Organ donation in the United States

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/72348/1/j.1600-6143.3.s4.4.x.pd

Thermal and hygric physiology of Australian burrowing mygalomorph spiders (Aganippe spp.)

This study investigated the standard metabolic rate (SMR) and evaporative water loss (EWL) responses of three Australian trapdoor-constructing mygalomorph spider species, two undescribed arid-zone species (Aganippe 'Tropicana A' and A. 'Tropicana B') and a mesic-dwelling species (A. rhaphiduca) to acute environmental regimes of temperature and relative humidity. There were significant effects of species, temperature, and relative humidity on SMR. SMR was lower for A. raphiduca than both A. 'Tropicana' spp. with no difference between the two A. 'Tropicana' spp. Metabolic rate increased at higher temperature and relative humidity for all three species. There were significant effects of species, temperature, and relative humidity on EWL. The mesic Aganippe species had a significantly higher EWL than either arid Tropicana species. EWL was significantly higher at lower relative humidity. Our results suggest an environmental effect on EWL but not SMR, and that mygalomorphs are so vulnerable to desiccation that the burrow provides a crucial refuge to ameliorate the effects of low environmental humidity. We conclude that mygalomorphs are highly susceptible to disturbance, and are of high conservation value as many are short-range endemics. © 2012 Springer-Verlag

The Impact of Climate Trends on a Tick Affecting Public Health: A Retrospective Modeling Approach for Hyalomma marginatum (Ixodidae)

The impact of climate trends during the period 1901-2009 on the life cycle of Hyalomma marginatum in Europe was modeled to assess changes in the physiological processes of this threat to public health. Monthly records of temperature and water vapour at a resolution of 0.5° and equations describing the life cycle processes of the tick were used. The climate in the target region affected the rates of the life cycle processes of H. marginatum: development rates increased, mortality rates in molting stages decreased, and the survival rates of questing ticks decreased in wide territories of the Mediterranean basin. The modeling framework indicated the existence of critical areas in the Balkans, central Europe, and the western coast of France, where the physiological processes of the tick improved to extents that are consistent with the persistence of populations if introduced. A spatially explicit risk assessment was performed to detect candidate areas where active surveys should be performed to monitor changes in tick density or persistence after a hypothetical introduction. We detected areas where the critical abiotic (climate) and biotic (host density) factors overlap, including most of the Iberian peninsula, the Mediterranean coast of France, eastern Turkey, and portions of the western Black Sea region. Wild ungulate densities are unavailable for large regions of the territory, a factor that might affect the outcome of the study. The risk of successfully establishing H. marginatum populations at northern latitudes of its current colonization range seems to be still low, even if the climate has improved the performance of the tick in these areas

The Complement System: A Potential Target for Stroke Therapy

Anti-complement strategies appear to hold great promise for the development of stroke therapeutics. Yet caution should be exercised. It is clear that the complement cascade is a complex and intricate system with widely varied effects, and if any knowledge has been gained from the many failed attempts at translating stroke therapies to the bedside, it is that cavalier application of under-elucidated therapies that leads to wasted resources and the potential for poor patient outcomes