ta’ P. P. M. B. – Sika trid tiżżewweġ.... ta’ R. M. B. – Qassis ġdid ta’ Dun Karm – Mhux dejjem tiġi żewġ ta’ T. Z. – Il-bandiera tagħna ta’ Mons. Gauci – Il-ħalliel tal-mejtin ta’ N. Biancardi – Lill-kelb ta’ Dun Karm.N/

Exploring the benefits and dis-benefits of climate migration as an adaptive strategy along the rural-peri-urban continuum in Namibia

The scale of climate migration across the Global South is expected to increase during this century. By 2050, millions of Africans are likely to consider, or be pushed into, migration because of climate hazards contributing to agricultural disruption, water and food scarcity, desertification, flooding, drought, coastal erosion, and heat waves. However, the migration-climate nexus is complex, as is the question of whether migration can be considered a climate change adaptation strategy across both the rural and urban space. Combining data from household surveys, key informant interviews, and secondary sources related to regional disaster, demographic, resource, and economic trends between 1990 and 2020 from north central and central dryland Namibia, we investigate (i) human migration flows and the influence of climate hazards on these flows and (ii) the benefits and dis-benefits of migration in supporting climate change adaptation, from the perspective of migrants (personal factors and intervening obstacles), areas of origin, and areas of destination. Our analysis suggests an increase in climate-related push factors that could be driving rural out-migration from the north central region to peri-urban settlements in the central region of the country. While push factors play a role in rural-urban migration, there are also several pull factors (many of which have been long-term drivers of urban migration) such as perceived higher wages, diversity of livelihoods, water, health and energy provisioning, remittances, better education opportunities, and the exchange of non-marketed products. Migration to peri-urban settlements can reduce some risks (e.g. loss of crops and income due to climate extremes) but amplify others (e.g. heat stress and insecure land tenure). Adaptation at both ends of the rural–urban continuum is supported by deeply embedded linkages in a model of circular rural–urban-rural migration and interdependencies. Results empirically inform current and future policy debates around climate mobilities in Namibia, with wider implications across Africa

129Xe and free-breathing 1H ventilation MRI in patients with cystic fibrosis: a dual-center study

Background Free-breathing 1H ventilation MRI shows promise but only single-center validation has yet been performed against methods which directly image lung ventilation in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). Purpose To investigate the relationship between 129Xe and 1H ventilation images using data acquired at two centers. Study type Sequence comparison. Population Center 1; 24 patients with CF (12 female) aged 9–47 years. Center 2; 7 patients with CF (6 female) aged 13–18 years, and 6 healthy controls (6 female) aged 21–31 years. Data were acquired in different patients at each center. Field Strength/Sequence 1.5 T, 3D steady-state free precession and 2D spoiled gradient echo. Assessment Subjects were scanned with 129Xe ventilation and 1H free-breathing MRI and performed pulmonary function tests. Ventilation defect percent (VDP) was calculated using linear binning and images were visually assessed by H.M., L.J.S., and G.J.C. (10, 5, and 8 years' experience). Statistical Tests Correlations and linear regression analyses were performed between 129Xe VDP, 1H VDP, FEV1, and LCI. Bland–Altman analysis of 129Xe VDP and 1H VDP was carried out. Differences in metrics were assessed using one-way ANOVA or Kruskal–Wallis tests. Results 129Xe VDP and 1H VDP correlated strongly with; each other (r = 0.84), FEV1 z-score (129Xe VDP r = −0.83, 1H VDP r = −0.80), and LCI (129Xe VDP r = 0.91, 1H VDP r = 0.82). Bland–Altman analysis of 129Xe VDP and 1H VDP from both centers had a bias of 0.07% and limits of agreement of −16.1% and 16.2%. Linear regression relationships of VDP with FEV1 were not significantly different between 129Xe and 1H VDP (P = 0.08), while 129Xe VDP had a stronger relationship with LCI than 1H VDP. Data Conclusion 1H ventilation MRI shows large-scale agreement with 129Xe ventilation MRI in CF patients with established lung disease but may be less sensitive to subtle ventilation changes in patients with early-stage lung disease. Evidence Level 2 Technical Efficacy Stage

Spatial comparison of CT-based surrogates of lung ventilation with hyperpolarized Helium-3 and Xenon-129 gas MRI in patients undergoing radiation therapy

Purpose To develop and apply an image acquisition and analysis strategy for spatial comparison of CT-ventilation images with hyperpolarized gas MRI. Methods 11 lung cancer patients underwent 129Xe and 3He ventilation MRI and co-registered 1H anatomical MRI. Expiratory and inspiratory breath-hold CTs were used for deformable image registration and calculation of three CT-ventilation metrics: Hounsfield unit (CTHU), Jacobian (CTJac) and specific gas volume change (CTSGV). Inspiration CT and hyperpolarized gas ventilation MRI were registered via same-breath anatomical 1H-MRI. Voxel-wise Spearman correlation coefficients were calculated between each CT-ventilation image and its corresponding 3He/129Xe-MRI, and for the mean values in regions of interest (ROIs) ranging from fine to coarse in-plane dimensions of 5x5, 10x10, 15x15 and 20x20, located within the lungs as defined by the same-breath 1H-MRI lung mask. Correlation of 3He and 129Xe-MRI was also assessed. Results Spatial correlation of CT-ventilation against 3He/129Xe-MRI increased with ROI size. For example, for CTHU, mean±SD Spearman coefficients were 0.37±0.19/0.33±0.17 at the voxel-level and 0.52±0.20/0.51±0.18 for 20x20 ROIs, respectively. Correlations were stronger for CTHU than for CTJac or CTSGV. Correlation of 3He with 129Xe-MRI was consistently higher than either gas against CT-ventilation maps over all ROIs (p<0.05). No significant differences were observed between CT-ventilation vs 3He-MRI and CT-ventilation vs 129Xe-MRI. Conclusion Comparison of ventilation-related measures from CT and registered hyperpolarized gas MRI is feasible at a voxel level using a dedicated acquisition and analysis protocol. Moderate correlation between CT-ventilation and MRI exists at a regional level. Correlation between MRI and CT is significantly less than between 3He and 129Xe-MRI, suggesting that CT-ventilation surrogate measures may not be measuring lung ventilation alone