Microhabitats are associated with diversity-productivity relationships in freshwater bacterial communities

Eukaryotic communities commonly display a positive relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem function (BEF) but the results have been mixed when assessed in bacterial communities. Habitat heterogeneity, a factor in eukaryotic BEFs, may explain these variable observations but it has not been thoroughly evaluated in bacterial communities. Here, we examined the impact of habitat on the relationship between diversity assessed based on the (phylogenetic) Hill diversity metrics and heterotrophic productivity. We sampled co-occurring free-living (more homogenous) and particle-associated (more heterogeneous) bacterial habitats in a freshwater, estuarine lake over three seasons: spring, summer and fall. There was a strong, positive, linear relationship between particle-associated bacterial richness and heterotrophic productivity that strengthened when considering dominant taxa. There were no observable BEF trends in free-living bacterial communities for any diversity metric. Biodiversity, richness and Inverse Simpson's index, were the best predictors of particle-associated production whereas pH was the best predictor of free-living production. Our findings show that heterotrophic productivity is positively correlated with the effective number of taxa and that BEF relationships are associated with microhabitats. These results add to the understanding of the highly distinct contributions to diversity and functioning contributed by bacteria in free-living and particle-associated habitats

Alcohol dose in septal ablation for hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate short- and long-term outcomes related to dose of alcohol administered during alcohol septal ablation (ASA) in patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM). Current guidelines recommend using 1–3 mL of alcohol administered in the target septal perforator artery, but this recommendation is based more on practical experience of interventionalists rather than on systematic evidence. Methods: We included 1448 patients and used propensity score to match patients who received a low-dose (1.0–1.9 mL) versus a high-dose (2.0–3.8 mL) of alcohol during ASA. Results: The matched cohort analysis comprised 770 patients (n = 385 in both groups). There was a similar occurrence of 30-day post-procedural adverse events (13% vs. 12%; p = 0.59), and similar all-cause mortality rates (0.8% vs. 0.5%; p = 1) in the low-dose group and the high-dose group, respectively. In the long-term follow-up (5.4 ± 4.5 years), a total of 110 (14%) patients died representing 2.58 deaths and 2.64 deaths per 100 patient-years in the low dose and the high dose group (logrank, p = 0.92), respectively. There were no significant differences in the long-term dyspnea and left ventricular outflow gradient between the two groups. Patients treated with a low-dose of alcohol underwent more subsequent septal reduction procedures (logrank, p = 0.04). Conclusions: Matched HOCM patients undergoing ASA with a low-dose (1.0–1.9 mL) or a high-dose (2.0–3.8 mL) of alcohol had similar short- and long-term outcomes. A higher rate of repeated septal reduction procedures was observed in the group treated with a low-dose of alcohol. © 2021 The Author

Alcohol dose in septal ablation for hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate short- and long-term outcomes related to dose of alcohol administered during alcohol septal ablation (ASA) in patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM). Current guidelines recommend using 1–3 mL of alcohol administered in the target septal perforator artery, but this recommendation is based more on practical experience of interventionalists rather than on systematic evidence. Methods: We included 1448 patients and used propensity score to match patients who received a low-dose (1.0–1.9 mL) versus a high-dose (2.0–3.8 mL) of alcohol during ASA. Results: The matched cohort analysis comprised 770 patients (n = 385 in both groups). There was a similar occurrence of 30-day post-procedural adverse events (13% vs. 12%; p = 0.59), and similar all-cause mortality rates (0.8% vs. 0.5%; p = 1) in the low-dose group and the high-dose group, respectively. In the long-term follow-up (5.4 ± 4.5 years), a total of 110 (14%) patients died representing 2.58 deaths and 2.64 deaths per 100 patient-years in the low dose and the high dose group (logrank, p = 0.92), respectively. There were no significant differences in the long-term dyspnea and left ventricular outflow gradient between the two groups. Patients treated with a low-dose of alcohol underwent more subsequent septal reduction procedures (logrank, p = 0.04). Conclusions: Matched HOCM patients undergoing ASA with a low-dose (1.0–1.9 mL) or a high-dose (2.0–3.8 mL) of alcohol had similar short- and long-term outcomes. A higher rate of repeated septal reduction procedures was observed in the group treated with a low-dose of alcohol

Use of the Thulium laser in the oral cavity does not interfere with a good pathological assessment

Introduction: In the Netherlands more than 1000 patients are yearly diagnosed with oral cavity cancer. Predictions are that this number will increase in the upcoming years. For patients who are suffering from a tumour in the oral cavity, the need for a suitable instrument for the resection of these tumours is of great importance. In the University Medical Centre of Utrecht (UMCU) in the Netherlands, two different modalities for the resection of squamous cell carcinomas in the oral cavity (OSCC) are currently used, the Thulium laser (TL) and monopolar electrosurgery (MES). So far no other study described the use of the TL in the oral cavity. A good pathological assessment is essential for planning an optimal oncological treatment. The primary aim of this study was to investigate if a head and neck pathologist was able to assess the resections made by the TL as good as the ones made by using MES. Methods: Forty-two patients with an OSCC, stage I-IV, were included in this pilot study. The medical charts and pathological reports were analysed from patients treated for an OSCC from January 2011 till December 2011. Nineteen patients were treated by an Otolaryngologist using the TL and 23 patients were treated by an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon using MES. The TL was used in a continuous way with energy settings of 7-19 Watts (W). For MES the tongue resections were done using 20-30 W and for other areas 10-20 W both in cut-blend mode. The resections were followed by the assessment of the retrieved specimens by three independent pathologists, with special attention for thermal damage and the possibility of margin interpretation. Results: Pathological assessment was possible for all the specimens. The median depth of thermal damage was 2.0 mm, being the same in both groups, ranging from 1.0-3.5 mm in the TL group and from 1.0-4.0 mm in the MES group. There were no other resection modality specific artefacts visible which made it impossible for the pathologists to speculate which modality had been used. Also irradical excisions were three times higher in the MES group. Conclusion: This pilot study shows equally good pathological assessments retrieved by one of the two modalities. Secondarily the TL shows more radical excised tumours. This could be due to good cutting and ablating properties as well as better haemostasis during ablation leading to a better overview. A prospective randomized-controlled trial is warranted in which more patients are included, to reduce limitations directly related to small sample sizes and to non-randomized studies. The overall survival will probably not improve by using another resection modality, this is why in a following study more focus should be led on the Health-related Quality of Life after tumour resection and cost-effectiveness when using the TL.

Decontamination of plutonium-contaminated gloveboxes /

"ANL-8124; Health and Safety; (UC-41)""September 1974."Includes bibliographical references.Operated by the University of ChicagoMode of access: Internet