Effect of Room Arrangement and Blood Sample Collection Sequence on Serum Thyroid Hormone and Cortisol Concentrations in Cynomolgus Macaques (Macacafascicularis)

We evaluated the relationship, in cynomolgus macaques (Macacafascicularis), between rank for order of blood collection with serum concentrations of 3,5,3\u27-triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4), free thyroxine (FT4), and serum cortisol. These relationships were determined for males and females that were housed in two room arrangements. For both room arrangements, males and females were housed separately. For room arrangement 1, macaques were housed on both sides of the animal holding room. The sides of the animal holding room were designated as side A or side B. Blood was initially collected from animals on side A, then from animals on side B. Animals on side B were able to visually observe macaques on side A being physically restrained and sedated for blood collection. In room arrangement 2, the macaques were housed on only one side of the animal holding room and could not directly observe other animals being physically restrained and sedated for blood collection. The relationship for serum FT4 concentration with blood sample collection sequence was different for each room arrangement. For room arrangement 1, we observed an inverse relationship between serum FT4 concentration and the rank for order of blood collection. This finding was observed for males and females and was consistent with the lower serum Ff4 value observed for animals housed on room side B. We also observed a trend for higher serum T4 concentration on room side A, but the reverse was true for serum cortisol concentration. In contrast, a macaque\u27s rank for blood collection sequence in room arrangement 2 was not predictive of the rank for serum thyroid hormone (T3, T4, FT4) or serum cortisol concentration. These results suggest that the arrangement of cages in a nonhuman primate holding room contributes to the variability for serum FT4 concentrations

Effect of Room Arrangement and Blood Sample Collection Sequence on Serum Thyroid Hormone and Cortisol Concentrations in Cynomolgus Macaques (Macacafascicularis)

We evaluated the relationship, in cynomolgus macaques (Macacafascicularis), between rank for order of blood collection with serum concentrations of 3,5,3\u27-triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4), free thyroxine (FT4), and serum cortisol. These relationships were determined for males and females that were housed in two room arrangements. For both room arrangements, males and females were housed separately. For room arrangement 1, macaques were housed on both sides of the animal holding room. The sides of the animal holding room were designated as side A or side B. Blood was initially collected from animals on side A, then from animals on side B. Animals on side B were able to visually observe macaques on side A being physically restrained and sedated for blood collection. In room arrangement 2, the macaques were housed on only one side of the animal holding room and could not directly observe other animals being physically restrained and sedated for blood collection. The relationship for serum FT4 concentration with blood sample collection sequence was different for each room arrangement. For room arrangement 1, we observed an inverse relationship between serum FT4 concentration and the rank for order of blood collection. This finding was observed for males and females and was consistent with the lower serum Ff4 value observed for animals housed on room side B. We also observed a trend for higher serum T4 concentration on room side A, but the reverse was true for serum cortisol concentration. In contrast, a macaque\u27s rank for blood collection sequence in room arrangement 2 was not predictive of the rank for serum thyroid hormone (T3, T4, FT4) or serum cortisol concentration. These results suggest that the arrangement of cages in a nonhuman primate holding room contributes to the variability for serum FT4 concentrations

Possible Detection of Low Energy Solar Neutrons Using Boron Based Materials

Solar neutrons have been detected aboard the International Space Station (ISS), using lithium tetraborate and boron carbide detector elements. We find that evidence of a solar neutron flux, as detected in a neutron calorimeter following subtraction of the proton background, with an energy of about 2 to 4 MeV. This solar neutron flux is likely no more than 250 to 375 neutrons cm−2sec−1, with a lower bound of 50–75 neutrons cm−2sec−1 at one au

The assessment of vascular risk in men with erectile dysfunction: the role of the cardiologist and general physician.

Erectile dysfunction (ED) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) share risk factors and frequently coexist, with endothelial dysfunction believed to be the pathophysiologic link. ED is common, affecting more than 70% of men with known CVD. In addition, clinical studies have demonstrated that ED in men with no known CVD often precedes a CVD event by 2-5 years. ED severity has been correlated with increasing plaque burden in patients with coronary artery disease. ED is an independent marker of increased CVD risk including all-cause and especially CVD mortality, particularly in men aged 30-60 years. Thus, ED identifies a window of opportunity for CVD risk mitigation. We recommend that a thorough history, physical exam (including visceral adiposity), assessment of ED severity and duration and evaluation including fasting plasma glucose, lipids, resting electrocardiogram, family history, lifestyle factors, serum creatinine (estimated glomerular filtration rate) and albumin:creatinine ratio, and determination of the presence or absence of the metabolic syndrome be performed to characterise cardiovascular risk in all men with ED. Assessment of testosterone levels should also be considered and biomarkers may help to further quantify risk, even though their roles in development of CVD have not been firmly established. Finally, we recommend that a question about ED be included in assessment of CVD risk in all men and be added to CVD risk assessment guidelines

Diversity and carbon storage across the tropical forest biome

Tropical forests are global centres of biodiversity and carbon storage. Many tropical countries aspire to protect forest to fulfil biodiversity and climate mitigation policy targets, but the conservation strategies needed to achieve these two functions depend critically on the tropical forest tree diversity-carbon storage relationship. Assessing this relationship is challenging due to the scarcity of inventories where carbon stocks in aboveground biomass and species identifications have been simultaneously and robustly quantified. Here, we compile a unique pan-tropical dataset of 360 plots located in structurally intact old-growth closed-canopy forest, surveyed using standardised methods, allowing a multi-scale evaluation of diversity-carbon relationships in tropical forests. Diversity-carbon relationships among all plots at 1 ha scale across the tropics are absent, and within continents are either weak (Asia) or absent (Amazonia, Africa). A weak positive relationship is detectable within 1 ha plots, indicating that diversity effects in tropical forests may be scale dependent. The absence of clear diversity-carbon relationships at scales relevant to conservation planning means that carbon-centred conservation strategies will inevitably miss many high diversity ecosystems. As tropical forests can have any combination of tree diversity and carbon stocks both require explicit consideration when optimising policies to manage tropical carbon and biodiversity.Additional co-authors: Kofi Affum-Baffoe, Shin-ichiro Aiba, Everton Cristo de Almeida, Edmar Almeida de Oliveira, Patricia Alvarez-Loayza, Esteban Álvarez Dávila, Ana Andrade, Luiz E. O. C. Aragão, Peter Ashton, Gerardo A. Aymard C., Timothy R. Baker, Michael Balinga, Lindsay F. Banin, Christopher Baraloto, Jean-Francois Bastin, Nicholas Berry, Jan Bogaert, Damien Bonal, Frans Bongers, Roel Brienen, José Luís C. Camargo, Carlos Cerón, Victor Chama Moscoso, Eric Chezeaux, Connie J. Clark, Álvaro Cogollo Pacheco, James A. Comiskey, Fernando Cornejo Valverde, Eurídice N. Honorio Coronado, Greta Dargie, Stuart J. Davies, Charles De Canniere, Marie Noel Djuikouo K., Jean-Louis Doucet, Terry L. Erwin, Javier Silva Espejo, Corneille E. N. Ewango, Sophie Fauset, Ted R. Feldpausch, Rafael Herrera, Martin Gilpin, Emanuel Gloor, Jefferson S. Hall, David J. Harris, Terese B. Hart, Kuswata Kartawinata, Lip Khoon Kho, Kanehiro Kitayama, Susan G. W. Laurance, William F. Laurance, Miguel E. Leal, Thomas Lovejoy, Jon C. Lovett, Faustin Mpanya Lukasu, Jean-Remy Makana, Yadvinder Malhi, Leandro Maracahipes, Beatriz S. Marimon, Ben Hur Marimon Junior, Andrew R. Marshall, Paulo S. Morandi, John Tshibamba Mukendi, Jaques Mukinzi, Reuben Nilus, Percy Núñez Vargas, Nadir C. Pallqui Camacho, Guido Pardo, Marielos Peña-Claros, Pascal Pétronelli, Georgia C. Pickavance, Axel Dalberg Poulsen, John R. Poulsen, Richard B. Primack, Hari Priyadi, Carlos A. Quesada, Jan Reitsma, Maxime Réjou-Méchain, Zorayda Restrepo, Ervan Rutishauser, Kamariah Abu Salim, Rafael P. Salomão, Ismayadi Samsoedin, Douglas Sheil, Rodrigo Sierra, Marcos Silveira, J. W. Ferry Slik, Lisa Steel, Hermann Taedoumg, Sylvester Tan, John W. Terborgh, Sean C. Thomas, Marisol Toledo, Peter M. Umunay, Luis Valenzuela Gamarra, Ima Célia Guimarães Vieira, Vincent A. Vos, Ophelia Wang, Simon Willcock & Lise Zemagh

Pooling and expanding registries of familial hypercholesterolaemia to assess gaps in care and improve disease management and outcomes : Rationale and design of the global EAS Familial Hypercholesterolaemia Studies Collaboration

Background: The potential for global collaborations to better inform public health policy regarding major non-hypercholesterolaemia (FH), a common genetic disorder associated with premature cardiovascular disease, is yet to be reliably ascertained using similar approaches. The European Atherosclerosis Society FH Studies Collaboration (EAS FHSC) is a new initiative of international stakeholders which will help establish a global FH registry to generate large-scale, robust data on the burden of FH worldwide. Methods: The EAS FHSC will maximise the potential exploitation of currently available and future FH data (retrospective and prospective) by bringing together regional/national/international data sources with access to individuals with a clinical and/or genetic diagnosis of heterozygous or homozygous FH. A novel bespoke electronic platform and FH Data Warehouse will be developed to allow secure data sharing, validation, cleaning, pooling, harmonisation and analysis irrespective of the source or format. Standard statistical procedures will allow us to investigate cross-sectional associations, patterns of real-world practice, trends over time, and analyse risk and outcomes (e.g. cardiovascular outcomes, all-cause death), accounting for potential confounders and subgroup effects. Conclusions: The EAS FHSC represents an excellent opportunity to integrate individual efforts across the world to tackle the global burden of FH. The information garnered from the registry will help reduce gaps in knowledge, inform best practices, assist in clinical trials design, support clinical guidelines and policies development, and ultimately improve the care of FH patients. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd.Peer reviewe

Utilising Reflective Practice Groups as pedagogy in ordination training and theological development

This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Practical Theology on 3-5-19, available online: https://doi.org/10.1080/1756073X.2019.1609254With the Church of England's ([2014. Formation Criteria with Mapped Selection Criteria for Ordained Ministry in the Church of England. https://www.churchofengland.org/media/2139103/formationcriteriaforordainedministryapprovedhofbpsdec2014.docx]) recent formation criteria now requiring ordinands to have a greater degree of reflexive capability, this article considers the pedagogy of Reflective Practice Groups in ordination training and focuses on how reflexivity can be developed in a group context, towards fostering greater spiritual formation, theological reflection, self-awareness, relational practices for pastoral encounter, resilience and self-care practices for ministry. Some ‘foci for reflexivity’ are advocated for use within Reflective Practice Groups in ordination training