437 research outputs found
Femoral neck fracture following intramedullary nailing with misplacement of an end cup: report of two cases
Femoral neck fracture is an unusual complication of intramedullary fixation of a broken femur. We report on two cases of femoral neck fractures attributed to misplacement of an end cup and subsequent invasive maneuvers in an effort to remove it. Iatrogenic fractures of the femoral neck during or after intramedullary nailing are reported in the medical literature. Authors associate it with many possible technical mistakes performed during the procedure, yet no complications after missed end cup placement were noted. We suggest that the fractures described below were a consequence of injury to the vascular supply and bone stock of the initially intact femoral neck
Towards a sustainable and equitable blue economy
The global rush to develop the \u2018blue economy\u2019 risks harming both the marine environment and human wellbeing. Bold policies and actions are urgently needed. We identify five priorities to chart a course towards an environmentally sustainable and socially equitable blue economy
Characterization of the Blue-Light-Activated Adenylyl Cyclase mPAC by Flash Photolysis and FTIR Spectroscopy
The recently discovered photo-activated adenylyl cyclase (mPAC from
Microcoleus chthonoplastes) is the first PAC that owes a light-, oxygen- and
voltage-sensitive (LOV) domain for blue-light sensing. The photoreaction of
the mPAC receptor was studied by time-resolved UV/vis and light-induced
Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) absorption difference spectroscopy. The
photocycle comprises of the typical triplet state LOV715 and the thio-adduct
state LOV390. While the adduct state decays with a time constant of 8 s, the
lifetime of the triplet state is with 656 ns significantly shorter than in all
other reported LOV domains. The light-induced FTIR difference spectrum shows
the typical bands of the LOV390 and LOV450 intermediates. The negative S-H
stretching vibration at 2573 cm−1 is asymmetric suggesting two rotamer
configurations of the protonated side chain of C194. A positive band at 3632
cm−1 is observed, which is assigned to an internal water molecule. In contrast
to other LOV domains, mPAC exhibits a second positive feature at 3674 cm−1
which is due to the O-H stretch of a second intrinsic water molecule and the
side chain of Y476. We conclude that the latter might be involved in the
dimerization of the cyclase domain which is crucial for ATP binding
Temporal correlations among demographic parameters are ubiquitous but highly variable across species
Temporal correlations among demographic parameters can strongly influence
population dynamics. Our empirical knowledge, however, is very limited regarding
the direction and the magnitude of these correlations and how they vary among
demographic parameters and species’ life histories. Here, we use long-term
demographic data from 15 bird and mammal species with contrasting pace of life
to quantify correlation patterns among five key demographic parameters: juvenile and adult survival, reproductive probability, reproductive success and productivity.
Correlations among demographic parameters were ubiquitous, more frequently
positive than negative, but strongly differed across species. Correlations did not
markedly change along the slow-fast continuum of life histories, suggesting that
they were more strongly driven by ecological than evolutionary factors. As positive
temporal demographic correlations decrease the mean of the long-run population
growth rate, the common practice of ignoring temporal correlations in population
models could lead to the underestimation of extinction risks in most species
Height and timing of growth spurt during puberty in young people living with vertically acquired HIV in Europe and Thailand.
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to describe growth during puberty in young people with vertically acquired HIV. DESIGN: Pooled data from 12 paediatric HIV cohorts in Europe and Thailand. METHODS: One thousand and ninety-four children initiating a nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor or boosted protease inhibitor based regimen aged 1-10 years were included. Super Imposition by Translation And Rotation (SITAR) models described growth from age 8 years using three parameters (average height, timing and shape of the growth spurt), dependent on age and height-for-age z-score (HAZ) (WHO references) at antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation. Multivariate regression explored characteristics associated with these three parameters. RESULTS: At ART initiation, median age and HAZ was 6.4 [interquartile range (IQR): 2.8, 9.0] years and -1.2 (IQR: -2.3 to -0.2), respectively. Median follow-up was 9.1 (IQR: 6.9, 11.4) years. In girls, older age and lower HAZ at ART initiation were independently associated with a growth spurt which occurred 0.41 (95% confidence interval 0.20-0.62) years later in children starting ART age 6 to 10 years compared with 1 to 2 years and 1.50 (1.21-1.78) years later in those starting with HAZ less than -3 compared with HAZ at least -1. Later growth spurts in girls resulted in continued height growth into later adolescence. In boys starting ART with HAZ less than -1, growth spurts were later in children starting ART in the oldest age group, but for HAZ at least -1, there was no association with age. Girls and boys who initiated ART with HAZ at least -1 maintained a similar height to the WHO reference mean. CONCLUSION: Stunting at ART initiation was associated with later growth spurts in girls. Children with HAZ at least -1 at ART initiation grew in height at the level expected in HIV negative children of a comparable age
Climate Change Alters Seedling Emergence and Establishment in an Old-Field Ecosystem
Background: Ecological succession drives large-scale changes in ecosystem composition over time, but the mechanisms whereby climatic change might alter succession remain unresolved. Here, we asked if the effects of atmospheric and climatic change would alter tree seedling emergence and establishment in an old-field ecosystem, recognizing that small shifts in rates of seedling emergence and establishment of different species may have long-term repercussions on the transition of fields to forests in the future. Methodology/Principal Findings: We introduced seeds from three early successional tree species into constructed old-field plant communities that had been subjected for 4 years to altered temperature, precipitation, and atmospheric CO 2 regimes in an experimental facility. Our experiment revealed that different combinations of atmospheric CO2 concentration, air temperature, and soil moisture altered seedling emergence and establishment. Treatments directly and indirectly affected soil moisture, which was the best predictor of seedling establishment, though treatment effects differed among species. Conclusions: The observed impacts, coupled with variations in the timing of seed arrival, are demonstrated as predictors o
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