Adaptive genetic potential of European silver fir in Romania in the context of climate change

Five provenance tests with twenty-six European silver fir autochthonous populations were used in order to assess the response of populations to climate change. Height growth and diameter at breast height of trees at age 31 years were considered as response variables and eight climate variables as predictors. Climatic variables for the trial sites and for origin location of provenances were calculated from 1961 to 2010. The experiments revealed a large genetic variability within species level and a plastic response to climate change, which certainly has a genetic basis. The transfer to warmer climate has resulted in an increase of the provenances growth, in the trial sites situated on the lower vegetation layer. But growth is significantly influenced by mean annual temperature and annual precipitation of planting site and also by the differences in mean annual temperature, annual precipitation, monthly mean temperature in July and July precipitation between provenance site and test site. These are the climatic factors which should be associated with risk in case of the transfer of forest reproductive materials. The provenance origin should be especially considered if the species will be planted outside of its current climate optimum. The best provenances in terms of total height and diameter at 1.30 m came from origin climate close to site climate, small transfer distances. Based on growth response functions and RCP4.5 scenario, we could project the shifts in species distribution for 2050s and 2100s and identify vulnerable populations.</p

Partial androgen insensitivity syndrome. Multidisciplinary approach -genetic, endocrinological, surgical, psychological, psychiatric, social, ethical and forensic

Abstract: The partial androgen insensitivity syndrome is a particular form of sexual ambiguity. In these cases, accurately assigning the legal gender at birth has major repercussions on all aspects of the ontogenic personality development. The surgical treatment is differentiated by phenotypic appearance, sexual identity and legal gender; furthermore, the surgical therapeutic decision depends on the outcome of clinical/ psychiatric and psychological assessments; thus, a multidisciplinary approach of these cases is required

Distribution of Heavy Metals in Soil of the Temporary Municipal Solid Waste Landfills in the City of Botosani, Romania

In this study, the potential of soil contamination with heavy metals was evaluated, respectively Cd, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn, in the area of the temporary municipal solid waste landfill located in the city of Botosani, Romania. The presence of heavy metals in the investigated area decreased in the sequence (mg/kg): Mn (860) > Zn (93.6) > Ni (48.9) > Cu (30.2) > Pb (20.1) > Cd (0.76), registering a slight increase in the southern part of the deposit as a result of the direction of rainwater flow. The concentrations of heavy metals in the soil in the vicinity of the temporary municipal waste landfill were similar to background levels for agricultural soils in Romania. The quantification of heavy metals in the soil did not show exceedances of the reference concentrations and no environmental pollution with heavy metals was identified

Effects of once-weekly exenatide on cardiovascular outcomes in type 2 diabetes

BACKGROUND: The cardiovascular effects of adding once-weekly treatment with exenatide to usual care in patients with type 2 diabetes are unknown. METHODS: We randomly assigned patients with type 2 diabetes, with or without previous cardiovascular disease, to receive subcutaneous injections of extended-release exenatide at a dose of 2 mg or matching placebo once weekly. The primary composite outcome was the first occurrence of death from cardiovascular causes, nonfatal myocardial infarction, or nonfatal stroke. The coprimary hypotheses were that exenatide, administered once weekly, would be noninferior to placebo with respect to safety and superior to placebo with respect to efficacy. RESULTS: In all, 14,752 patients (of whom 10,782 [73.1%] had previous cardiovascular disease) were followed for a median of 3.2 years (interquartile range, 2.2 to 4.4). A primary composite outcome event occurred in 839 of 7356 patients (11.4%; 3.7 events per 100 person-years) in the exenatide group and in 905 of 7396 patients (12.2%; 4.0 events per 100 person-years) in the placebo group (hazard ratio, 0.91; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.83 to 1.00), with the intention-to-treat analysis indicating that exenatide, administered once weekly, was noninferior to placebo with respect to safety (P<0.001 for noninferiority) but was not superior to placebo with respect to efficacy (P=0.06 for superiority). The rates of death from cardiovascular causes, fatal or nonfatal myocardial infarction, fatal or nonfatal stroke, hospitalization for heart failure, and hospitalization for acute coronary syndrome, and the incidence of acute pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer, medullary thyroid carcinoma, and serious adverse events did not differ significantly between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with type 2 diabetes with or without previous cardiovascular disease, the incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events did not differ significantly between patients who received exenatide and those who received placebo