Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Incidence of Hip Fracture: A Nested Case-Control Study in the EpiChron Cohort

Purpose: To determine whether chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a risk factor for hip fracture and identify other factors associated with hip fracture. Patients and Methods: Observational nested case-control study was conducted in Aragon, Spain in 2010. We included COPD patients aged >40 years, in the EpiChron cohort. Each COPD patient was matched for age, sex, and number of comorbidities with a control subject without COPD. Patients with an existing diagnosis of osteoporosis and those with hip fracture before 2011 were excluded. We collected baseline demographic, comorbidity, and pharmacological treatment data. During a 5-year follow-up period, we recorded the incidence of hip fracture. A logistic regression model was constructed to identify factors associated with hip fracture. Results: The study population consisted of 26, 517 COPD patients and the same number of controls (median [interquartile range] age, 74 [17] years; women, 24.7%). Smoking and heart failure were more frequent in COPD patients, and obesity, hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, stroke, arthritis, and visual or hearing impairment were less frequent (all p<0.001). Consumption of benzodiazepines (p=0.037), bronchodilators (p<0.001), and corticosteroids (p<0.001) was higher in the COPD group, while that of beta-blockers and thiazides was lower (both p<0.001). During follow-up, 898 (1.7%) patients experienced hip fracture, with no differences observed between COPD and control patients. Multivariate analysis revealed that independent of COPD status, age, female sex, chronic liver disease, heart failure, and benzodiazepine use were independently associated with a higher risk of hip fracture, and obesity with a lower risk. In COPD patients, use of inhaled anticholinergics was independently associated with hip fracture (OR, 1.390; 95% CI 1.134-1.702; p=0.001). Conclusion: COPD is not a risk factor for a hip fracture within 5 years. The association between the use of inhaled anticholinergics and risk of hip fracture warrants further study

SARS-CoV-2 infection induces a dual response in liver function tests: Association with mortality during hospitalization

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is associated with abnormal liver function tests. We hypothesized that early altered liver biochemistries at admission might have different clinical relevance than subsequent changes during hospitalization. A single-center retrospective study was conducted on 540 consecutive hospitalized patients, PCR-diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2. Liver test abnormalities were defined as the elevation of either gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), or aspartate aminotransferase (AST), above the upper limit of normality set by our laboratory. Linear mixed models (LMM) evaluated longitudinal associations, incorporating all available follow-up laboratory chemistries. By the end of the follow-up period, 502 patients (94.5%) were discharged (109 (20.5%) died). A total of 319 (64.3%) had at least one abnormal liver test result at admission. More prevalent were elevated AST (40.9%) and GGT (47.3%). Abnormalities were not associated with survival but with respiratory complications at admission. Conversely, LMM models adjusted for age and sex showed that longitudinal increases during hospitalization in ferritin, GGT, and alkaline phosphatase (ALP), as well as a decreased albumin levels, were associated with reduced survival. This dual pattern of liver damage might reconcile previous conflicting reports. GGT and ALP trajectories could be useful to determine who might need more surveillance and intensive care

Molecular cloning and expression in different microbes of the DNA encoding Pseudomonas putida U phenylacetyl-CoA ligase. Use of this gene to improve the rate of benzylpenicillin biosynthesis in Penicillium chrysogenum

8 pages, 5 figures, 3 tables.-- PMID: 8969218 [PubMed].The gene encoding phenylacetyl-CoA ligase (pcl), the first enzyme of the pathway involved in the aerobic catabolism of phenylacetic acid in Pseudomonas putida U, has been cloned, sequenced, and expressed in two different microbes. In both, the primary structure of the protein was studied, and after genetic manipulation, different recombinant proteins were analyzed. The pcl gene, which was isolated from P. putida U by mutagenesis with the transposon Tn5, encodes a 48-kDa protein corresponding to the phenylacetyl-CoA ligase previously purified by us (Martínez-Blanco, H., Reglero, A. Rodríguez-Aparicio, L. B., and Luengo, J. M. (1990) J. Biol. Chem. 265, 7084-7090). Expression of the pcl gene in Escherichia coli leads to the appearance of this enzymatic activity, and cloning and expression of a 10.5-kb DNA fragment containing this gene confer this bacterium with the ability to grow in chemically defined medium containing phenylacetic acid as the sole carbon source. The appearance of phenylacetyl-CoA ligase activity in all of the strains of the fungus Penicillium chrysogenum transformed with a construction bearing this gene was directly related to a significant increase in the quantities of benzylpenicillin accumulated in the broths (between 1.8- and 2.2-fold higher), indicating that expression of this bacterial gene (pcl) helps to increase the pool of a direct biosynthetic precursor, phenylacetyl-CoA. This report describes the sequence of a phenylacetyl-CoA ligase for the first time and provides direct evidence that the expression in P. chrysogenum of a heterologous protein (involved in the catabolism of a penicillin precursor) is a useful strategy for improving the biosynthetic machinery of this fungus.This work was supported by the Comisión Interministerial de Ciencia y Tecnología (Grant BI096-0402 CICYT, Madrid, España) and by Antibioticos S. A. (León, España).Peer reviewe

Current threats faced by Neotropical parrot populations

Made available in DSpace on 2018-12-11T16:49:29Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2017-10-01Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y TécnicasAgencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y TecnológicaPsittaciformes (parrots, cockatoos) are among the most endangered birds, with 31% of Neotropical species under threat. The drivers of this situation appear to be manifold and mainly of anthropogenic origin. However, this assessment is based on the last extensive consultation about the conservation situation of parrots carried out in the 1990s. Given the rapid development of anthropogenic threats, updated data are needed to strategize conservation actions. Using a population approach, we addressed this need through a wide-ranging consultation involving biologists, wildlife managers, government agencies and non-governmental conservation organizations. We gathered up-to-date information on threats affecting 192 populations of 96 Neotropical parrot species across 21 countries. Moreover, we investigated associations among current threats and population trends. Many populations were affected by multiple threats. Agriculture, Capture for the Pet Trade, Logging, each of them affected > 55% of the populations, suggesting a higher degree of risk than previously thought. In contrast to previous studies at the species level, our study showed that the threat most closely associated with decreasing population trends is now Capture for the local Pet Trade. Other threats associated with decreasing populations include Small-holder Farming, Rural Population Pressure, Nest Destruction by Poachers, Agro-industry Grazing, Small-holder Grazing, and Capture for the international Pet Trade. Conservation actions have been implemented on < 20% of populations. Our results highlight the importance of a population-level approach in revealing the extent of threats to wild populations. It is critical to increase the scope of conservation actions to reduce the capture of wild parrots for pets.Instituto Multidisciplinario sobre Ecosistemas y Desarrollo Sustentable CONICET—Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos AiresJustus-Liebig-Universität Giessen Department of Animal Ecology and SystematicsTexas A&M University Schubot Exotic Bird Health Center Department of Veterinary Pathobiology College of Veterinary MedicineSociedade de Pesquisa em Vida Selvagem e Educação AmbientalUniversidade Federal de SergipePrograma Lapa Verde Centro Científico TropicalFacultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo Universidad Nacional de La PlataArea de Conservación Pacífico Central ACOPAC Programa de Vida SilvestreWildlife Conservation SocietyAarhus UniversityGrupo de Ecología Conservación de Islas A.C. (GECI)University of California Department of Environment Science Policy & ManagementUniversidad Nacional Federico VillarrealUniversidade Federal de GoiásInstituto Venezolano de Investigaciones CientíficasProyecto Selva de Pino ParanáUnidos por las Guacamayas A. C.SELVA: Investigación para la conservación en el NeotrópicoInstituto Nacional de Tecnología AgropecuariaUniversity of BrasíliaUniversidade Federal da Paraíba Centro de Ciências Exatas e da NaturezaCentro Nacional de Pesquisa e Conservação de Aves Silvestres/ICMBioUniversidade Federal do Pará Instituto de Ciências BiológicasGuyra ParaguayUniversity of Colorado Department of Integrative BiologyThe World Parrot TrustBirdsCaribbeanFundacion del RioUniversitat de BarcelonaSociedad Conservacionista Audubon de VenezuelaUniversidad de Sancti Spíritus ¨José Martí Pérez¨Estación Biológica de Doñana CSICFundación Pro-BosqueCompañeros en Vuelo PIF-SVInstituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras CONICET—Universidad Nacional de Mar del PlataUniversity of North Texas Biological SciencesOne Earth ConservationInstituto Espaço SilvestreUniversidade do Estado do AmazonasNational Aviary Conservation and Field ResearchUniversity of Cape TownBirdlife InternationalPaso PacíficoUniversidade de Passo FundoBiola UniversityMinisterio del Ambiente y los Recursos Naturales (MARENA)Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolas de HidalgoFundação Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do SulAQUASISFundación Botánica y Zoológica de BarranquillaProvitaCIT Jujuy CONICET—UNJuFundación de Ciencias para el Estudio y la Conservación de la Biodiversidad (INCEBIO)UNESP Instituto de Biociências de BotucatuUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de México Estación Biología Chamela Instituto de BiologíaVinculación Interdisciplinaria para el Desarrollo Ambiental y lo SocialMesserli Research Institute University of Veterinary MedicineMuseo Noel Kempff MercadoGobierno Autónomo Departamental de Santa CruzUniversidad Autónoma de SinaloaMuseu de Zoologia da Universidade de Sao Paulo (MZUSP)University of Freiburg Evolutionary Biology and Animal EcologyMuseu de História Natural Capão da ImbuiaFundação Neotropica do BrasilCEMAVE: Centro Nacional de Pesquisa para a Conservação das Aves SilvestresCORBIDIAsociación Fauna ForeverUniversity of San Francisco Xavier de ChuquisacaUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de México Museo de Zoología Facultad de CienciasU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Puerto Rican Parrot Recovery ProgramEcho Parrots and PeopleCátedra de Ecología General y Recursos Naturales Universidad Nacional Arturo JauretcheFundación para la Investigación y Conservación de los Loros en Bolivia (CLB)Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA CONICETLaboratorio Nacional de Análisis y Síntesis Ecológica Universidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoDepto. de Estudios Ambientales Universidad Simón BolívarUNESP Instituto de Biociências de BotucatuConsejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas: CONICET-PIP 112-201501-0598Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica: FONCyT-PICT 2015-228

Current threats faced by Neotropical parrot populations

Berkunsky I, Quillfeldt P, Brightsmith DJ, et al. Current threats faced by Neotropical parrot populations. Biological Conservation. 2017;214:278-287.Psittaciformes (parrots, cockatoos) are among the most endangered birds, with 31% of Neotropical species under threat. The drivers of this situation appear to be manifold and mainly of anthropogenic origin. However, this assessment is based on the last extensive consultation about the conservation situation of parrots carried out in the 1990s. Given the rapid development of anthropogenic threats, updated data are needed to strategize conservation actions. Using a population approach, we addressed this need through a wide-ranging consultation involving biologists, wildlife managers, government agencies and non-governmental conservation organizations. We gathered up-to-date information on threats affecting 192 populations of 96 Neotropical parrot species across 21 countries. Moreover, we investigated associations among current threats and population trends. Many populations were affected by multiple threats. Agriculture, Capture for the Pet Trade, Logging, each of them affected > 55% of the populations, suggesting a higher degree of risk than previously thought. In contrast to previous studies at the species level, our study showed that the threat most closely associated with decreasing population trends is now Capture for the local Pet Trade. Other threats associated with decreasing populations include Small-holder Farming, Rural Population Pressure, Nest Destruction by Poachers, Agro-industry Grazing, Small-holder Grazing, and Capture for the international Pet Trade. Conservation actions have been implemented on < 20% of populations. Our results highlight the importance of a population-level approach in revealing the extent of threats to wild populations. It is critical to increase the scope of conservation actions to reduce the capture of wild parrots for pets