Visual ecology of aphids – a critical review on the role of colours in host finding

We review the rich literature on behavioural responses of aphids (Hemiptera: Aphididae) to stimuli of different colours. Only in one species there are adequate physiological data on spectral sensitivity to explain behaviour crisply in mechanistic terms. Because of the great interest in aphid responses to coloured targets from an evolutionary, ecological and applied perspective, there is a substantial need to expand these studies to more species of aphids, and to quantify spectral properties of stimuli rigorously. We show that aphid responses to colours, at least for some species, are likely based on a specific colour opponency mechanism, with positive input from the green domain of the spectrum and negative input from the blue and/or UV region. We further demonstrate that the usual yellow preference of aphids encountered in field experiments is not a true colour preference but involves additional brightness effects. We discuss the implications for agriculture and sensory ecology, with special respect to the recent debate on autumn leaf colouration. We illustrate that recent evolutionary theories concerning aphid–tree interactions imply far-reaching assumptions on aphid responses to colours that are not likely to hold. Finally we also discuss the implications for developing and optimising strategies of aphid control and monitoring

Common genetic variants on chromosome 9p21 are associated with myocardial infarction and type 2 diabetes in an Italian population

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>A genomic region on chromosome 9p21 has been identified as closely associated with increased susceptibility to coronary artery disease (CAD) and to type 2 diabetes (T2D) although the evidence suggests that the genetic variants within chromosome 9p21 that contribute to CAD are different from those that contribute to T2D.</p> <p>We carried out an association case-control study in an Italian population to test the association between two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on the 9p21 locus, rs2891168 and rs10811661, previously reported by the PROCARDIS study, and respectively myocardial infarction (MI) and T2D. Our aim was to confirm the previous findings on a larger sample and to verify the independence of their susceptibility effects: rs2891168 associated with MI but not with T2D and rs10811661 associated with T2D but not with MI.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Genomic DNA samples of 2407 Italians with T2D (602 patients), who had had a recent MI (600), or had both diseases (600) and healthy controls (605) were genotyped for the two SNPs. The genotypes were determined by allelic discrimination using a fluorescent-based TaqMan assay.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>SNP rs2891168 was associated with MI, but not with T2D and the G-allele odds ratio (OR) was 1.20 (95% CI 1.02-1.41); SNP rs10811661 was associated with T2D, but not with MI, and the T-allele OR was 1.27 (95% CI 1.04-1.55). ORs estimates from the present study and the PROCARDIS study were pooled and confirmed the previous findings, with greater precision.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our replication study showed that rs2891168 and rs10811661 are independently associated respectively with MI and T2D in an Italian population. Pooling our results with those reported by the PROCARDIS group, we also obtained a significant result of association with diabetes for rs10811661 in the European population.</p

Exploring factors affecting undergraduate medical students’ study strategies in the clinical years: a qualitative study

The aim of this study is to explore the effects of clinical supervision, and assessment characteristics on the study strategies used by undergraduate medical students during their clinical rotations. We conducted a qualitative phenomenological study at King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, College of Medicine, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia during the period from November 2007 to December 2008. We conducted semi-structured focus groups interviews with students and conducted individual interviews with teachers and students to explore students’ and clinical teachers’ perceptions and interpretations of factors influencing students’ study strategies. Data collection was continued until saturation was reached. We used Atlas-ti Computer Software (Version 5.2) to analyse the data, apply the obtained themes to the whole dataset and rearrange the data according to the themes and sub-themes. Analysis of data from interviews with twenty-eight students and thirteen clinical supervisors yielded three major themes relating to factors affecting students’ study strategies: “clinical supervisors and supervision”, “stress and anxiety” and “assessment”. The three themes we identified played a role in students’ adoption of different study strategies in the “community of clinical practice”. It appeared that teachers played a key role, particularly as assessors, clinical supervisors and as a source of stress to students

Replication of Putative Susceptibility Loci from Genome-Wide Association Studies Associated with Coronary Atherosclerosis in Chinese Han Population

BACKGROUND: Coronary atherosclerosis, the main cause of cardiovascular disease, is a progressive disease. Recent Genome Wide Association Studies (GWASs) discovered several novel loci associated with coronary artery disease (CAD) or its main complication myocardial infarction (MI). In this study, we investigated the associations between previously reported CAD- and MI-associated variants and coronary atherosclerosis in Chinese Han population. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We performed a case-control association study with 2,335 coronary atherosclerosis patients and 1,078 controls undergoing coronary angiography of Chinese Han from China. Fourteen single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), located at 1p13.3, 1q41, 2q36.3, 6q25.1, 9p21.3, 10q11.21 and 15q22.33, were genotyped in our sample collection. Six SNPs at 9p21 were associated with coronary atherosclerosis susceptibility (P(trend)<0.05) and rs10757274 showed the most significant association (P = 2.38×10(-08), OR = 1.34). These associations remained significant after adjustment for multiple comparisons. Rs17465637 at 1q41 (P(trend) = 6.83×10(-03), OR = 0.86) also showed significant association with coronary atherosclerosis, but the association was not significant after multiple comparisons. Additionally, rs501120 (P = 8.36×10(-03), OR = 0.80) at 10q11.21 was associated with coronary atherosclerosis in females, but did not show association in males and all participants. Variants at 1p13.3, 2q36.3, 6q25.1 and 15q22.33 showed no associations with coronary atherosclerosis and main cardiovascular risk factors in our data. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our findings indicated variants at 9p21 were significantly associated with coronary atherosclerosis in Han Chinese. Variants at 1q41 showed suggestive evidence of association and variants at 10q11.21 showed suggestive evidence of association in females, which warrant further study in a larger sample

The impact of a cancer Survivorship Care Plan on gynecological cancer patient and health care provider reported outcomes (ROGY Care): study protocol for a pragmatic cluster randomized controlled trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>There is a need for improvement of information provision and post-treatment care for cancer survivors. A Survivorship Care Plan (SCP) is recommended by the American Institute of Medicine and the Dutch Health Council, which is a summary of patients' course of treatment as a formal document, and includes recommendations for subsequent cancer surveillance, management of late effects, and strategies for health promotion. Until now, evidence on the effects of implementing the SCP in clinical practice is lacking. The rationale and study design of a pragmatic cluster randomized trial, aiming to assess the impact of SCP care in routine clinical practice, is presented.</p> <p>Methods/Design</p> <p>A web-based patient registration system 'Registrationsystem Oncological GYnecology' (ROGY) is used by gynecologists in the South of the Netherlands since 2006. A personalized SCP can automatically be generated out of ROGY. In this pragmatic cluster randomized controlled trial, 12 hospitals are randomized to either 'usual care' or 'SCP care'. In patients with 'usual care', the gynecologist provides care as usual. In patients with 'SCP care', information about the tumor stage and treatment is personally discussed with the patient and a document is handed to the patient. Prospectively, all patients diagnosed with endometrial or ovarian cancer in the participating hospitals will be approached for study participation. Patients will complete questionnaires after surgery, and before additional treatment, and after 6, 12, 18 and 24 months. In addition, health care providers will be asked their opinion about implementation of SCP care. Primary outcome is defined as patient satisfaction with information provision and care. Secondary outcomes are illness perception, health-related quality of life, health care use, prevalence, course and referral rate of survivors with psychosocial distress, and health care providers' evaluation of SCP care.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>The ROGY Care trial will help to gain insight into the impact of SCP care on patient reported outcomes, and on the evaluation of cancer survivors and health care providers of the different elements of the SCP. Therefore, results will contribute to efforts to improve quality of care for cancer survivors.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>Trial Registration: <url>http://www.ClinicalTrials.gov</url>. Identifier: <a href="http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01185626">NCT01185626</a></p> <p>Medical Research Ethics Committee Reference Number: NL33429.008.10 Grant Reference Number: UVT2010-4743</p

Identification of a Shared Genetic Susceptibility Locus for Coronary Heart Disease and Periodontitis

Recent studies indicate a mutual epidemiological relationship between coronary heart disease (CHD) and periodontitis. Both diseases are associated with similar risk factors and are characterized by a chronic inflammatory process. In a candidate-gene association study, we identify an association of a genetic susceptibility locus shared by both diseases. We confirm the known association of two neighboring linkage disequilibrium regions on human chromosome 9p21.3 with CHD and show the additional strong association of these loci with the risk of aggressive periodontitis. For the lead SNP of the main associated linkage disequilibrium region, rs1333048, the odds ratio of the autosomal-recessive mode of inheritance is 1.99 (95% confidence interval 1.33–2.94; P = 6.9×10−4) for generalized aggressive periodontitis, and 1.72 (1.06–2.76; P = 2.6×10−2) for localized aggressive periodontitis. The two associated linkage disequilibrium regions map to the sequence of the large antisense noncoding RNA ANRIL, which partly overlaps regulatory and coding sequences of CDKN2A/CDKN2B. A closely located diabetes-associated variant was independent of the CHD and periodontitis risk haplotypes. Our study demonstrates that CHD and periodontitis are genetically related by at least one susceptibility locus, which is possibly involved in ANRIL activity and independent of diabetes associated risk variants within this region. Elucidation of the interplay of ANRIL transcript variants and their involvement in increased susceptibility to the interactive diseases CHD and periodontitis promises new insight into the underlying shared pathogenic mechanisms of these complex common diseases

A candidate gene study of the type I interferon pathway implicates IKBKE and IL8 as risk loci for SLE

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is a systemic autoimmune disease in which the type I interferon pathway has a crucial role. We have previously shown that three genes in this pathway, IRF5, TYK2 and STAT4, are strongly associated with risk for SLE. Here, we investigated 78 genes involved in the type I interferon pathway to identify additional SLE susceptibility loci. First, we genotyped 896 single-nucleotide polymorphisms in these 78 genes and 14 other candidate genes in 482 Swedish SLE patients and 536 controls. Genes with P<0.01 in the initial screen were then followed up in 344 additional Swedish patients and 1299 controls. SNPs in the IKBKE, TANK, STAT1, IL8 and TRAF6 genes gave nominal signals of association with SLE in this extended Swedish cohort. To replicate these findings we extracted data from a genomewide association study on SLE performed in a US cohort. Combined analysis of the Swedish and US data, comprising a total of 2136 cases and 9694 controls, implicates IKBKE and IL8 as SLE susceptibility loci (Pmeta=0.00010 and Pmeta=0.00040, respectively). STAT1 was also associated with SLE in this cohort (Pmeta=3.3 × 10−5), but this association signal appears to be dependent of that previously reported for the neighbouring STAT4 gene. Our study suggests additional genes from the type I interferon system in SLE, and highlights genes in this pathway for further functional analysis

Genetic Testing for Early Detection of Individuals at Risk of Coronary Heart Disease and Monitoring Response to Therapy: Challenges and Promises

Coronary heart disease (CHD) often presents suddenly with little warning. Traditional risk factors are inadequate to identify the asymptomatic high-risk individuals. Early identification of patients with subclinical coronary artery disease using noninvasive imaging modalities would allow the early adoption of aggressive preventative interventions. Currently, it is impractical to screen the entire population with noninvasive coronary imaging tools. The use of relatively simple and inexpensive genetic markers of increased CHD risk can identify a population subgroup in which benefit of atherosclerotic imaging modalities would be increased despite nominal cost and radiation exposure. Additionally, genetic markers are fixed and need only be measured once in a patient’s lifetime, can help guide therapy selection, and may be of utility in family counseling