Transcriptome of American Oysters, \u3cem\u3eCrassostrea virginica\u3c/em\u3e, in Response to Bacterial Challenge: Insights into Potential Mechanisms of Disease Resistance

The American oyster Crassostrea virginica, an ecologically and economically important estuarine organism, can suffer high mortalities in areas in the Northeast United States due to Roseovarius Oyster Disease (ROD), caused by the gram-negative bacterial pathogen Roseovarius crassostreae. The goals of this research were to provide insights into: 1) the responses of American oysters to R. crassostreae, and 2) potential mechanisms of resistance or susceptibility to ROD. The responses of oysters to bacterial challenge were characterized by exposing oysters from ROD-resistant and susceptible families to R. crassostreae, followed by high-throughput sequencing of cDNA samples from various timepoints after disease challenge. Sequence data was assembled into a reference transcriptome and analyzed through differential gene expression and functional enrichment to uncover genes and processes potentially involved in responses to ROD in the American oyster. While susceptible oysters experienced constant levels of mortality when challenged with R. crassostreae, resistant oysters showed levels of mortality similar to non-challenged oysters. Oysters exposed to R. crassostreae showed differential expression of transcripts involved in immune recognition, signaling, protease inhibition, detoxification, and apoptosis. Transcripts involved in metabolism were enriched in susceptible oysters, suggesting that bacterial infection places a large metabolic demand on these oysters. Transcripts differentially expressed in resistant oysters in response to infection included the immune modulators IL-17 and arginase, as well as several genes involved in extracellular matrix remodeling. The identification of potential genes and processes responsible for defense against R. crassostreae in the American oyster provides insights into potential mechanisms of disease resistance

Laparoscopic Transhiatal Esophagectomy for Esophageal Cancer

The incidence of esophageal cancer has increased over the last several decades, and the incidence of adenocarcinoma now surpasses that of squamous cell carcinoma. Esophagectomy is the best curative option for the treatment of resectable esophageal cancer but is a complex operation with significant morbidity and mortality. While the overall morbidity and mortality in those who are surgically treated has declined, approaching 40–50 % and 8–11 %, respectively, it is still significant. Over the past decade, minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE) has been gaining favor as an attractive alternative to open resection with the potential to reduce surgical trauma, decrease morbidity, and shorten the length of hospital stay. Laparoscopic techniques were first adapted into the field of esophageal disease in 1991 with laparoscopic fundoplication, performed by Dallemagne et al. With this, the shift toward minimally invasive esophageal surgery began. Traditional approaches via open transhiatal or transthoracic (Ivor Lewis) resections were first “hybridized” with minimally invasive techniques, where parts of the procedure were performed in a minimally invasive fashion and other parts via standard incisions. In 1993, Collard and colleagues published their initial experience with thoracoscopic mobilization of the esophagus. The first esophagectomy performed completely via laparoscopy through a transhiatal approach was in 1995 by DePaula et al. In 1999, Watson et al. first described a completely minimally invasive Ivor Lewis technique

Conditional cash transfer programmes: the recent experience in Latin America and the Caribbean

Includes BibliographySpanish version available at the LibraryForeword Alicia BárcenaThis document summarizes experience with conditional cash transfer or "co-responsibility" (CCT) programmes in Latin America and the Caribbean, over a period lasting more than 15 years. During this time, CCTs have consolidated and spread through the region's various countries as a tool of choice for poverty-reduction policy. This document, which it is hoped will serve as a basis and input for discussion and progress in building social-protection systems premised on inclusion and universal rights, provides detailed information on the different components of CCTs. It also reviews their main characteristics in terms of the definition and registration of programme users, the targeting mechanisms used, the various types of benefits provided, and the conditionalities attached to them. It then analyses the historical trend of the indicators of CCT investment and coverage, and the information available 8 ECLAC on their effects in different domains. Lastly, it makes an assessment of the experience and the main challenges that these programmes pose in terms of their sustainability, legal framework, accountability, participation, institutionality and inter-sectoral characteristics

Discovery of the first genome-wide significant risk loci for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

To access publisher's full text version of this article click on the hyperlink belowAttention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a highly heritable childhood behavioral disorder affecting 5% of children and 2.5% of adults. Common genetic variants contribute substantially to ADHD susceptibility, but no variants have been robustly associated with ADHD. We report a genome-wide association meta-analysis of 20,183 individuals diagnosed with ADHD and 35,191 controls that identifies variants surpassing genome-wide significance in 12 independent loci, finding important new information about the underlying biology of ADHD. Associations are enriched in evolutionarily constrained genomic regions and loss-of-function intolerant genes and around brain-expressed regulatory marks. Analyses of three replication studies: a cohort of individuals diagnosed with ADHD, a self-reported ADHD sample and a meta-analysis of quantitative measures of ADHD symptoms in the population, support these findings while highlighting study-specific differences on genetic overlap with educational attainment. Strong concordance with GWAS of quantitative population measures of ADHD symptoms supports that clinical diagnosis of ADHD is an extreme expression of continuous heritable traits.Lundbeck Foundation Stanley Medical Research Institute European Research Council European Community (EC) EC Novo Nordisk Foundation Aarhus University NIH K.G. Jebsen Centre for Research on Neuropsychiatric Disorders, University of Bergen, Norway NIMH Wellcome Trust personal Vici grant of the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP Network 'ADHD across the Lifespan') Stiftelsen K.G. Jebsen Copenhagen University Research Council of Norway Spanish 'Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad' Generalitat de Catalunya/AGAUR ECNP network 'ADHD across the lifespan' DFG KG Jebsen Stiftelsen Wellcome Trust Medical Research Council (MRC UK) Action Medical Research Australian National Health and Medical Research Council Australian Research Council NHMR