Joint disorder; a contributory cause to reproductive failure in beef bulls?

The lame sire, unsound for breeding, can cause substantial economic loss due to reduced pregnancies in the beef-producing herd

Exposure to mobile telecommunication networks assessed using personal dosimetry and well-being in children and adolescents: the German MobilEe-study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Despite the increase of mobile phone use in the last decade and the growing concern whether mobile telecommunication networks adversely affect health and well-being, only few studies have been published that focussed on children and adolescents. Especially children and adolescents are important in the discussion of adverse health effects because of their possibly higher vulnerability to radio frequency electromagnetic fields.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We investigated a possible association between exposure to mobile telecommunication networks and well-being in children and adolescents using personal dosimetry. A population-based sample of 1.498 children and 1.524 adolescents was assembled for the study (response 52%). Participants were randomly selected from the population registries of four Bavarian (South of Germany) cities and towns with different population sizes. During a Computer Assisted Personal Interview data on participants' well-being, socio-demographic characteristics and potential confounder were collected. Acute symptoms were assessed three times during the study day (morning, noon, evening).</p> <p>Using a dosimeter (ESM-140 Maschek Electronics), we obtained an exposure profile over 24 hours for three mobile phone frequency ranges (measurement interval 1 second, limit of determination 0.05 V/m) for each of the participants. Exposure levels over waking hours were summed up and expressed as mean percentage of the ICNIRP (International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection) reference level.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In comparison to non-participants, parents and adolescents with a higher level of education who possessed a mobile phone and were interested in the topic of possible adverse health effects caused by mobile telecommunication network frequencies were more willing to participate in the study. The median exposure to radio frequency electromagnetic fields of children and adolescents was 0.18% and 0.19% of the ICNIRP reference level respectively.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>In comparison to previous studies this is one of the first to assess the individual level of exposure to mobile telecommunication networks using personal dosimetry, enabling objective assessment of exposure from all sources and longer measurement periods. In total, personal dosimetry was proofed to be a well accepted tool to study exposure to mobile phone frequencies in epidemiologic studies including health effects on children and adolescents.</p

Erratum to: 36th International Symposium on Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1186/s13054-016-1208-6.]

Predicting heterosis and inbreeding depression from population size and density to inform management efforts

Effective population size should be positively related to census size and density, and it is expected to influence the strength of genetic drift, inbreeding and response to selection, and thus the distribution of the genetic load across populations. We examined whether census population size and density predict the strength of inbreeding depression, heterosis and population mean fitness at the seed stage in the terrestrial orchid Gymnadenia conopsea by conducting controlled crosses (self, outcross within and between populations) in 20 populations of varying size (7-30,000 individuals) and density (1-12.8 individuals/m(2)). In the largest population, we also examined how local density affects the occurrence of self-pollination with a pollen staining experiment. The majority of populations expressed strong inbreeding depression at the seed stage (mean delta ID: min-max = 0.26: -0.53 to 0.51), consistent with a mainly outcrossing mating system and substantial genetic load. The effect of between-population crosses varied from strong outbreeding depression to heterosis (mean delta OD: min-max = 0.05: -0.22 to 0.92), indicating varying influence of drift and selection among populations. Census population size did not significantly predict the strength of inbreeding depression, heterosis or population mean fitness. However, inbreeding depression was positively and heterosis negatively correlated with population density. The proportion of self-massulae deposition was three times higher in sparse patches compared to dense ones (41% vs. 14%). Combined effects of density-dependent pollinator behaviour and limited seed dispersal may cause stronger genetic sub-structuring in sparse populations and reduce the strength of the correlation between census and effective population size. The results point to the importance of considering population density in addition to size when evaluating the distribution of recessive deleterious alleles across populations. Synthesis and applications. Management plans for threatened species often involve crosses between populations to restore genetic variation, a process termed genetic rescue. This study indicates that such conservation efforts should be more successful if designed on the basis of population density in addition to population size, because we found population density predicted both the strength of heterosis and inbreeding depression across populations of Gymnadenia conopsea

<i>Propionibacterium avidum</i> as an Etiological Agent of Prosthetic Hip Joint Infection

<div><p><i>Propionibacterium acnes</i> is well-established as a possible etiologic agent of prosthetic joint infections (PJIs). Other <i>Propionibacterium</i> spp. have occasionally been described as a cause of PJIs, but this has not previously been the case for <i>P</i>. <i>avidum</i> despite its capacity to form biofilm. We describe two patients with prosthetic hip joint infections caused by <i>P</i>. <i>avidum</i>. Both patients were primarily operated with an anteriorly curved skin incision close to the skin crease of the groin, and both were obese. Initial treatment was performed according to the DAIR procedure (debridement, antibiotics, and implant retention). In case 1, the outcome was successful, but in case 2, a loosening of the cup was present 18 months post debridement. The <i>P</i>. <i>avidum</i> isolate from case 1 and two isolates from case 2 (obtained 18 months apart) were selected for whole genome sequencing. The genome of <i>P</i>. <i>avidum</i> obtained from case 1 was approximately 60 kb larger than the genomes of the two isolates of case 2. These latter isolates were clonal with the exception of SNPs in the genome. All three strains possessed the gene cluster encoding exopolysaccharide synthesis.</p><p><i>P</i>. <i>avidum</i> has a pathogenic potential and the ability to cause clinically relevant infections, including abscess formation, in the presence of foreign bodies such as prosthetic joint components. Skin incision in close proximity to the groin or deep skin crease, such as the anteriorly curved skin incision approach, might pose a risk of PJIs by <i>P</i>. <i>avidum</i>, especially in obese patients.</p></div

Antibiotic susceptibility.

<p>Antibiotic susceptibility.</p

Anteriorly curved skin incision approach.

<p>Case 1 left hip and. Red line indicates the anterior skin incision.</p

Anteriorly curved skin incision approach.

<p>Case 2 right hip. Red line indicates the anterior skin incision.</p