Breeding site selection according to suitability for amphibian larval growth under various ecological conditions in the semi-arid zone of northern Israel

A series of field monitoring was conducted over four years on aquatic habitats to test the hypothesis that breeding habitat selection by six different amphibian species, belonging to the Anuran and Urodela orders, was according to the ecological parameters of the water body, and not necessarily according to the type of breeding site. Ecological and biological conditions of 14 different breeding sites inhabited by amphibian larvae in northern Israel, including winter ponds, pits, springs and streams, were investigated in a region where all six species exist. The larval growth period was discovered to vary in different habitats. Most breeding sites studied had Salamandra infraimmaculata larvae, although at different periods of the year. The larvae of Hyla savignyi, Bufo viridis, Rana bedriagae, Pelobates syriacus and Triturus vittatus inhabited mostly the winter ponds and pits. In most cases, the S. infraimmaculata and T. vittatus larvae were not observed during the same time period at the same breeding sites. In other winter ponds, H. savignyi, P. syriacus and T. vittatus were seen at the same time during the spring, and along with R. bedriagae in the summer. Among the various water quality parameters evaluated at the breeding site, namely, temperature, pH, soluble oxygen, electrical conductivity, ammonium (NH 4 ) and invertebrate biomass, the most influential one was the temperature. S. infraimmaculata and B. viridis were detected in ponds with temperatures ranging about 1.5-24 °C, whereas all other larvae were observed at temperatures above this range, up to 34 °C. Based on the results of the investigation, the major factors affecting the habitat selected for breeding are the ecological conditions that allow for survival, growth and metamorphosis completion of the amphibian larvae.Goldber Tali, Nevo Eviatar, Degani Gad. Breeding site selection according to suitability for amphibian larval growth under various ecological conditions in the semi-arid zone of northern Israel. In: Ecologia mediterranea, tome 35,2009. pp. 65-74

Diabetic Retinopathy –Incidence And Risk Factors In A Community Setting- A Longitudinal Study

Aim: To evaluate the natural history of diabetic retinopathy (DR) in diabetic patients and to assess long term risk for other chronic diseases associated with DR. Methods: Retrospective, community-based study. Diabetics who underwent their first fundoscopic examination during 2000–2002, and had at least one follow- up examination by the end of 2007 were included. The primary outcome was the development of DR (proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), non PDR (NPDR) or macular edema. Patients were followed for another 9 years for documentation of new diagnosis of related diseases. Results: 516 patients' (1,032 eyes) records were included and were followed first for an average of 4.15 ± 1.27 years. During follow-up, 28 (2.7%) of the total 1,032 eyes examined were diagnosed with PDR. An additional 194 (18.8%) eyes were diagnosed with new NPDR. The cumulative incidence of NPDR was 310/1,032 (30.0%). All the patients who developed PDR had prior NDPR. By the end of the 9 years extended follow up, patients with NPDR had a greater risk for developing chronic renal failure HR = 1.71 (1.14–2.56), ischemic heart disease HR = 1.57 (1.17–2.09), and had an increased mortality rate HR = 1.26 (1.02–1.57) Conclusion: DR is associated with a higher rate of diabetes complications. Patients with DR should be followed more closely.Key points During a mean follow-up of 4.5 years, the cumulative incidence of diabetic retinopathy in a community cohort was 18.8%. NDPR (non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy) is a predictor of PDR (proliferative diabetic retinopathy). In a real life setting NPDR is a marker of a poorer prognosis. Patients with NDPR should be monitored more closely

The role of distributional factors in learning and generalising affixal plural inflection: An artificial language study

<p>Inflectional morphology has been intensively studied as a model of language productivity. However, little is known about how properties of the input affect the emergence of productive affixation. We examined effects of three factors on the learning and generalisation of plural suffixation by adults in an artificial language: affix type frequency (the number of words receiving an affix), affix predictability (based on phonological cues in the stem), and diversity (the number of distinct phonological cues predicting an affix). Higher type frequency and predictability facilitated the acquisition of trained inflections. Type frequency contributed to participants’ inflections of untrained words early during learning, while reliance on diversity emerged gradually, alongside knowledge of phonological cues. Diversity as well as type frequency contributed to the emergence of default-like inflections, including minority defaults. The results elucidate the role of affix diversity and its interaction with other factors in the emergence of productive linguistic processes.</p

Heart Valve Surgery in Antiphospholipid Syndrome Patients—Morbidity and Mortality

Objectives: To assess valve surgery outcomes in antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). Methods: A retrospective study assessing complications and mortality rate and possible factors associated with adverse outcomes of APS patients undergoing valve surgery in two tertiary medical centers. Results: Twenty-six APS patients (median age at surgery 47.5 years) who underwent valve surgery were detected, of whom 11 (42.3%) had secondary APS. The mitral valve was most commonly involved (n = 15, 57.7%). A valve replacement was performed in 24 operations (92.3%), 16 of which (66.7%) were mechanical valves. Fourteen (53.8%) patients sustained severe complications, and four of them died. The presence of mitral regurgitation (MR) was associated with severe complications and mortality (odds ratio (95% confidence interval) 12.5 (1.85–84.442), p = 0.008, for complications. All deceased patients had MR (p = 0.033). The presence of Libman-Sacks endocarditis (LSE) (7.333 (1.272–42.294), p = 0.045), low C3 (6.667 (1.047–42.431), p = 0.05) and higher perioperative prednisone doses (15 ± 21.89 vs. 1.36 ± 3.23 mg/day, p = 0.046) were also associated with complications. A lower glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was associated with mortality (30.75 ± 19.47 vs. 70.68 ± 34.44 mL/min, p = 0.038). Conclusions: Significant morbidity and mortality were observed among APS patients undergoing valve surgery. MR was associated with mortality and complications. LSE, low complement and higher doses of corticosteroids were associated with complications, while a low GFR was associated with mortality

Development of Autoantibodies Following BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 Vaccination and Their Association with Disease Flares in Adult Patients with Autoimmune Inflammatory Rheumatic Diseases (AIIRD) and the General Population: Results of 1-Year Prospective Follow-Up Study

Development of autoantibodies following BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccination and their association with disease flares in adult patients with autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic diseases (AIIRD) and the general population: results of 1-year prospective follow-up study. We conducted a prospective study aimed at investigating the incidence of appearance of autoantibodies (antinuclear, antiphospholipid, and rheumatoid factor) in the sera of 463 adult patients with AIIRD compared to 55 controls from the general population prior to, and following the second and third vaccine doses, and at 1-year of follow-up. Pre- and post-vaccination disease activity indices and the association of autoantibodies with rheumatic disease flares and new onset AIIRD were examined. Autoantibody development of any type in AIIRD patients vs. the controls was 4.0% (vs. 6.7%, p = 0.423) following two vaccine doses and 7.6% (vs. 0%, p = 0.152) after three doses. There was no significant difference in sex, age, or disease-type among individuals with and without autoantibody development, regardless of the immunosuppressant use. More patients developed autoantibodies following the third than the second vaccine dose (p = 0.004). Disease flares occurred in 5.8% and 7.2% of AIIRD patients following second and third vaccine doses, respectively, with autoantibody production increasing the risk of flares following the second (p = 0.002) and third (p = 0.004) vaccine doses. BNT162b2 vaccination resulted in the development of autoantibodies in a minority of AIIRD patients and controls. Autoantibody development was associated with disease flares in patients, but no new-onset autoimmunity was observed

Predictors of Immunogenic Response to the BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 Vaccination in Patients with Autoimmune Inflammatory Rheumatic Diseases Treated with Rituximab

Treatment with rituximab (RTX) blunts SARS-CoV-2 vaccination-induced humoral response. We sought to identify predictors of a positive immunogenic response to the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine in patients with autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic diseases (AIIRD) treated with RTX (AIIRD-RTX). We analyzed 108 AIIRD-RTX patients and 122 immunocompetent controls vaccinated with BNT162b2 mRNA participating in a multicenter vaccination study. Immunogenicity was defined by positive anti-SARS-CoV-2 S1/S2 IgG. We used a stepwise backward multiple logistic regression to identify predicting factors for a positive immunogenic response to vaccination and develop a predicting calculator, further validated in an independent cohort of AIIRD-RTX BNT162b2 mRNA vaccinated patients (n = 48). AIIRD-RTX patients who mounted a seropositive immunogenic response significantly differed from patients who did not by a lower number of RTX courses (median (range) 3 (1&ndash;10) vs. 5 (1&ndash;15), p = 0.007; lower cumulative RTX dose (mean &plusmn; SD) 6943.11 &plusmn; 5975.74 vs. 9780.95 &plusmn; 7240.12 mg, p = 0.033; higher IgG level prior to last RTX course (mean &plusmn; SD), 1189.78 &plusmn; 576.28 vs. 884.33 &plusmn; 302.31 mg/dL, p = 0.002), and extended interval between RTX treatment and vaccination, 469.82 &plusmn; 570.39 vs. 162.08 &plusmn; 160.12 days, p = 0.0009, respectively. Patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis and inflammatory myositis had a low likelihood of a seropositive immunogenic response compared to patients with rheumatoid arthritis, odds ratio (OR) 0.209, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.046&ndash;0.96, p = 0.044 and OR 0.189, 95% CI 0.036&ndash;0.987, p = 0.048, respectively. Based on these findings, we constructed a calculator predicting the probability of a seropositive immunogenic response following BNT162b2 mRNA vaccination which performed with 90.5% sensitivity, 59.3% specificity, and 63.3% positive and 88.9% negative predictive values. In summary, the predicting calculator could guide clinicians for optimal timing of BNT162b2 mRNA vaccination in AIIRD-RTX patients