Clinicopathological factors of pelvic lymph nodes involvement in advanced serous ovarian cancer

Objectives: Retroperitoneal lymph nodes metastases occur frequently in patients with ovarian cancer. Lymphadenectomyincreases risk of perioperative complications. In clinical practice to reduce rate of complications aortocaval lymphadenectomyis omitted and solely resection of pelvic lymph nodes is performed. To establish factors affecting metastases to pelviclymph nodes in advanced ovarian cancer.Material and methods: A retrospective study among patients with serous advanced ovarian cancer (FIGO IIIB–IVB) wasconducted at the 1st Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of Warsaw and Department of GynecologicOncology, Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, Warsaw. All patients underwentsurgical treatment including pelvic lymphadenectomy between 2014 and 2017. Data including age, body mass index(BMI), pretreatment CA125 serum level, tumor volume, grading, one-/both-sided tumor, menopausal status, ascites wereanalysed as possible factors influencing the pelvic lymph nodes involvement. The statistical analysis was performed withPython software.Results: 87 consecutive patients were eligible for the study. Metastases to pelvic lymph nodes were found in 29 (33.33%)patients. Pretreatment serum CA-125 concentration (652 U/mL vs 360.9 U/mL, p < 0.05) and high grade histology correspondedwith pelvic nodal involvement.Conclusions: The knowledge of factors influencing metastases to pelvic lymph nodes may help clinicians in proper counsellingand tailoring of therapy

Does experimentally simulated presence of a common cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) affect egg rejection and breeding success in the red-backed shrike (Lanius collurio)?

AbstractProviding artificial eggs is a commonly used technique to understand brood parasitism, mainly by the common cuckoo (Cuculus canorus). However, the presence of a cuckoo egg in the host nest would also require an earlier physical presence of the common cuckoo within the host territory. During our study of the red-backed shrike (Lanius collurio), we tested two experimental approaches: (1) providing an artificial “cuckoo” egg in shrike nests and (2) additionally placing a stuffed common cuckoo with a male call close to the shrike nest. We expected that the shrikes subject to the additional common cuckoo call stimuli would be more sensitive to brood parasitism and demonstrate a higher egg rejection rate. In the years 2017–2018,  in two locations in Poland, a total of 130 red-backed shrike nests were divided into two categories: in 66 we added only an artificial egg, and in the remaining 64 we added not only the egg, but also presented a stuffed, calling common cuckoo. Shrikes reacted more strongly if the stuffed common cuckoo was present. However, only 13 incidences of egg acceptance were noted, with no significant differences between the locations, experimental treatments or their interaction. Analysis of breeding success revealed significant differences between the locations, between experimental treatments and their interaction, which suggests a strong location effect. The red-backed shrike is an efficient rejector of foreign eggs. It would be interesting to see how similar tests affect hosts that have much higher rates of brood parasitism and egg acceptance.</jats:p

Risk factors associated with neonatal infectious and respiratory morbidity following preterm premature rupture of membranes

Objectives: Preterm premature rupture of membranes (pPROM) is associated with the increased risk of chorioamnionitis, foetal exposure to inflammation, and respiratory complications in preterm neonates. The aim of the study was to identify patients at highest risk of developing neonatal infectious and respiratory morbidity following pPROM and preterm birth. Material and methods: It was a retrospective cohort study including 299 consecutive patients in singleton pregnancies complicated by preterm premature rupture of membranes and giving birth between 22nd and 36th gestational week. Analysed factors included maternal characteristics, obstetric history, gestational age at pPROM and at delivery, latency and management. Multivariate logistic regression models were applied in order to identify risk factors for severe infectious and respiratory neonatal complications. Results: Earlier gestational age at pPROM is associated with increased probability of developing early-onset neonatal sepsis and pulmonary hypertension. Earlier gestational age at birth and lower birth weight were independent factors associated with neonatal respiratory distress syndrome. Positive cervical culture was identified as a risk factor for acute neonatal respiratory failure. Conclusions: Gestational age at pPROM, gestational age at birth and birth weight were the leading factors influencing the risk of developing neonatal infectious and respiratory morbidity following preterm premature rupture of membranes

Comparison of methods for diet analysis and prey preference: a case study on the Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio

I studied diet composition and prey preferences of the Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio) in an extensive agricultural landscape in the eastern part of Poland. The diet composition of the Red-backed Shrike was described based on the analysis of animal remains in pellets (n = 968 prey items), larders (n = 115), butchering points (n = 1180) and nests (n = 79). Remains from all methods combined showed that Insecta predominated in the diet, comprising 98.9% of all prey items. Coleoptera prevailed decidedly (83.6%), followed by Hymenoptera (8.0%), Orthoptera (3.8%), Heteroptera (1.5%) and Diptera (1.1%). The proportions of the taxa in the diet of the Red-backed Shrike differed between the methods of food analysis, mainly with respect to Hymenopterans and Orthopterans. I found differences in the proportion of taxa between nests and butchering points, nests and larders and between animal remains in pellets and larders. I studied preference by comparing the proportions of potential prey of the Red-backed Shrike with the proportion of these prey items in their food. Red-backed Shrikes prefer beetles and Hymenopterans, and avoid Dipterans and Arachnids. The level of this preference differed depending on the methods of food analysis used