Extreme Food-Plant Specialisation in Megabombus Bumblebees as a Product of Long Tongues Combined with Short Nesting Seasons

© 2015 Huang et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ The attached file is the published version of the article

Glatiramer Acetate Treatment Normalizes Deregulated microRNA Expression in Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis

The expression of selected microRNAs (miRNAs) known to be involved in the regulation of immune responses was analyzed in 74 patients with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) and 32 healthy controls. Four miRNAs (miR-326, miR-155, miR-146a, miR-142-3p) were aberrantly expressed in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from RRMS patients compared to controls. Although expression of these selected miRNAs did not differ between treatment-naïve (n = 36) and interferon-beta treated RRMS patients (n = 18), expression of miR-146a and miR-142-3p was significantly lower in glatiramer acetate (GA) treated RRMS patients (n = 20) suggesting that GA, at least in part, restores the expression of deregulated miRNAs in MS

Northern Eurasia Future Initiative (NEFI): facing the challenges and pathways of global change in the 21st century

During the past several decades, the Earth system has changed significantly, especially across Northern Eurasia. Changes in the socio-economic conditions of the larger countries in the region have also resulted in a variety of regional environmental changes that can have global consequences. The Northern Eurasia Future Initiative (NEFI) has been designed as an essential continuation of the Northern Eurasia Earth Science Partnership Initiative (NEESPI), which was launched in 2004. NEESPI sought to elucidate all aspects of ongoing environmental change, to inform societies and, thus, to better prepare societies for future developments. A key principle of NEFI is that these developments must now be secured through science-based strategies co-designed with regional decision makers to lead their societies to prosperity in the face of environmental and institutional challenges. NEESPI scientific research, data, and models have created a solid knowledge base to support the NEFI program. This paper presents the NEFI research vision consensus based on that knowledge. It provides the reader with samples of recent accomplishments in regional studies and formulates new NEFI science questions. To address these questions, nine research foci are identified and their selections are briefly justified. These foci include: warming of the Arctic; changing frequency, pattern, and intensity of extreme and inclement environmental conditions; retreat of the cryosphere; changes in terrestrial water cycles; changes in the biosphere; pressures on land-use; changes in infrastructure; societal actions in response to environmental change; and quantification of Northern Eurasia's role in the global Earth system. Powerful feedbacks between the Earth and human systems in Northern Eurasia (e.g., mega-fires, droughts, depletion of the cryosphere essential for water supply, retreat of sea ice) result from past and current human activities (e.g., large scale water withdrawals, land use and governance change) and potentially restrict or provide new opportunities for future human activities. Therefore, we propose that Integrated Assessment Models are needed as the final stage of global change assessment. The overarching goal of this NEFI modeling effort will enable evaluation of economic decisions in response to changing environmental conditions and justification of mitigation and adaptation efforts

Right ventricular dysfunction following continuous flow left ventriccular assist device placement in 51 patients: predicators and outcomes

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Right ventricular (RV) dysfunction following implantation of a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) is a serious condition and is associated with increased mortality.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The aim of the study is to investigate the significance of pre-existing RV dysfunction, tricuspid valve (TV) insufficiency, and the severity of septal deviation following LVAD implantation on RV dysfunction, as well as the outcome and short-term complications in 51 patients from June 2006 to August 2010. Student <it>t</it> test was used to compare the data and estimate the p value.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Mean age was 55.1 ± 13, with a male to female ratio of 3.25. The 30-day mortality was 13.7% (7/51 patients), and the overall mortality was 23.5% (12/51 patients). Meanwhile, 21 patients (21/51; 41.2%) have undergone orthotopic heart transplantation. The mean time of support was 314.5±235 days with a median of 240 days at the time of closing this study. Echocardiographic evaluation of RV function pre- and post-implantation of an LVAD demonstrated septal deviation towards the left ventricle in immediate postoperative phase, which correlated with acute RV dysfunction (<it>p</it> = 0.002). Preoperative RV dysfunction was a significant predictor of postoperative right heart dysfunction following implantation of an LVAD (<it>p</it> = 0.001).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Preoperative RV dysfunction is a predictor of RV failure in LVAD patients. The adjustment of septal deviation through gradual increase of the LVAD flow can prevent the acute RV dysfunction following LVAD placement.</p