Stem Cell Research and Same Sex Reproduction

Recent advances in stem cell research suggest that in the future it may be possible to create eggs and sperm from human stem cells through a process that we term in vitro gametogenesis (IVG). IVG would allow treatment of some currently untreatable forms of infertility. It may also allow same-sex couples to have genetically-related children. For example, cells taken from one man could potentially be used to create an egg, which could then be fertilised using naturally produced sperm from another man to create a genetically-related child with half of its DNA from each of the men. In this chapter, we consider whether this technology could justifiably be denied to same-sex couples if it were made available as a fertility treatment to different-sex couples. We argue that it could not

LA TRANSFERENCIA DE NOMBRES PROPIOS DE ANIMALES EN DIEZ VERSIONES CASTELLANAS DE WUTHERING HEIGHTS, 1921-2010

Tras comentar el papel de los animales en Wuthering Heights, ofrecemos una clasificación de los nombres propios de los animales (NPA) basada en la distin- ción entre nombres que carecen de una dimensión semántica (convencionales) y los que sí la tienen (expresivos). A continuación, ejemplificamos las diversas estrategias observadas en la transferencia de los NPA de la obra original a las diez versiones españolas  publicadas  bajo  el  título  Cumbres borrascosas. Aportamos  unos  datos contextuales acerca de la obra y de las versiones estudiadas, procediendo a conti- nuación a la parte práctica, consistente, por una parte, en el análisis general de las tendencias diacrónicas presentadas, y por otra, en el estudio detallado de decisiones concretas. Se detecta una clara distinción entre los patrones diacrónicos en torno de la transferencia de los nombres convencionales y los expresivos: mientras los prime- ros se ajustan a la tendencia establecida en estudios previos hacia una conservación cada vez mayor, el traslado de los expresivos presenta una mayor diversidad entre estrategias de conservación y de sustitución, en la que las versiones más recientes son las que manifiestan una mayor orientación hacia la cultura de llegada. Se discute, además, determinados hallazgos llamativos como son la alta incidencia de estrategias de omisión y de neutralización, y la utilización de estrategias de tendencia opuesta para trasladar el mismo nombre en una sola versión.This article discusses the role of domestic animals in Wuthering Heights before offering a classification of their names, based on the distinction between names which lack a semantic dimension (conventional names) and those which have meaning (expressives). Subsequently, the various strategies used to transfer the names from the original work to ten Spanish translations are described and exemplified. Some contextual  information  about  the  novel  and  the  translations  is  given  prior  to  the practical part of the article, which analyses the diachronic tendencies presented by the translations in general, as well as specific transfer decisions. From the diachronic perspective, a clear distinction is revealed between the transfer of conventional names and expressives: while the first follows the tendency observed in previous research towards an increasingly marked conservation, transfer of expressive names presents a  greater diversity between conservation and substitution, in which the more recent translations are shown to be more closely orientated towards the target culture. The article also discusses certain surprising findings, such as the high incidence of omission and neutralisation strategies, and the use of strategies of opposing tendencies to transfer the same name in the same translation

LA TRANSFERENCIA DE NOMBRES PROPIOS DE ANIMALES EN DIEZ VERSIONES CASTELLANAS DE WUTHERING HEIGHTS, 1921-2010

This article discusses the role of domestic animals in Wuthering Heights before offering a classification of their names, based on the distinction between names which lack a semantic dimension (conventional names) and those which have meaning (expressives). Subsequently, the various strategies used to transfer the names from the original work to ten Spanish translations are described and exemplified. Some contextual  information  about  the  novel  and  the  translations  is  given  prior  to  the practical part of the article, which analyses the diachronic tendencies presented by the translations in general, as well as specific transfer decisions. From the diachronic perspective, a clear distinction is revealed between the transfer of conventional names and expressives: while the first follows the tendency observed in previous research towards an increasingly marked conservation, transfer of expressive names presents a  greater diversity between conservation and substitution, in which the more recent translations are shown to be more closely orientated towards the target culture. The article also discusses certain surprising findings, such as the high incidence of omission and neutralisation strategies, and the use of strategies of opposing tendencies to transfer the same name in the same translation.Tras comentar el papel de los animales en Wuthering Heights, ofrecemos una clasificación de los nombres propios de los animales (NPA) basada en la distin- ción entre nombres que carecen de una dimensión semántica (convencionales) y los que sí la tienen (expresivos). A continuación, ejemplificamos las diversas estrategias observadas en la transferencia de los NPA de la obra original a las diez versiones españolas  publicadas  bajo  el  título  Cumbres borrascosas. Aportamos  unos  datos contextuales acerca de la obra y de las versiones estudiadas, procediendo a conti- nuación a la parte práctica, consistente, por una parte, en el análisis general de las tendencias diacrónicas presentadas, y por otra, en el estudio detallado de decisiones concretas. Se detecta una clara distinción entre los patrones diacrónicos en torno de la transferencia de los nombres convencionales y los expresivos: mientras los prime- ros se ajustan a la tendencia establecida en estudios previos hacia una conservación cada vez mayor, el traslado de los expresivos presenta una mayor diversidad entre estrategias de conservación y de sustitución, en la que las versiones más recientes son las que manifiestan una mayor orientación hacia la cultura de llegada. Se discute, además, determinados hallazgos llamativos como son la alta incidencia de estrategias de omisión y de neutralización, y la utilización de estrategias de tendencia opuesta para trasladar el mismo nombre en una sola versión

El traductor como mediador en la correspondencia entre investigador y revisor

Accepted for publication in Skopos: Revista Internacional de Traducción e Interpretación, 3, (2013), Universidad de Córdoba.Professional translators often mediate in the complex relation between the authors of scientific articles (their clients) and the referees of scientific journals (their clients’ clients). Experience tells us that standing in the middle of this type of relation—crucial to ensuring scientific articles are published—can be difficult. We need to handle issues arising from author-referee communication that are often far from straightforward and require skilled diplomacy, both oral and written, in the authors’ mother tongue and the target language of the translation. Future translators need to be aware of this role as it affects their professional careers, but do clear guidelines exist? The present communication describes mediated transactions in author-referee correspondence, summarizes related research literature, formulates a set of research questions, and presents a study that we are conducting with a view to obtaining qualitative data from a sample of experienced professionals.Los traductores profesionales a menudo median en la compleja relación entre los autores de artículos científicos (sus clientes) y los revisores de revistas científicas (los clientes de sus clientes). Por experiencia propia, sabemos que no es siempre una mediación fácil, pero que sí es fundamental para conseguir la publicación deseada. Atendemosa las consecuencias de la complicada comunicación autor-revisor y aplican toques diplomáticos, tanto de expresión oral como escrita, en la lengua materna de los autores y la lengua meta de la traducción. Los traductores en formación tienen que ser conscientes de este papel que forma parte de la carrera profesional, pero ¿existen parámetros claros? En esta comunicación describimos transacciones mediadas en correspondencia autor-revisor, resumimos la bibliografía relacionada con el tema, formulamos una serie de hipótesis, y presentamos el estudio que estamos realizando para obtener datos cualitativos de una muestra de profesionales experimentados

Modelling environmental drivers of black band disease outbreaks in populations of foliose corals in the genus Montipora

Seawater temperature anomalies associated with warming climate have been linked to increases in coral disease outbreaks that have contributed to coral reef declines globally. However, little is known about how seasonal scale variations in environmental factors influence disease dynamics at the level of individual coral colonies. In this study, we applied a multi-state Markov model (MSM) to investigate the dynamics of black band disease (BBD) developing from apparently healthy corals and/or a precursor-stage, termed `cyanobacterial patches' (CP), in relation to seasonal variation in light and seawater temperature at two reef sites around Pelorus Island in the central sector of the Great Barrier Reef. The model predicted that the proportion of colonies transitioning from BBD to Healthy states within three months was appro)dmately 57%, but 5.6% of BBD cases resulted in whole colony mortality. According to our modelling, healthy coral colonies were more susceptible to BBD during summer months when light levels were at their maxima and seawater temperatures were either rising 0r at their maxima. In contrast, CP mostly occurred during spring, when both light and seawater temperatures were rising. This suggests that environmental drivers for healthy coral colonies transitioning into a Cl' state are different from those driving transitions into BBD. Our model predicts that (1) the transition from healthy to CP state is best explained by increasing light, (2) the transition between Healthy to BBD occurs more frequently from early to late summer, (3) 20% of CP infected corals developed BBD, although light and temperature appeared to have limited impact on this state transition, and (4) the number of transitions from Healthy to BBD differed significantly between the two study sites, potentially reflecting differences in localised wave action regimes

Establishment of vaginal microbiota composition in early pregnancy and its association with subsequent preterm prelabor rupture of the fetal membranes

© 2019 The Authors Vaginal bacterial community composition influences pregnancy outcome. Preterm prelabor rupture of the fetal membranes (PPROM), which precedes 30% of all spontaneous preterm births, is associated with high vaginal bacterial diversity prior to rupture. The point at which vaginal bacterial diversity is established before PPROM is unknown. In this study, we use metataxonomics to longitudinally characterize the vaginal bacterial composition from as early as 6 weeks of gestation in women at high (n = 38) and low (n = 22) risk of preterm birth who subsequently experience PPROM and in women delivering at term without complications (n = 36). Reduced Lactobacillus spp. abundance and high diversity was observed prior to PPROM in 20% and 26% of women at low and high risk of preterm births respectively, but in only 3% of women who delivered at term. PPROM was associated with instability of bacterial community structure during pregnancy and a shift toward higher diversity predominately occurring during the second trimester. This was characterized by increased relative abundance of potentially pathogenic species including Prevotella, Peptoniphilus, Streptococcus, and Dialister. This study identifies reduced Lactobacillus spp. abundance and increasing vaginal bacterial diversity as an early risk factor for PPROM and highlights the need for interventional studies designed to assess the impact of modifying vaginal bacterial composition for the prevention of preterm birth

Effectiveness and cost effectiveness of pharmacist input at the ward level: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background Pharmacists play important role in ensuring timely care delivery at the ward level. The optimal level of pharmacist input, however, is not clearly defined. Objective To systematically review the evidence that assessed the outcomes of ward pharmacist input for people admitted with acute or emergent illness. Methods The protocol and search strategies were developed with input from clinicians. Medline, EMBASE, Centre for Reviews and Dissemination, The Cochrane Library, NHS Economic Evaluations, Health Technology Assessment and Health Economic Evaluations databases were searched. Inclusion criteria specified the population as adults and young people (age >16 years) who are admitted to hospital with suspected or confirmed acute or emergent illness. Only randomised controlled trials (RCTs) published in English were eligible for inclusion in the effectiveness review. Economic studies were limited to full economic evaluations and comparative cost analysis. Included studies were quality-assessed. Data were extracted, summarised. and meta-analysed, where appropriate. Results Eighteen RCTs and 7 economic studies were included. The RCTs were from USA (n=3), Sweden (n=2), Belgium (n=2), China (n=2), Australia (n=2), Denmark (n=2), Northern Ireland, Norway, Canada, UK and Netherlands. The economic studies were from UK (n=2), Sweden (n=2), Belgium and Netherlands. The results showed that regular pharmacist input was most cost effective. It reduced length-of-stay (mean= -1.74 days [95% CI: -2.76, -0.72], and increased patient and/or carer satisfaction (Relative Risk (RR) =1.49 [1.09, 2.03] at discharge). At £20,000 per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY)-gained cost-effectiveness threshold, it was either cost-saving or cost-effective (Incremental Cost Effectiveness Ratio (ICER) =£632/ QALY-gained). No evidence was found for 7-day pharmacist presence. Conclusions Pharmacist inclusion in the ward multidisciplinary team improves patient safety and satisfaction and is cost-effective when regularly provided throughout the ward stay. Research is needed to determine whether the provision of 7-day service is cost-effective.Peer reviewe

Highly selective and solvent-dependent reduction of Nitrobenzene to N-phenylhydroxylamine, azoxybenzene, and aniline catalyzed by phosphino-modified polymer immobilized ionic liquid-stabilized AuNPs

Gold nanoparticles stabilized by phosphine-decorated polymer immobilized ionic liquids (AuNP@PPh2-PIILP) is an extremely efficient multiproduct selective catalyst for the sodium borohydride-mediated reduction of nitrobenzene giving N-phenylhydroxylamine, azoxybenzene, or aniline as the sole product under mild conditions and a very low catalyst loading. The use of a single nanoparticle-based catalyst for the partial and complete reduction of nitroarenes to afford three different products with exceptionally high selectivities is unprecedented. Under optimum conditions, thermodynamically unfavorable N-phenylhydroxylamine can be obtained as the sole product in near quantitative yield in water, whereas a change in reaction solvent to ethanol results in a dramatic switch in selectivity to afford azoxybenzene. The key to obtaining such a high selectivity for N-phenylhydroxylamine is the use of a nitrogen atmosphere at room temperature as reactions conducted under an inert atmosphere occur via the direct pathway and are essentially irreversible, while reactions in air afford significant amounts of azoxy-based products by virtue of competing condensation due to reversible formation of N-phenylhydroxylamine. Ultimately, aniline can also be obtained quantitatively and selectively by adjusting the reaction temperature and time accordingly. Introduction of PEG onto the polyionic liquid resulted in a dramatic improvement in catalyst efficiency such that N-phenylhydroxylamine could be obtained with a turnover number (TON) of 100 000 (turnover frequency (TOF) of 73 000 h–1, with >99% selectivity), azoxybenzene with a TON of 55 000 (TOF of 37 000 h–1 with 100% selectivity), and aniline with a TON of 500 000 (TOF of 62 500 h–1, with 100% selectivity). As the combination of ionic liquid and phosphine is required to achieve high activity and selectivity, further studies are currently underway to explore whether interfacial electronic effects influence adsorption and thereby selectivity and whether channeling of the substrate by the electrostatic potential around the AuNPs is responsible for the high activity. This is the first report of a AuNP-based system that can selectively reduce nitroarenes to either of two synthetically important intermediates as well as aniline and, in this regard, is an exciting discovery that will form the basis to develop a continuous flow process enabling facile scale-up

Performance of Proximity Loggers in Recording Intra- and Inter-Species Interactions: A Laboratory and Field-Based Validation Study

Knowledge of the way in which animals interact through social networks can help to address questions surrounding the ecological and evolutionary consequences of social organisation, and to understand and manage the spread of infectious diseases. Automated proximity loggers are increasingly being used to record interactions between animals, but the accuracy and reliability of the collected data remain largely un-assessed. Here we use laboratory and observational field data to assess the performance of these devices fitted to a herd of 32 beef cattle (Bos taurus) and nine groups of badgers (Meles meles, n  = 77) living in the surrounding woods. The distances at which loggers detected each other were found to decrease over time, potentially related to diminishing battery power that may be a function of temperature. Loggers were highly accurate in recording the identification of contacted conspecifics, but less reliable at determining contact duration. There was a tendency for extended interactions to be recorded as a series of shorter contacts. We show how data can be manipulated to correct this discrepancy and accurately reflect observed interaction patterns by combining records between any two loggers that occur within a 1 to 2 minute amalgamation window, and then removing any remaining 1 second records. We make universally applicable recommendations for the effective use of proximity loggers, to improve the validity of data arising from future studies