Analysis of ROBECO data by neural networks

Our task was to find a model for classifying ROBECO clients into four classes according to their degree of satisfaction. Each client was represented by a vector of 30 variables, which could be split into two groups: variables related to the specific client and socio-geographical variables characterizing the area in which the client lived. The original set contained 21, 90, 288, and 146 vectors from group 1, 2, 3, and 4 respectively. Additionally, an independent validation set was provided with 3, 12, 48 and 32 vectors from corresponding groups.Neural network; Classification; Client satisfaction;

Immunohistochemical localization of selected pro-inflammatory factors in uterine myomas and myometrium in women of various ages

Uterine myomas represent one of the most frequently manifested benign tumors in women. They originate from smooth muscle cells of myometrium or its blood vessels. Many studies suggest that inflammation and pro-inflammatory factors may play a role in the carcinogenesis with an involvement of the transcription factor NF-kappaB which activity can be controlled by various environmental factors, including many cytokines. The aim of the study was to investigate the expression of NF-B, interleukin-1β (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor a (TNF-α), cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in myometrium and uterine myomas of women of various age. The expression of NF-kappaB, selected cytokines and enzymes was estimated in women of reproductive or perimenopausal age by semiquantitative immunohistochemistry. The expression of the examined proteins was higher in myomas than in control myometrium and was dependent on the size of myomas and the age of women. However, the expression of the cytoplasmic NF-kappaB observed in uterine myomas was independent on the size of myomas and no significant differences were observed in the number of stained nuclei between control and myoma groups. Thus, the expression of proinflammatory factors in myomas was not accompanied by the nuclear activation of NF-kappaB p65. The results of our study indicate that the examined factors may be involved in the pathogenesis of benign tumors and not only malignant diseases. (Folia Histochemica et Cytobiologica 2013, Vol. 51, No. 1, 73–83

The relationship between the use of cement during total hip replacement and blood pressure values

Background Total hip replacement is a common orthopaedic procedure associated with an elevated cardiovascular risk. There are several methods for total hip replacement, including whether or not to use cement for the prosthesis fixation. The aim of the study was to compare clinical characteristics, including blood pressure, in patients undergoing total hip replacement with and without the use of cement. Material and methods The study included patients with elective total hip replacement surgery, who were divided into those in whom the procedure was performed with or without the use of medical cement. The criteria for using cement were assessed during operation by the operator, according to the current protocol. All patients were interviewed, screened, and had their medical records checked for the prior diagnosis of cardiovascular risk factors. Blood pressure values were measured before and after the procedure according to the current guidelines. Results The study population consisted of 65 patients in whom the total hip replacement was performed (mean age 61.5 ± 15.0 years; 50.8% male). 60% of patients had the hip replacement without cement and 40.0% had a procedure with the use of cement. Patients in whom the cement was used were significantly older (75.0 ± 8.5 vs. 53.0 ± 11.5 years; p < 0.0001) and more often diagnosed with arterial hypertension (61.5 vs. 33.3%; p = 0.04), than those in whom it was not used. Systolic blood pressure values were significantly higher before and after the procedure (138.8 ± 18.2 vs. 130.8 ± 21.5 mm Hg, p = 0.04; 122.6 ± 13.3 vs. 113.8 ± 14.1 mm Hg, p = 0.03; respectively) in the group which required cement. Conclusions Patients with hip replacement using cement have higher systolic values before, and after the surgery than in patients in whom cement wasn’t used. Therefore careful management and risk assessment is especially important in patients receiving the total hip replacement with the use of cement.Background Total hip replacement is a common orthopaedic procedure associated with an elevated cardiovascular risk. There are several methods for total hip replacement, including whether or not to use cement for the prosthesis fixation. The aim of the study was to compare clinical characteristics, including blood pressure, in patients undergoing total hip replacement with and without the use of cement. Material and methods The study included patients with elective total hip replacement surgery, who were divided into those in whom the procedure was performed with or without the use of medical cement. The criteria for using cement were assessed during operation by the operator, according to the current protocol. All patients were interviewed, screened, and had their medical records checked for the prior diagnosis of cardiovascular risk factors. Blood pressure values were measured before and after the procedure according to the current guidelines. Results The study population consisted of 65 patients in whom the total hip replacement was performed (mean age 61.5 ± 15.0 years; 50.8% male). 60% of patients had the hip replacement without cement and 40.0% had a procedure with the use of cement. Patients in whom the cement was used were significantly older (75.0 ± 8.5 vs. 53.0 ± 11.5 years; p < 0.0001) and more often diagnosed with arterial hypertension (61.5 vs. 33.3%; p = 0.04), than those in whom it was not used. Systolic blood pressure values were significantly higher before and after the procedure (138.8 ± 18.2 vs. 130.8 ± 21.5 mm Hg, p = 0.04; 122.6 ± 13.3 vs. 113.8 ± 14.1 mm Hg, p = 0.03; respectively) in the group which required cement. Conclusions Patients with hip replacement using cement have higher systolic values before, and after the surgery than in patients in whom cement wasn’t used. Therefore careful management and risk assessment is especially important in patients receiving the total hip replacement with the use of cement

Can we save large carnivores without losing large carnivore science?

Large carnivores are depicted to shape entire ecosystems through top-down processes. Studies describing these processes are often used to support interventionist wildlife management practices, including carnivore reintroduction or lethal control programs. Unfortunately, there is an increasing tendency to ignore, disregard or devalue fundamental principles of the scientific method when communicating the reliability of current evidence for the ecological roles that large carnivores may play, eroding public confidence in large carnivore science and scientists. Here, we discuss six interrelated issues that currently undermine the reliability of the available literature on the ecological roles of large carnivores: (1) the overall paucity of available data, (2) reliability of carnivore population sampling techniques, (3) general disregard for alternative hypotheses to top-down forcing, (4) lack of applied science studies, (5) frequent use of logical fallacies, and (6) generalisation of results from relatively pristine systems to those substantially altered by humans. We first describe how widespread these issues are, and given this, show, for example, that evidence for the roles of wolves (Canis lupus) and dingoes (Canis lupus dingo) in initiating trophic cascades is not as strong as is often claimed. Managers and policy makers should exercise caution when relying on this literature to inform wildlife management decisions. We emphasise the value of manipulative experiments, and discuss the role of scientific knowledge in the decision-making process. We hope that the issues we raise here prompt deeper consideration of actual evidence, leading towards an improvement in both the rigour and communication of large carnivore science

Large carnivore science: non-experimental studies are useful, but experiments are better

1. Response to Bruskotter and colleagues We recently described the following six interrelated issues that justify questioning some of the discourse about the reliability of the literature on the ecological roles of large carnivores (Allen et al., in press): 1. The overall paucity of available data, 2. The reliability of carnivore population sampling techniques, 3. The general disregard for alternative hypotheses to top-down forcing, 4. The lack of applied science studies, 5. The frequent use of logical fallacies, 6. The generalisation of results from relatively pristine systems to those substantially altered by humans. We thank Bruskotter et al. (2017) for responding to our concerns and engaging with this important issue. We agree completely that nonexperimental studies can and do often have great value, and we recognize that in many (most) cases these types of studies may provide the only data that are available. We acknowledge the many challenges of working on large, cryptic, dangerous, and highly-mobile animals in the wild. However, the absence of more robust data and the reality of these challenges do not excuse weak inference or overstating conclusions – a practice apparent in many studies (and communication of those studies) adopting only observational or correlative methods to infer the roles of large carnivores (reviewed in Allen et al., in press)

Timing and synchrony of birth in Eurasian lynx across Europe

The ecology and evolution of reproductive timing and synchrony have been a topic of great interest in evolutionary ecology for decades. Originally motivated by questions related to behavioral and reproductive adaptation to environmental conditions, the topic has acquired new relevance in the face of climate change. However, there has been relatively little research on reproductive phenology in mammalian carnivores. The Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) occurs across the Eurasian continent, covering three of the four main climate regions of the world. Thus, their distribution includes a large variation in climatic conditions, making it an ideal species to explore reproductive phenology. Here, we used data on multiple reproductive events from 169 lynx females across Europe. Mean birth date was May 28 (April 23 to July 1), but was similar to 10 days later in northern Europe than in central and southern Europe. Birth dates were relatively synchronized across Europe, but more so in the north than in the south. Timing of birth was delayed by colder May temperatures. Severe and cold weather may affect neonatal survival via hypothermia and avoiding inclement weather early in the season may select against early births, especially at northern latitudes. Overall, only about half of the kittens born survived until onset of winter but whether kittens were born relatively late or early did not affect kitten survival. Lynx are strict seasonal breeders but still show a degree of flexibility to adapt the timing of birth to surrounding environmental conditions. We argue that lynx give birth later when exposed to colder spring temperatures and have more synchronized births when the window of favorable conditions for raising kittens is shorter. This suggests that lynx are well adapted to different environmental conditions, from dry and warm climates to alpine, boreal, and arctic climates. This variation in reproductive timing will be favorable in times of climate change, as organisms with high plasticity are more likely to adjust to new environmental conditions