Considering the ‘Terra Incognita’ and the implications for the Cultural Resource Management of the Arabian Gulf Palaeolandscape

noOver recent years a multitude of extensive marine geophysical data sets have been gathered in the Arabian Gulf, chiefly for the purposes of oil and gas exploration. Although such geophysical surveys are primarily targeted towards the mapping of deep subsurface rock formations, the top section of the data can be processed specifically to detail the currently unknown shallow palaeogeomorphology of the Gulf, providing information that would be impossible to collect within archaeological budgets. Using such data to document palaeolandscapes is just one element of a marine mapping programme that can form the basis of a cohesive strategy for managing the archaeological resource in marine areas. Such strategies impact upon education, the accessibility of heritage information to the public, and ultimately the protection of this marine cultural landscape

Competition, facilitation, and niche differentiation in two foliar pathogens

We studied competition between the obligate biotroph Puccinia triticina (designated here as Puccinia) and the facultative saprophyte Pyrenophora tritici-repentis (designated here as Pyrenophora) in older and younger leaves in a set of three host genotypes selected to be resistant to Puccinia only, Pyrenophora only, or neither. Age-related resistance is important for both of these pathogens. The facultative saprophyte Pyrenophora was generally a stronger competitor than the biotrophic Puccinia, even experiencing facilitation from the presence of Puccinia when Pyrenophora had the advantage of earlier inoculation. Both pathogen species produced the most spores when they were introduced before the competing species and more spores when introduced simultaneously compared to after the competitor. The pre-interactive niche of Puccinia was larger than the post-interactive niche and sporulation by Puccinia was substantially reduced in environments in which Pyrenophora had high sporulation rates. The pre-interactive niche of Pyrenophora was similar to the post-interactive niche and Pyrenophora had proportionally lower reductions in sporulation due to interspecific competition in the pre-interactive niche

Predictors for anastomotic leak, postoperative complications, and mortality after right colectomy for cancer: Results from an international snapshot audit

Background: A right hemicolectomy is among the most commonly performed operations for colon cancer, but modern high-quality, multination data addressing the morbidity and mortality rates are lacking. Objective: This study reports the morbidity and mortality rates for right-sided colon cancer and identifies predictors for unfavorable short-term outcome after right hemicolectomy. Design: This was a snapshot observational prospective study. Setting: The study was conducted as a multicenter international study. Patients: The 2015 European Society of Coloproctology snapshot study was a prospective multicenter international series that included all patients undergoing elective or emergency right hemicolectomy or ileocecal resection over a 2-month period in early 2015. This is a subanalysis of the colon cancer cohort of patients. Main Outcome Measures: Predictors for anastomotic leak and 30-day postoperative morbidity and mortality were assessed using multivariable mixed-effect logistic regression models after variables selection with the Lasso method. Results: Of the 2515 included patients, an anastomosis was performed in 97.2% (n = 2444), handsewn in 38.5% (n = 940) and stapled in 61.5% (n = 1504) cases. The overall anastomotic leak rate was 7.4% (180/2444), 30-day morbidity was 38.0% (n = 956), and mortality was 2.6% (n = 66). Patients with anastomotic leak had a significantly increased mortality rate (10.6% vs 1.6% no-leak patients; p 65 0.001). At multivariable analysis the following variables were associated with anastomotic leak: longer duration of surgery (OR = 1.007 per min; p = 0.0037), open approach (OR = 1.9; p = 0.0037), and stapled anastomosis (OR = 1.5; p = 0.041). Limitations: This is an observational study, and therefore selection bias could be present. For this reason, a multivariable logistic regression model was performed, trying to correct possible confounding factors. Conclusions: Anastomotic leak after oncologic right hemicolectomy is a frequent complication, and it is associated with increased mortality. The key contributing surgical factors for anastomotic leak were anastomotic technique, surgical approach, and duration of surgery