The PREDICTS database: a global database of how local terrestrial biodiversity responds to human impacts

Biodiversity continues to decline in the face of increasing anthropogenic pressures such as habitat destruction, exploitation, pollution and introduction of alien species. Existing global databases of species’ threat status or population time series are dominated by charismatic species. The collation of datasets with broad taxonomic and biogeographic extents, and that support computation of a range of biodiversity indicators, is necessary to enable better understanding of historical declines and to project – and avert – future declines. We describe and assess a new database of more than 1.6 million samples from 78 countries representing over 28,000 species, collated from existing spatial comparisons of local-scale biodiversity exposed to different intensities and types of anthropogenic pressures, from terrestrial sites around the world. The database contains measurements taken in 208 (of 814) ecoregions, 13 (of 14) biomes, 25 (of 35) biodiversity hotspots and 16 (of 17) megadiverse countries. The database contains more than 1% of the total number of all species described, and more than 1% of the described species within many taxonomic groups – including flowering plants, gymnosperms, birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, beetles, lepidopterans and hymenopterans. The dataset, which is still being added to, is therefore already considerably larger and more representative than those used by previous quantitative models of biodiversity trends and responses. The database is being assembled as part of the PREDICTS project (Projecting Responses of Ecological Diversity In Changing Terrestrial Systems – www.predicts.org.uk). We make site-level summary data available alongside this article. The full database will be publicly available in 2015

Virtual Hepatic Resection Using Three-Dimensional Reconstruction of Helical Computed Tomography Angioportograms

OBJECTIVE: To establish the accuracy of virtual hepatic resection using three-dimensional (3D) models constructed from computed tomography angioportography (CTAP) images in determining the liver volume (LV) resected during resectional liver surgery. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: The ability to measure LV before surgery could be useful in determining the extent and nature of hepatic resection. Accurate assessment of LV and an estimate of liver function may also allow prediction of postoperative liver failure in patients undergoing resection, assist in volume-enhancing embolization procedures, help with the planning of staged hepatic resection for bilobar disease, and aid in selection of living-related liver donors. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted involving 27 patients scheduled for liver resection. Using mapping technology, 3D models were constructed from helical CTAP images. From these 3D models, tumor volume, total LV, and functional LV were calculated and were compared with body weight. The 3D liver models were subjected to a virtual hepatectomy along established anatomical planes, and the resected LV was calculated. The resected volume predicted by radiologists (unaware of the actual weight) was compared with the specimen weight measured after actual surgical resection. RESULTS: A significant correlation was found between body weight and functional LV but not total LV. The computer prediction of resected LV after virtual hepatectomy of 3D models compared well with resected liver weight. CONCLUSION: Virtual hepatectomy of 3D CTAP reconstructed images provides an accurate prediction of liver mass removed during subsequent hepatic resection. The authors intend to combine this technology with an assessment of liver function to attempt to predict patients at risk for liver failure after hepatic resection

Effect of high-fat enteral nutrition on hepatocyte injury in response to hemorrhagic shock in the rat

BACKGROUND: High-fat enteral nutrition reduces the inflammatory response following hemorrhagic shock in the rat. AIMS: We hypothesized that this intervention might also ameliorate the remote organ injury to the liver associated with this model. METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were either starved or fed low-fat or high-fat isocaloric isonitrogenous feed prior to nonlethal hemorrhagic shock induced by a 40% reduction in the blood volume. Animals were sacrificed at 90 minutes or 24 hours after injury. Liver cell damage was assessed by histology and long polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect mitochondrial DNA damage. Stress protein expression was measured by Western blot and mRNA expression by real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Animals fed a low-fat diet had the same severity of liver injury as starved animals and increased expression of stress proteins. Animals fed a high-fat diet had minimal liver injury, no evidence of mitochondrial DNA damage, and significantly lower expression of stress proteins. This effect is associated with preservation of hepatocellular morphology, attenuation of mitochondrial DNA damage, and a reduced stress protein response to injury. CONCLUSIONS: High-fat enteral nutrition protects the liver from the remote effects of hemorrhagic shock, but the mechanism of this effect is not yet known

A method for predicting the flexural strength of RC beams strengthened with carbon fibre reinforced polymer

An extensive experimental study has shown that the external bonding of carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) laminates or carbon fiber sheets (CFS) to the tension face of concrete beams is an effective strengthening method to increase the flexural load capacity and the stiffness. The strengthening mechanism relies on composite action between the concrete and the laminate. If composite action is not fully achieved, the strengthening effect will not be realized. Test results have indicated that the local failure of the concrete layer between the bonded laminate and longitudinal reinforcement in retrofitted beams is predominant. Premature failure due to debonding always occurs before the full composite action of the bonded laminate to the strengthened beam is reached.The ultimate tensile strength or strain of the laminate may not be fully utilized due to the debonding failure; however, through proper design of the strengthening system, an effective (maximum) laminate strain of the bonded CFS can be achieved. This effective laminate strain can be used for the prediction of the flexural behavior of the strengthened beam. A design-oriented expression for determining an effective laminate strain has been developed. This expression accounts not only for the laminate length and the laminate width but also for the stiffness of the laminate, as well as the stiffness of the member to which the laminate is bonded. Close agreement with the experimental results indicates the accuracy of the proposed method. It can predict correctly the debonding failures for all the tests in this stud

Patterns of locoregional failure following post-operative intensity-modulated radiotherapy to oral cavity cancer: quantitative spatial and dosimetric analysis using a deformable image registration workflow.

BACKGROUND: We sought to identify spatial/dosimetric patterns of failure for oral cavity cancer patients receiving post-operative IMRT (PO-IMRT). METHODS: Two hundred eighty-nine OCC patients receiving PO-IMRT were retrospectively reviewed from 2000 to 2012. Diagnostic CT documenting recurrence (rCT) was co-registered with planning CT (pCT) using a validated deformable image registration software. Manually segmented recurrent gross disease (rGTV) was deformed to co-registered pCTs. Mapped rGTVs were compared dosimetrically to planned dose and spatially to planning target volumes using centroid-based approaches. Failures types were classified using combined spatial/dosimetric criteria: A (central high-dose), B (peripheral high-dose), C (central intermediate/low-dose), D (peripheral intermediate/low-dose), and E (extraneous-dose). RESULTS: Fifty-four patients with recurrence were analyzed; 26 local recurrence, 19 regional recurrence, and 9 both local and regional recurrence. Median time to recurrence was 4 months (range 0-71). Median rGTVs volume was 3.7 cm CONCLUSIONS: Approximately half of patients with local/regional failure had non-central high dose recurrence. Peripheral high dose misses were uncommon reflecting adequate delineation and dose delivery. Future strategies are needed to reduce types C and E failures