Toward a bioethical issue: induced multiple pregnancies and neonatal outcomes

Assisted reproductive technology has made great progress during the last three decades. After the initial enthusiasm, many ethical, legal and social issues related to the application of these procedures began to evolve. Multifetal pregnancy and fetal reduction, embryo cryopreservation, preimplantation genetic diagnosis, risks of birth defects and other adverse outcome associated with assisted reproductive technology are issues that have to be addressed building future collaborative studies and continuing the debate on related ethical issues

Seabird nutrient subsidies benefit non-nitrogen fixing trees and alter species composition in South American coastal dry forests

Marine-derived nutrients can increase primary productivity and change species composition of terrestrial plant communities in coastal and riverine ecosystems. We hypothesized that sea nutrient subsidies have a positive effect on nitrogen assimilation and seedling survival of non-nitrogen fixing species, increasing the relative abundance of non-nitrogen fixing species close to seashore. Moreover, we proposed that herbivores can alter the effects of nutrient supplementation by preferentially feeding on high nutrient plants. We studied the effects of nutrient fertilization by seabird guano on tree recruitment and how these effects can be modulated by herbivorous lizards in the coastal dry forests of northwestern Peru. We combined field studies, experiments and stable isotope analysis to study the response of the two most common tree species in these forests, the nitrogen-fixing Prosopis pallida and the non-nitrogen-fixing Capparis scabrida. We did not find differences in herbivore pressure along the sea-inland gradient. We found that the non-nitrogen fixing C. scabrida assimilates marine-derived nitrogen and is more abundant than P. pallida closer to guano-rich soil. We conclude that the input of marine-derived nitrogen through guano deposited by seabirds feeding in the Pacific Ocean affects the two dominant tree species of the coastal dry forests of northern Peru in contrasting ways. The non-nitrogen fixing species, C. scabrida may benefit from sea nutrient subsidies by incorporating guano-derived nitrogen into its foliar tissues, whereas P. pallida, capable of atmospheric fixation, does not

Microhabitat temperatures and prevalence of the pathogenic fungus batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in lowland amazonian frogs

Until recently, it was assumed that the pathogenic fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) was not widely distributed in warm ecosystems such as lowland tropical rainforests because high environmental temperatures limit its growth. However, several studies have documented Bd infection in lowland rainforest amphibians over the past decade. In addition, a recent study focusing on museum-stored specimens showed that Bd has been present in the lowland Amazon for more than 80 years. These findings lent support to the idea that some lowland rainforest habitats offer suitable environmental conditions for Bd growth, even though most lowland areas may contain suboptimal conditions limiting the pathogen spread and growth. Here, we surveyed four sites in southeast Peru to examine the prevalence and the intensity of infection of Bd in lowland Amazonian amphibians and to fill a gap between two areas where Bd has been present for more than a decade. In one of these “hotspots” of Bd infection, the upper slopes of Manu National Park, several species experienced population declines attributed to Bd epizootics over the past 15 years. We also examined the thermal profile of the main microhabitats used by lowland Amazonian frogs to infer whether these microhabitats offer suitable thermal conditions for Bd growth. We detected Bd in nine lowland frog species and variation in prevalence of infection across years. Our findings suggest that the temperatures in the leaf litter and understory vegetation of some habitats offer suitable conditions for Bd growth

Comparison between two treatment protocols with recombinant Human Erythropoietin (rHuEpo) in the treatment of late anemia in neonates with Rh-Isoimmunization

Objectve. The Rh-hemolytic disease can lead to a late anemia by hemolytic and hyporigenerative mechanism. We compared the effectiveness of rHuEPO in two care protocols that differ for doses of rHuEPO administrated and for timing of administration. Methods. A cohort of 14 neonates was investigated. The neonates were treated with two different protocols. Protocol A: a dose of 200 U/kg/day of rHuEpo administered subcutaneously starting from the end of the second week of life; Protocol B: a dose of 400 U/kg/day of rHuEpo administered subcutaneously starting from the end of the first week of life. Results. The hematocrit values in the protocol A group decreased during treatment (32,5% vs 25,2%), whereas the hematocrit value in protocol B group remained almost stable (38,7% vs 42,8%). The mean numbers of platelets remained stable in both groups while neutrophils increased in protocol A group and decreased in protocol B (p<0,05). Reticulocyte count increased during treatment in both groups, although only in protocol B group it was statistically significative (p<0,05). Conclusions. Our results suggest a similar efficacy between the two treatment protocols. Increasing doses of rHuEPO do not seem enhancing their effectiveness and the incidence of side effects

Amphibian peptides for skin protection and healing

BACKGROUND: Amphibians are currently suffering a dramatic decline worldwide, mainly due to chytridiomycosis, a skin infection caused by the pathogenic fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). An important natural defense of amphibian skin is the production of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) by granular glands in the dermis. AMPs collected from several species of frogs successfully inhibit the growth of Bd in vitro. Besides their anti-microbial and anti-fungal activities, AMPs have been shown to exert other biological effects such as anti-viral, anti-tumor, anti-oxidant, immunomodulating and wound healing. AIM: We intended to test the efficacy of AMPs as cutaneous defenses in frog species either resistant or susceptible to Bd. METHODS: 3 frog species (Gastrotheca nebulanastes (GN), G. excubitor (GE) and Hypsiboas gladiator (HG), were collected in montane scrub, cloud forest and high elevation grassland habitats near Manu National Park in southeastern Peru. AMP secretion was stimulated by injection of norepinephrine into the dorsal lymph sacks. AMPs were then purified by chromatographic techniques. The human endothelial cell line HECV was treated with AMP concentrations ranging from 0.005 to 50 \ub5g/mL. Cell viability was verified by MTT test. Wound healing properties were analyzed by scratch wound assay. AMP inhibition strength against Bd growth was measured in vitro by incubating Bd zoospores with different concentrations of AMPs. RESULTS: Treatment with AMPs secreted from GN, GE and HG did not affect HECV cell viability at any concentration tested. No significant differences in cell migration rate were observed in HECV cells scratched and treated with GN and GE AMPs. Only HG peptides showed wound healing properties as well as strong Bd growth inhibiting ability. CONCLUSIONS: Stimulation of wound healing mechanisms and inhibition of Bd growth by skin AMPs might both contribute to HG resistance to chytridiomycosis. Understanding the role of skin defenses may lead to the development of novel Bd mitigation strategies. Possible applications of amphibian AMPs in skin medicine deserve attention and further studies. This work was funded by the European Commission (Tender ENV.B.3/SER/2016/0028, Mitigating a new infectious disease in salamanders to counteract the loss of European biodiversity) and by Parco Nazionale delle Cinque Terre

Divergence of thermal physiological traits in terrestrial breeding frogs along a tropical elevational gradient

Critical thermal limits are thought to be correlated with the elevational distribution of species living in tropical montane regions, but with upper limits being relatively invariant compared to lower limits. To test this hypothesis, we examined the variation of thermal physiological traits in a group of terrestrial breeding frogs (Craugastoridae) distributed along a tropical elevational gradient. We measured the critical thermal maximum (CTmax; n = 22 species) and critical thermal minimum (CTmin; n = 14 species) of frogs captured between the Amazon floodplain (250 m asl) and the high Andes (3,800 m asl). After inferring a multilocus species tree, we conducted a phylogenetically informed test of whether body size, body mass, and elevation contributed to the observed variation in CTmax and CTmin along the gradient. We also tested whether CTmax and CTmin exhibit different rates of change given that critical thermal limits (and their plasticity) may have evolved differently in response to different temperature constraints along the gradient. Variation of critical thermal traits was significantly correlated with speciesâ elevational midpoint, their maximum and minimum elevations, as well as the maximum air temperature and the maximum operative temperature as measured across this gradient. Both thermal limits showed substantial variation, but CTmin exhibited relatively faster rates of change than CTmax, as observed in other taxa. Nonetheless, our findings call for caution in assuming inflexibility of upper thermal limits and underscore the value of collecting additional empirical data on speciesâ thermal physiology across elevational gradients.A widely held assumption is that climatic niches have not changed along the history of species, both within and among closely related species. Using a phylogenetic framework, this study documents high variability in both elevational distribution and tolerance to heat among closely related species. Our findings suggest that thermal traits in ectotherms can adjust rapidly and so cannot be simply extrapolated from relatives.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/136724/1/ece32929_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/136724/2/ece32929.pd

Trends in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bloodstream infections: effect of the MRSA "search and isolate" strategy in a hospital in Italy with hyperendemic MRSA

Abstract OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the secular trends in MRSA BSIs after the introduction of a nosocomial MRSA control intervention. DESIGN: Before-after study. SETTING: An 850-bed community hospital with an ICU and vascular surgery, neurosurgery, bone marrow transplantation, and AIDS units. MRSA is endemic at this hospital; the prevalence of methicillin resistance among patients with S. aureus infection is greater than 50%. PATIENTS: Among all inpatients, MRSA BSI was identified, its origin defined, and incidence rates calculated by ward and origin. INTERVENTION: A MRSA control program was implemented based on active surveillance cultures to identify MRSA-colonized patients, followed by isolation using contact precautions. Incidence rates of MRSA BSI during the intervention (i.e., July 1, 1997, to December 31, 2001) and preintervention (i.e., January 1, 1996, to June 30, 1997) periods were compared. RESULTS: Sixty-nine MRSA BSIs were identified. When compared with the preintervention period, the incidence rate of MRSA BSI was reduced from 0.64 to 0.30 per 1000 admissions (RR, 0.46; CI95, 0.25-0.87; P = .02) during the intervention period. The impact was greater in the ICU, with an 89% reduction (RR, 0.11; CI95, 0.01-0.98; P = .03), and for CVC-associated MRSA BSIs, with an 82% decrease (RR, 0.17; CI95, 0.05-0.55; P = .002). Methicillin resistance among S. aureus blood isolates decreased from 46% to 17% (RR, 0.36; CI95, 0.22-0.62; P = .0002). CONCLUSION: A reduction in MRSA bacteremia is achievable through use of the MRSA "search and isolate" intervention even in a hospital with high rates of endemic MRSA

Comparison between two treatment protocols with recombinant Human Erythropoietin (rHuEpo) in the treatment of late anemia in neonates with Rh-Isoimmunization

Objectve. The Rh-hemolytic disease can lead to a late anemia by hemolytic and hyporigenerative mechanism. We compared the effectiveness of rHuEPO in two care protocols that differ for doses of rHuEPO administrated and for timing of administration. Methods. A cohort of 14 neonates was investigated. The neonates were treated with two different protocols. Protocol A: a dose of 200 U/kg/day of rHuEpo administered subcutaneously starting from the end of the second week of life; Protocol B: a dose of 400 U/kg/day of rHuEpo administered subcutaneously starting from the end of the first week of life. Results. The hematocrit values in the protocol A group decreased during treatment (32,5% vs 25,2%), whereas the hematocrit value in protocol B group remained almost stable (38,7% vs 42,8%). The mean numbers of platelets remained stable in both groups while neutrophils increased in protocol A group and decreased in protocol B (p<0,05). Reticulocyte count increased during treatment in both groups, although only in protocol B group it was statistically significative (p<0,05). Conclusions. Our results suggest a similar efficacy between the two treatment protocols. Increasing doses of rHuEPO do not seem enhancing their effectiveness and the incidence of side effects

Response to comment on 'Amphibian fungal panzootic causes catastrophic and ongoing loss of biodiversity'

Lambert et al. question our retrospective and holistic epidemiological assessment of the role of chytridiomycosis in amphibian declines. Their alternative assessment is narrow and provides an incomplete evaluation of evidence. Adopting this approach limits understanding of infectious disease impacts and hampers conservation efforts. We reaffirm that our study provides unambiguous evidence that chytridiomycosis has affected at least 501 amphibian species