Dissociation between Cervical Mucus and Urinary Hormones during the Postpartum Return of Fertility in Breastfeeding Women

Identifying the return of fertility with cervical mucus observations is challenging during the postpartum period. Use of urinary measurements of estrogen and progesterone can assist in understanding the return to fertility during this period. The purposes of this study were to describe the postpartum return of fertility by an analysis of total estrogen (TE) and pregnanediol glucuronide (PDG) profiles and to correlate these profiles with cervical mucus observations. Twenty-six participants collected urine samples during the postpartum period and recorded mucus scores. TE and PDG hormones were analyzed and compared with mucus scores. During amenorrhea, mucus reflected TE changes in only 35 percent of women; after amenorrhea, typical mucus patterns were seen in 33 percent of cycles. We concluded that postpartum mucus and hormone profiles are significantly dissociated but that monitoring urinary hormones may assist in identifying the return of fertility. We also identified different hormonal patterns in the return to fertility. The postpartum period is a challenging time for identifying the return of fertility. The purposes of this study were to describe the hormonal patterns during the return of fertility and to correlate these patterns with cervical mucus observations. Twenty-six postpartum women collected urine samples and recorded mucus scores. Urinary estrogen and progesterone hormones were analyzed and compared with mucus scores. Before the return of menses, mucus reflected hormonal changes in only 35 percent women and after first menses in 33 percent of cycles. We found that hormone profiles do not correlate well with mucus observations during the postpartum return of fertility

Early recruitment of boreal forest trees in hybrid poplar plantations of different densities on mine waste rock slopes

Mine wastes create harsh recruitment conditions for forest tree seedlings, especially waste rock piles where erodible slopes are prone to drought. Plantations using fast-growing tree species can potentially accelerate the conversion of degraded mine sites into forests through facilitation of tree recruitment, while contributing to the stability of slopes. In this study, hybrid poplars were tested as a means of achieving reclamation objectives by providing shelter for forest tree seedlings on waste rock slopes (3H:1V ratio) in the Canadian southern boreal region. Density effects of young hybrid poplars were assessed on the emergence and survival of early, mid and late successional species, naturally occurring or hand-seeded, and on the understory micro-environmental parameters in plantations of different spacings (1 × 1, 2 × 2, 4 × 4 m and control without planted trees). Results were also compared in 2 × 2-m plantations with and without a hydroseeded herbaceous cover, traditionally used to control erosion in slopes. During the 2nd growing season of the plantations, seedling emergence of naturally established Salicaceae (Populus and Salix) species followed a quadratic pattern along the density gradient, as emergence values were higher under an intermediary density. Nonetheless, decrease in light transmission emerged as a limiting factor of seedling survival for these early-successional, shade-intolerant species by the next summer. Following a spring sowing experiment in the 3rd growing season of the plantations, emergence rates for later-successional Picea glauca and Abies balsamea seedlings increased with hybrid poplar density. During their peak emergence period, in early season, higher soil moisture content was found under denser cover. However, at the end of the third year of the plantations, only A. balsamea showed moderate increase in early recruitment success rates under denser tree cover. In hydroseeded plots, a competitive effect of the herbaceous cover was observed on Salicaceae emergence and A. balsamea survival. These results suggest that planting of young plantations without a hydroseeded cover may offer a more suitable solution in order to quickly provide early recruitment opportunities for later-successional seedlings in waste rock slopes. Despite this, a significant decrease in moisture content recorded during the second half of the 3rd growing season under the 1 × 1-m cover, compared to the 2 × 2-m, likely signalled an increasing competitive effect from hybrid poplars, which may compromise their nursing potential in the longer term. Therefore, further monitoring is imperative for a better understanding of longer-term facilitation and competition interactions between nurse trees and understory seedlings in waste rock slopes, where competition for limited resources, such as water, may be severe

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

Selectins Ligand Decorated Drug Carriers for Activated Endothelial Cell Targeting

New active particulate polymeric vectors based on branched polyester copolymers of hydroxy-acid and allyl glycidyl ether were developed to target drugs to the inflammatory endothelial cell surface. The hydroxyl and carboxyl derivatives of these polymers allow grafting of ligand molecules on the polyester backbones at different densities. A known potent nonselective selectin ligand was selected and synthesized using a new scheme. This synthesis allowed the grafting of the ligand to the polyester polymers, preserving its binding activity as assessed by docking simulations. Selectin expression on human umbilical cord vascular endothelial cells (HUVEC) was induced with the pro-inflammatory bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or with the nonselective inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase L-NAME. Strong adhesion of the ligand decorated nanoparticles was evidenced in Vitro on activated HUVEC. Binding of nanoparticles bearing ligand molecules could be efficiently inhibited by prior incubation of cells with free ligand, demonstrating that adhesion of the nanoparticles is mediated by specific interaction between the ligand and the selectin receptors. These nanoparticles could be used for specific drug delivery to the activated vascular endothelium, suggesting their application in the treatment of diseases with an inflammatory component such as rheumatoid arthritis and cancer

Συμπληρωματικά περί Μακεδόνων κλεφτών και αρματολών

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Rats selectively bred for low aerobic capacity have reduced hepatic mitochondrial oxidative capacity and susceptibility to hepatic steatosis and injury

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/65411/1/jphysiol.2009.169060.pd

Generalization optimizing machine learning to improve CT scan radiomics and assess immune checkpoint inhibitors’ response in non-small cell lung cancer: a multicenter cohort study

BackgroundRecent developments in artificial intelligence suggest that radiomics may represent a promising non-invasive biomarker to predict response to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Nevertheless, validation of radiomics algorithms in independent cohorts remains a challenge due to variations in image acquisition and reconstruction. Using radiomics, we investigated the importance of scan normalization as part of a broader machine learning framework to enable model external generalizability to predict ICI response in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients across different centers.MethodsRadiomics features were extracted and compared from 642 advanced NSCLC patients on pre-ICI scans using established open-source PyRadiomics and a proprietary DeepRadiomics deep learning technology. The population was separated into two groups: a discovery cohort of 512 NSCLC patients from three academic centers and a validation cohort that included 130 NSCLC patients from a fourth center. We harmonized images to account for variations in reconstruction kernel, slice thicknesses, and device manufacturers. Multivariable models, evaluated using cross-validation, were used to estimate the predictive value of clinical variables, PD-L1 expression, and PyRadiomics or DeepRadiomics for progression-free survival at 6 months (PFS-6).ResultsThe best prognostic factor for PFS-6, excluding radiomics features, was obtained with the combination of Clinical + PD-L1 expression (AUC = 0.66 in the discovery and 0.62 in the validation cohort). Without image harmonization, combining Clinical + PyRadiomics or DeepRadiomics delivered an AUC = 0.69 and 0.69, respectively, in the discovery cohort, but dropped to 0.57 and 0.52, in the validation cohort. This lack of generalizability was consistent with observations in principal component analysis clustered by CT scan parameters. Subsequently, image harmonization eliminated these clusters. The combination of Clinical + DeepRadiomics reached an AUC = 0.67 and 0.63 in the discovery and validation cohort, respectively. Conversely, the combination of Clinical + PyRadiomics failed generalizability validations, with AUC = 0.66 and 0.59.ConclusionWe demonstrated that a risk prediction model combining Clinical + DeepRadiomics was generalizable following CT scan harmonization and machine learning generalization methods. These results had similar performances to routine oncology practice using Clinical + PD-L1. This study supports the strong potential of radiomics as a future non-invasive strategy to predict ICI response in advanced NSCLC

Risk of newly detected infections and cervical abnormalities in adult women seropositive or seronegative for naturally acquired HPV-16/18 antibodies

Funder: GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals SAPeer reviewedPublisher PD

New genetic loci link adipose and insulin biology to body fat distribution.

Body fat distribution is a heritable trait and a well-established predictor of adverse metabolic outcomes, independent of overall adiposity. To increase our understanding of the genetic basis of body fat distribution and its molecular links to cardiometabolic traits, here we conduct genome-wide association meta-analyses of traits related to waist and hip circumferences in up to 224,459 individuals. We identify 49 loci (33 new) associated with waist-to-hip ratio adjusted for body mass index (BMI), and an additional 19 loci newly associated with related waist and hip circumference measures (P < 5 × 10(-8)). In total, 20 of the 49 waist-to-hip ratio adjusted for BMI loci show significant sexual dimorphism, 19 of which display a stronger effect in women. The identified loci were enriched for genes expressed in adipose tissue and for putative regulatory elements in adipocytes. Pathway analyses implicated adipogenesis, angiogenesis, transcriptional regulation and insulin resistance as processes affecting fat distribution, providing insight into potential pathophysiological mechanisms