Adiponectin and resistin in acute and chronic graft-vs-host disease patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

Aim To investigate the association of adiponectin and resistin levels in patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) with the clinical outcome, including the occurrence of acute and chronic graft-vs-host disease (GVHD), non-relapse mortality, and overall survival. Methods We prospectively collected serum samples from 40 patients undergoing either autologous (n = 12; 10 male) or allogeneic (n = 28; 11 male) HSCT for up to 12 months post HSCT and determined adiponectin and resistin serum concentrations using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results There were no significant differences in adiponectin levels (18.5 vs 9.3 μg/mL, P = 0.071) and adiponectin/ BMI ratio (0.82 vs 0.39, P = 0.068) between patients with acute GVHD grades 2-4 and autologous controls. However, resistin values were significantly lower in patients with acute GVHD grades 2-4 than in autologous controls (4.6 vs 7.3 ng/mL, P = 0.030). Adiponectin levels were higher in patients with chronic GVHD (n = 17) than in autologous controls (13.5 vs 7.6 μg/mL, P = 0.051), but the difference was not significant. Adiponectin/BMI ratio was significantly higher in patients with chronic GVHD than in autologous controls (0.59 vs 0.25, P = 0.006). Patients dying from relapse also had significantly lower adiponectin levels (8.2 μg/mL) and adiponectin/BMI ratio (0.3) on admission than surviving allogeneic (15.8 μg/mL, P = 0.030 and 0.7, P = 0.004) and surviving autologous patients (19.2 μg/mL, P = 0.031 and 0.7, P = 0.021). Conclusion Adiponectin and resistin levels were altered in patients with acute and chronic GVHD compared to autologous controls and were associated with overall survival and relapse mortality in patients undergoing allogeneic HSCT

Species richness in dry grassland patches of eastern Austria: A multi-taxon study on the role of local, landscape and habitat quality variables

AbstractAccording to island biogeography theory, the species richness of patches is determined by their size and spatial isolation, while in conservation practice, it is patch quality that determines protection and guides management. We analysed whether size, isolation or habitat quality are most important for the species richness in a set of 50 dry grassland fragments in agricultural landscapes of eastern Austria. We studied two plant taxa (vascular plants, bryophytes) and 11 invertebrate taxa (gastropods, spiders, springtails, grasshoppers, true bugs, leafhoppers and planthoppers, ground beetles, rove beetles, butterflies and burnets, ants and wild bees). The species richness of three categories was analysed: (1) dry grassland specialist species, (2) all grassland species and (3) all species. We used regression and hierarchical partitioning techniques to determine the relationship between species richness and environmental variables describing patch size and shape, patch quality, landscape configuration and landscape quality. The area-isolation paradigm was only applicable for dry grassland specialists, which comprised 12% of all species. Richness of all grassland species was determined mostly by landscape heterogeneity parameters. Total species richness was highly influenced by spillover from adjacent biotopes, and was significantly determined by the percentage of arable land bordering the patches. When analysing all taxa together, species richness of dry grassland specialists was significantly related to historical patch size but not to current patch size, indicating an extinction debt. At the landscape scale, the variable ‘short-grass area’ was a better predictor than the less specific variable ‘area of extensively used landscape elements’. ‘Distance to mainland’ was a good predictor for specialists of mobile animal taxa. Plant specialists showed a pronounced dependence on quality measures at the patch scale and at the landscape scale, whereas animal specialists were influenced by patch size, patch quality, landscape quality and isolation measures. None of the taxa benefited from linear structures in the surroundings. In conclusion, high patch quality and a network of high-quality areas in the surrounding landscape should be the best conservation strategy to ensure conservation of dry grassland specialists. This goal does not conflict with the specific demands of single taxa

Hemiptera records from Lake Spechtensee and from Southern Styria (Austria)

Hemiptera records gained in July 2015 in course of the 7th European Hemiptera Congress in Styria are presented. In total, 144 Auchenorrhyncha, 143 Heteroptera, 13 Psylloidea and 2 Aphididae species were collected. Ribautodelphax imitans (Delphacidae), Eurhadina saageri (Cicadellidae), Notonecta maculata (Notonectidae), Notonecta meridionalis (Notonectidae) and Polymerus cognatus (Miridae) are new records for Styria

Baseline Chest Computed Tomography as Standard of Care in High-Risk Hematology Patients

Baseline chest computed tomography (BCT) in high-risk hematology patients allows for the early diagnosis of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA). The distribution of BCT implementation in hematology departments and impact on outcome is unknown. A web-based questionnaire was designed. International scientific bodies were invited. The estimated numbers of annually treated hematology patients, chest imaging timepoints and techniques, IPA rates, and follow-up imaging were assessed. In total, 142 physicians from 43 countries participated. The specialties included infectious diseases (n = 69; 49%), hematology (n = 68; 48%), and others (n = 41; 29%). BCT was performed in 57% (n = 54) of 92 hospitals. Upon the diagnosis of malignancy or admission, 48% and 24% performed BCT, respectively, and X-ray was performed in 48% and 69%, respectively. BCT was more often used in hematopoietic cell transplantation and in relapsed acute leukemia. European centers performed BCT in 59% and non-European centers in 53%. Median estimated IPA rate was 8% and did not differ between BCT (9%; IQR 5-15%) and non-BCT centers (7%; IQR 5-10%) (p = 0.69). Follow-up computed tomography (CT) for IPA was performed in 98% (n = 90) of centers. In high-risk hematology patients, baseline CT is becoming a standard-of-care. Chest X-ray, while inferior, is still widely used. Randomized, controlled trials are needed to investigate the impact of BCT on patient outcome

Photography-based taxonomy is inadequate, unnecessary, and potentially harmful for biological sciences

The question whether taxonomic descriptions naming new animal species without type specimen(s) deposited in collections should be accepted for publication by scientific journals and allowed by the Code has already been discussed in Zootaxa (Dubois & Nemésio 2007; Donegan 2008, 2009; Nemésio 2009a–b; Dubois 2009; Gentile & Snell 2009; Minelli 2009; Cianferoni & Bartolozzi 2016; Amorim et al. 2016). This question was again raised in a letter supported by 35 signatories published in the journal Nature (Pape et al. 2016) on 15 September 2016. On 25 September 2016, the following rebuttal (strictly limited to 300 words as per the editorial rules of Nature) was submitted to Nature, which on 18 October 2016 refused to publish it. As we think this problem is a very important one for zoological taxonomy, this text is published here exactly as submitted to Nature, followed by the list of the 493 taxonomists and collection-based researchers who signed it in the short time span from 20 September to 6 October 2016

Reconstruction of the Distal Radius following Tumour Resection Using an Osteoarticular Allograft

Reconstruction of the distal radius following tumour resection is challenging and various techniques are recorded. We retrospectively analysed the outcome of five patients (one male and four females) after reconstruction of the distal radius with osteoarticular allograft, following tumour resection. Mean followup was 32 months (range, 4–121). In three of the five patients the dominant limb was affected. Mean bone resection length was 6.5 centimetres (range, 5–11.5). Two grafts developed nonunion, both successfully treated with autologous bone grafting. No infection, graft fracture, or failure occurred. Mean flexion/extension was 38/60 degrees and mean pronation/supination was 77/77 degrees. The mean Mayo wrist score was 84 and the mean DASH score was 8, both representing a good functional result. Therefore we state the notion that osteoarticular allograft reconstruction of distal radius provides good to excellent functional results