Incidence and treatment of adhesive bowel obstruction after gastroschisis closure

Background: Children with gastroschisis, especially when it is complicated by atresia or perforation, often suffer from severe long-term sequelae such as short-bowel syndrome and chronic dysmotility. These children are also susceptible to adhesive bowel obstruction later in life, which can alter their nutritional intake and may require repeated visits to the hospital. However, few long-term studies have attempted to determine the rate of occurrence of intestinal occlusion after gastroschisis. In this study we measured the incidence and management ofadhesive bowel obstruction in children with gastroschisis at one academic pediatric hospital.Methods: A retrospective chart review was carried out on patients with gastroschisis born between January 2000 and December 2007. A total of 74 patients who underwent closure of their gastroschisis during this period were identified.Results: Twelve of these 74 (16%) patients were readmitted to the hospital with at least one episode of adhesive bowel obstruction. Three of the 12 patients had gastroschisis complicated by atresia. Eight patients underwent immediate primary closure of their defect on the first day of life. Silos were installed on the remaining four (36%) and were kept in place for an average of 6.25 (range: 4–9) days. Five of the 12 children resolved their obstruction with nasogastric tube decompression alone. The remaining seven (58%) required lysis of adhesions after failure of decompression. The seven children who underwent surgical lysis of adhesions did not have additional episodes of occlusion after laparotomy.Conclusion: In this study, 16% of the patients born with gastroschisis within a 7-year period presented with a adhesive obstruction. Occurrence of obstruction was unrelated to the method of closure or the severity of the defect. Although conservative management with nasogastric tube decompression may be effective initially, over half of patients with occlusion will need eventual surgery for lysis of adhesions.Keywords: bowel obstruction, gastroschisis, lysis of adhesion

Plant community structure mediates potential methane production and potential iron reduction in wetland mesocosms.

Abstract Wetlands are the largest natural source of methane to the atmosphere, but factors controlling methane emissions from wetlands are a major source of uncertainty in greenhouse gas budgets and projections of future climate change. We conducted a controlled outdoor mesocosm experiment to assess the effects of plant community structure (functional group richness and composition) on potential methane production and potential iron reduction in freshwater emergent marshes. Four plant functional groups (facultative annuals, obligate annuals, reeds, and tussocks) were arranged in a full-factorial design and additional mesocosms were assigned as no-plant controls. Soil samples from the top 10 cm were collected three times during the growing season to determine potential methane production and potential iron reduction (in unamended soils and in soils amended with 200 mM formate). These data were compared to soil organic matter, soil pH, and previously published data on above and belowground plant biomass. We found that functional group richness was less important than the presence of specific functional groups (reeds or tussocks) in mediating potential iron reduction. In our mesocosms, where oxidized iron was abundant and electron donors were limiting, iron reducing bacteria outcompeted methanogens, keeping methane production barely detectable in unamended lab incubations. When the possibility of re-oxidizing iron was eliminated via anaerobic incubations and the electron donor limitation was removed by adding formate, potential methane production increased and followed the same patterns as potential iron reduction. Our findings suggest that in the absence of abundant oxidized iron and/or the presence of abundant electron donors, wetlands dominated by either reeds or tussocks may have increased methane production compared to wetlands dominated by annuals. Depending on functional traits such as plant transport and rhizospheric oxygenation capacities, this could potentially lead to increased methane emissions in some wetlands. Additional research examining the role these plant functional groups play in other aspects of methane dynamics will be useful given the importance of methane as a greenhouse gas

Utilisation d'explosifs à proximité de pentes dans les argiles sensibles

Un cas de glissement de terrain est survenu dans des matériaux d’argiles sensibles au village de La Romaine suite à des activités de sautage dans le roc. L’étude de ce cas de glissement a entraîné plusieurs questionnements, surtout à savoir si les vibrations de sautage peuvent être un élément déclencheur de glissement de terrain dans les argiles sensibles. Ce projet de doctorat a donc débuté ainsi, et avait pour but de répondre à la question, qu’est-ce qui a causé la rupture au site de La Romaine? Pour ce faire, le site a d’abord été investigué par des essais in situ ainsi que des essais de laboratoire. Une première campagne d’investigation a été réalisée en 2009. Les matériaux et la surface de rupture ont été bien caractérisés lors de cette campagne. Des analyses à l’équilibre limite ont été réalisées avec le logiciel Slope/W, et les coefficients de sécurité (C.S.) obtenus étaient supérieurs à l’unité avant les événements de sautage, ce qui signifie que la pente était stable avant le sautage. Une seconde campagne d’investigation comprenant de l’échantillonnage grand diamètre et du piézocône sismique a été réalisée en 2012. Des essais de laboratoire ont été réalisés (essai triaxial, DSS monotone et cyclique, essais à la colonne de résonnance) afin de caractériser les propriétés dynamiques du dépôt, dans l’objectif de faire des analyses dynamiques avec un logiciel de différences finies. Une méthode de simulation de sautage a été développée afin de simuler le sautage multi-trous, et cette méthode a été validée par un second cas d’étude, Eastmain-1. Les résultats obtenus de cette simulation sont cohérents avec les données recueillies sur le terrain. L’analyse dynamique du cas de La Romaine ont montré que les vibrations estimées survenues lors du sautage sont importantes (environ 500 mm/s), ce qui a entraîné des déformations de cisaillement entre 1 et 2% dans le dépôt argileux et certainement sa rupture. La surface de rupture observée dans l’analyse dynamique est représentative de la surface de rupture réelle. Des recommandations générales suite à l’étude de ce cas et aussi de 12 autres cas de rupture survenus suite à des travaux de sautage sont présentées dans la conclusion de cette thèse.A landslide occurred in sensitive clay materials at the village of La Romaine following rock blasting activities. The study of this sliding case has led to several questions, especially whether blasting vibrations can be a trigger for landslides in sensitive clays. This doctoral project began like this, and was intended to answer the question, what caused the rupture at La Romaine site? The site was first investigated by in situ tests as well as laboratory tests. A first investigation campaign was carried out in 2009. The materials and the surface rupture were well characterized during this campaign. Limit equilibrium analyzes were performed with the Slope/W software, and the security coefficients (S.C.) obtained were greater than unity prior to the blasting events, which means that the slope was stable before blasting. A second investigation campaign involving large diameter sampling and seismic piezocone was carried out in 2012. Laboratory tests were carried out (triaxial test, monotonic and cyclic DSS, resonance column tests) to characterize dynamic properties of the deposit, with the aim of dynamic analysis with a finite difference software. A blasting simulation method has been developed to simulate multi-hole blasting, and this method has been validated by a second case study, Eastmain-1. The results obtained from this simulation are consistent with the data collected in the field. The dynamic analysis of La Romaine case showed that the estimated vibrations that occurred during the blasting are important (about 500 mm/s), which led to shear deformations between 1 and 2% in the clay deposit. The failure surface observed in the dynamic analysis is representative of the actual failure surface. General recommendations following the study of this case and also 12 other cases of rupture that occurred after blasting work are presented in the conclusion of this thesi

Connaissances et perceptions de la religion et du phénomène de la radicalisation chez les étudiant(e)s du collégial

Comprend des références bibliographiquesDiffusé avec l'aimable autorisation des auteurs. Le document original est également accessible en ligne : http://cefir.cegepmontpetit.ca/2018/05/16/connaissances-et-perceptions-de-la-religion-et-du-phenomene-de-la-radicalisation-chez-les-etudiantes-du-collegial-2018

Science, Culture, and Modernity in Chengdu China June 4 - June 18, 2014

The trip taken by Sarah Bouchard, Paul Eisenstein, Jane Wu, and Anna Young to China was meant to increase ties between various Chinese universities and Otterbein University as well as taking a look at modern and traditional cultures within regions. Faculty members presented to members of the Southwest Jiaotong University and met with faculty members at the University of Shanghai Science & Technology, Shanghai Jiatong University, and Southwest Jiaotong University. The Otterbein faculty also visited Giant Panda research bases to establish relationships and potential internships for exchange students wanting to work with the Giant Pandas. Also included is the budget breakdown of the trip and the presentation Sarah Bouchard, Anna Young, Jane Wu, and Paul Eisenstein gave at the 2014 Otterbein Fall Faculty conference

Many Questions Remain Unanswered About the Role of Microbial Transmission in Epizootic Shell Disease in American Lobsters (Homarus americanus), a perspective article

Despite decades of research on lobster species’ biology, ecology, and microbiology, there are still unresolved questions about the microbial communities which associate in or on lobsters under healthy or diseased states, microbial acquisition, as well as microbial transmission between lobsters and between lobsters and their environment. There is an untapped opportunity for metagenomics, metatranscriptomics, and metabolomics to be added to the existing wealth of knowledge to more precisely track disease transmission, etiology, and host-microbe dynamics. Moreover, we need to gain this knowledge of wild lobster microbiomes before climate change alters environmental and host-microbial communities more than it likely already has, throwing a socioeconomically critical industry into disarray. As with so many animal species, the effects of climate change often manifest as changes in movement, and in this perspective piece, we consider the movement of the American lobster (Homarus americanus), Atlantic Ocean currents, and the microorganisms associated with either

Neutral Hydrogen Clouds in the M81/M82 Group

We have observed a 3 degree x 3 degree area centered on the M81/M82 group of galaxies using the Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope (GBT) in a search for analogs to the High Velocity Clouds (HVCs) of neutral hydrogen found around our galaxy. The velocity range from -605 to -85 km/s and 25 to 1970 km/s was searched for HI clouds. Over the inner 2 degrees x 2 degrees the 7-sigma detection threshold was 9.6 x 10^5 M_sun. We detect 5 previously unknown HI clouds associated with the group, as well as numerous associated filamentary HI structures, all lying in the range -105 < V_helio < +280 km/s. From the small angular distance of the clouds to group members, and the small velocity difference between group members and clouds, we conclude that the clouds are most likely relics of ongoing interactions between galaxies in the group.Comment: 17 pages, 5 figures, AJ accepte

LARP7 is a stable component of the 7SK snRNP while P-TEFb, HEXIM1 and hnRNP A1 are reversibly associated

Regulation of the elongation phase of RNA polymerase II transcription by P-TEFb is a critical control point for gene expression. The activity of P-TEFb is regulated, in part, by reversible association with one of two HEXIMs and the 7SK snRNP. A recent proteomics survey revealed that P-TEFb and the HEXIMs are tightly connected to two previously-uncharacterized proteins, the methyphosphate capping enzyme, MEPCE, and a La-related protein, LARP7. Glycerol gradient sedimentation analysis of lysates from cells treated with P-TEFb inhibitors, suggested that the 7SK snRNP reorganized such that LARP7 and 7SK remained associated after P-TEFb and HEXIM1 were released. Immunodepletion of LARP7 also depleted most of the 7SK regardless of the presence of P-TEFb, HEXIM or hnRNP A1 in the complex. Small interfering RNA knockdown of LARP7 in human cells decreased the steady-state level of 7SK, led to an initial increase in free P-TEFb and increased Tat transactivation of the HIV-1 LTR. Knockdown of LARP7 or 7SK ultimately caused a decrease in total P-TEFb protein levels. Our studies have identified LARP7 as a 7SK-binding protein and suggest that free P-TEFb levels are determined by a balance between release from the large form and reduction of total P-TEFb

Associations between cardiorespiratory fitness, physical activity and clustered cardiometabolic risk in children and adolescents: the HAPPY study

Clustering of cardiometabolic risk factors can occur during childhood and predisposes individuals to cardiometabolic disease. This study calculated clustered cardiometabolic risk in 100 children and adolescents aged 10-14 years (59 girls) and explored differences according to cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) levels and time spent at different physical activity (PA) intensities. CRF was determined using a maximal cycle ergometer test, and PA was assessed using accelerometry. A cardiometabolic risk score was computed as the sum of the standardised scores for waist circumference, blood pressure, total cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein ratio, triglycerides and glucose. Differences in clustered cardiometabolic risk between fit and unfit participants, according to previously proposed health-related threshold values, and between tertiles for PA subcomponents were assessed using ANCOVA. Clustered risk was significantly lower (p < 0.001) in the fit group (mean 1.21 ± 3.42) compared to the unfit group (mean -0.74 ± 2.22), while no differences existed between tertiles for any subcomponent of PA. Conclusion These findings suggest that CRF may have an important cardioprotective role in children and adolescents and highlights the importance of promoting CRF in youth