Geographical location influences the composition of the gut microbiota in wild house mice (Mus musculus domesticus) at a fine spatial scale.

The composition of the mammalian gut microbiota can be influenced by a multitude of environmental variables such as diet and infections. Studies investigating the effect of these variables on gut microbiota composition often sample across multiple separate populations and habitat types. In this study we explore how variation in the gut microbiota of the house mouse (Mus musculus domesticus) on the Isle of May, a small island off the east coast of Scotland, is associated with environmental and biological factors. Our study focuses on the effects of environmental variables, specifically trapping location and surrounding vegetation, as well as the host variables sex, age, body weight and endoparasite infection, on the gut microbiota composition across a fine spatial scale in a freely interbreeding population. We found that differences in gut microbiota composition were significantly associated with the trapping location of the host, even across this small spatial scale. Sex of the host showed a weak association with microbiota composition. Whilst sex and location could be identified as playing an important role in the compositional variation of the gut microbiota, 75% of the variation remains unexplained. Whereas other rodent studies have found associations between gut microbiota composition and age of the host or parasite infections, the present study could not clearly establish these associations. We conclude that fine spatial scales are important when considering gut microbiota composition and investigating differences among individuals

Perinatal Mortality in Eastern Uganda: A Community Based Prospective Cohort Study

To achieve a child mortality reduction according to millennium development goal 4, it is necessary to considerably reduce neonatal mortality. We report stillbirth and early neonatal mortality risks as well as determinants of perinatal mortality in Eastern Uganda.A community-based prospective cohort study was conducted between 2006 and 2008. A total of 835 pregnant women were followed up for pregnancy outcome and survival of their children until 7 days after delivery. Mother's residence, age, parity, bed net use and whether delivery took place at home were included in multivariable regression analyses to identify risk factors for perinatal death.The stillbirth risk was 19 per 1,000 pregnancies and the early neonatal death risk 22 per 1,000 live births. Overall, the perinatal mortality risk was 41 [95%CI: 27, 54] per 1,000 pregnancies. Of the deaths, 47% followed complicated deliveries and 24% preterm births. Perinatal mortality was 63/1,000 pregnancies among teenage mothers, 76/1,000 pregnancies among nulliparous women and 61/1,000 pregnancies among women delivering at home who, after controlling for potential confounders, had a 3.7 (95%CI: 1.8, 7.4) times higher perinatal mortality than women who gave birth in a health facility. This association was considerably stronger among nulliparous women [RR 8.0 (95%CI: 2.9, 21.6)] than among women with a previous live birth [RR 1.8 (95%CI: 0.7, 4.5)]. All perinatal deaths occurred among women who did not sleep under a mosquito net. Women living in urban slums had a higher risk of losing their babies than those in rural areas [RR: 2.7 (95%CI: 1.4, 5.3)].Our findings strengthen arguments for ensuring that pregnant women have access to and use adequate delivery facilities and bed nets

Mineralization of sheep manure and its influence on lettuce production

Diversos resíduos orgânicos são utilizados na agricultura sem o adequado conhecimento da sua dinâmica de mineralização. Avaliou-se a mineralização de esterco de ovinos e sua influência na produção de alface. Utilizou-se o delineamento experimental de blocos ao acaso com três repetições. Foram utilizadas 25 t ha-1 como dose de esterco para cada um dos seguintes tratamentos: 1) esterco de ovinos que se alimentaram de feno de mandioca (PAM); 2) esterco de ovinos que se alimentaram de subproduto de ervilha (ERV); 3) esterco de ovinos que se alimentaram de feno de capim coast-cross (FCC); 4) esterco de ovinos que se alimentaram de subproduto de saccharina (SAC) e 5) solo sem aplicação de esterco (testemunha). Foi determinada semanalmente a respiração basal do solo, utilizada como indicador de mineralização da matéria orgânica. A massa fresca de alface foi avaliada como medida de produção. Os tratamentos ERV, FCC e SAC apresentaram ganhos de massa fresca na ordem de 68, 65 e 62% em relação à testemunha e de 43, 39 e 33% em relação ao PAM, respectivamente. A produção menor promovida pelo PAM, em relação às demais, pode ser explicada pela forma de mineralização da matéria orgânica que apresentou elevada respiração microbiana cinco dias após o transplantio, com acentuado declínio, nas medições subseqüentes, ao longo do ciclo da cultura. Os demais tratamentos apresentaram mineralização sincronizada com conseqüente aumento na produção de massa fresca. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACTSeveral organic wastes are used in agriculture with no precise knowledge about the mineralization dynamics of these materials. In this study the sheep manure mineralization and its influence on the lettuce production was evaluated. A randomized block design with three replications was used. Five treatments were studied using 25 t ha-1 as dose of manure: 1) sheep manure obtained from animals fed with cassava straw (PAM); 2) sheep manure obtained from animals fed with residue of pea crop (ERV); 3) sheep manure obtained from animals fed with Coast-Cross hay (FCC), 4) sheep manure obtained from animals fed with saccharin residue (SAC) and 5) soil without application of manure (control). Weekly the basal respiration was determined and used as an indicator of organic matter mineralization. Lettuce fresh mass was evaluated as a measure of production. Treatments ERV, FCC and SAC showed superior weight gains of 68, 65 and 62% compared to the control and 43, 39 and 33% compared to MAP, respectively. Lower production promoted by the MAP in relation to the other treatments can be explained by organic matter mineralization that showed a high microbial respiration five days after transplanting, with marked decline in subsequent measurements during the crop cycle. The other systems showed mineralization synchronized with the production increase of lettuce fresh mass

The Platino project: methodology of a multicenter prevalence survey of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in major Latin American cities

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) in many developed countries appears to be increasing. There is some evidence from Latin America that COPD is a growing cause of death, but information on prevalence is scant. It is possible that, due to the high frequency of smoking in these countries, this disease may represent a major public health problem that has not yet been recognized as such. The PLATINO study is aimed at measuring COPD prevalence in major cities in Latin America. METHODS/DESIGN: A multi-country survey is being carried out in major cities in Latin America. In each metropolitan area, a population-based sample of approximately 1,000 individuals aged 40 years or older is being interviewed using standardized questionnaires. Eligible subjects are submitted to pre- and post-bronchodilator spirometry, and classified according to several criteria for COPD. Anthropometric examinations are also performed. Several risk factors are being studied, including smoking, socioeconomic factors, exposure to domestic biomass pollution, occupational exposure to dust and hospital admissions due to respiratory conditions during childhood. Whether or not subjects affected by COPD are aware of their disease, and if so how it is being managed by health services, is also being investigated, as are the consequences of this condition on quality of life and work performance. RESULTS: At the present time, the study is completed in São Paulo, Mexico City and Montevideo; Chile has started the study in March 2004 and it will be followed by Venezuela; two other metropolitan areas could still join the PLATINO project. Similar sampling procedures, with stratification for socio-economic status, are being used in all sites. Strict coordination, training and standardization procedures have been used to ensure comparability of results across sites. Overall 92% of the pre-bronchodilator spirometry tests fulfilled ATS criteria of quality in the three first sites (97% in Montevideo, 91% in Mexico and 89% in Sao Paulo). CONCLUSIONS: The PLATINO project will provide a detailed picture of the global distribution of COPD in Latin America. This project shows that studies from Latin America can be carried out with adequate quality and be of scientific value

Giant hepatic hydatid cyst with sub-fascial extension treated by open minimally invasive surgery: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Hepatic hydatid disease can be successfully treated by a variety of modalities.</p> <p>Case Presentation</p> <p>We report a case of a 60 year old male with giant hepatic hydatid disease who presented with a huge cystic mass in the upper abdomen. Diagnosis was confirmed by serology, ultrasonography and CT scan. The patient was treated successfully by open minimally invasive surgery with minimum breaching of the peritoneal cavity using a laparoscopic trocar to evacuate the cyst.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The use of a laparoscopic trocar through a small abdominal incision in selected patients with hepatic hydatid disease with subfascial extension can be a safe, minimally-invasive option of treatment</p

Upregulation of the cell-cycle regulator RGC-32 in Epstein-Barr virus-immortalized cells

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is implicated in the pathogenesis of multiple human tumours of lymphoid and epithelial origin. The virus infects and immortalizes B cells establishing a persistent latent infection characterized by varying patterns of EBV latent gene expression (latency 0, I, II and III). The CDK1 activator, Response Gene to Complement-32 (RGC-32, C13ORF15), is overexpressed in colon, breast and ovarian cancer tissues and we have detected selective high-level RGC-32 protein expression in EBV-immortalized latency III cells. Significantly, we show that overexpression of RGC-32 in B cells is sufficient to disrupt G2 cell-cycle arrest consistent with activation of CDK1, implicating RGC-32 in the EBV transformation process. Surprisingly, RGC-32 mRNA is expressed at high levels in latency I Burkitt's lymphoma (BL) cells and in some EBV-negative BL cell-lines, although RGC-32 protein expression is not detectable. We show that RGC-32 mRNA expression is elevated in latency I cells due to transcriptional activation by high levels of the differentially expressed RUNX1c transcription factor. We found that proteosomal degradation or blocked cytoplasmic export of the RGC-32 message were not responsible for the lack of RGC-32 protein expression in latency I cells. Significantly, analysis of the ribosomal association of the RGC-32 mRNA in latency I and latency III cells revealed that RGC-32 transcripts were associated with multiple ribosomes in both cell-types implicating post-initiation translational repression mechanisms in the block to RGC-32 protein production in latency I cells. In summary, our results are the first to demonstrate RGC-32 protein upregulation in cells transformed by a human tumour virus and to identify post-initiation translational mechanisms as an expression control point for this key cell-cycle regulator