Mid-term results of complex distal humeral fractures.

The aim of this study was to assess outcomes following open reduction and internal fixation in complex fractures of the distal humerus. Between 2000 and 2006, 34 patients were operated for complex fractures of the distal humerus. Bone fixation was obtained with a reverse Y-shaped reconstruction plate in 13 cases and with double plating in 21 cases. At final follow-up, all the patients were assessed with the Mayo Elbow Performance Score. Satisfactory results were observed in 71% of the cases despite a high rate of complications. Age over 65 years is correlated with increased risk for an inferior postoperative result. Complex distal humeral fractures are difficult to treat and are associated with a high incidence of complications. It is therefore mandatory to obtain good anatomical reduction and a stable fixation of lateral and medial columns of the distal humerus. The results observed in older patients suggest that an alternative treatment for these patients may be joint replacement

Chronic Intermittent Ethanol Regulates Hippocampal GABA(A) Receptor Delta Subunit Gene Expression.

Chronic ethanol consumption causes structural and functional reorganization in the hippocampus and induces alterations in the gene expression of gamma-aminobutyric acid type A receptors (GABAARs). Distinct forced intermittent exposure models have been used previously to investigate changes in GABAAR expression, with contrasting results. Here, we used repeated cycles of a Chronic Intermittent Ethanol paradigm to examine the relationship between voluntary, dependence-associated ethanol consumption, and GABAAR gene expression in mouse hippocampus. Adult male C57BL/6J mice were exposed to four 16-h ethanol vapor (or air) cycles in inhalation chambers alternated with limited-access two-bottle choice between ethanol (15%) and water consumption. The mice exposed to ethanol vapor showed significant increases in ethanol consumption compared to their air-matched controls. GABAAR alpha4 and delta subunit gene expression were measured by qRT-PCR at different stages. There were significant changes in GABAAR delta subunit transcript levels at different time points in ethanol-vapor exposed mice, while the alpha4 subunit levels remained unchanged. Correlated concurrent blood ethanol concentrations suggested that GABAAR delta subunit mRNA levels fluctuate depending on ethanol intoxication, dependence, and withdrawal state. Using a vapor-based Chronic Intermittent Ethanol procedure with combined two-bottle choice consumption, we corroborated previous evidences showing that discontinuous ethanol exposure affects GABAAR delta subunit expression but we did not observe changes in alpha4 subunit. These findings indicate that hippocampal GABAAR delta subunit expression changes transiently over the course of a Chronic Intermittent Ethanol paradigm associated with voluntary intake, in response to ethanol-mediated disturbance of GABAergic neurotransmission

Are short food supply chains more environmentally sustainable than long chains? a life cycle assessment (LCA) of the eco-efficiency of food chains in selected EU countries

Improving the eco-efficiency of food systems is one of the major global challenges faced by the modern world. Short food supply chains (SFSCs) are commonly regarded to be less harmful to the environment, among various reasons, due to their organizational distribution and thus the shortened physical distance between primary producers and final consumers. In this paper, we empirically test this hypothesis, by assessing and comparing the environmental impacts of short and long food supply chains. Based on the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) approach, we calculate eco-efficiency indicators for nine types of food distribution chains. The analysis is performed on a sample of 428 short and long food supply chains from six European countries. Our results indicate that, on average, long food supply chains may generate less negative environmental impacts than short chains (in terms of fossil fuel energy consumption, pollution, and GHG emissions) per kg of a given product. The values of eco-efficiency indicators display a large variability across analyzed chains, and especially across different types of SFSCs. The analysis shows that the environmental impacts of the food distribution process are not only determined by the geographical distance between producer and consumer, but depend on numerous factors, including the supply chain infrastructure

Consumers' willingness to pay for an animal welfare food label

Consumers increasingly rate the ethical dimensions of food production, including animal welfare, as important to them but how these concerns influence their food choices remains unclear. To address this, a Discrete Choice Experiment assesses consumers' willingness to pay for chicken meat. The study aims to understand the effects of food labels (RSPCA Assured and Red Tractor), cause-related marketing campaigns, and price on consumers' willingness to pay. Drawing on a representative sample of 401 British consumers, we estimate a mixed logit model using the hierarchical Bayesian estimation method. The results for the full sample reveal a substantial price premium associated with the animal welfare label (RSPCA Assured); however, this is less pronounced than one of the cause-related marketing campaigns. A latent class analysis identifies two distinct market segments, price sensitive and concerned consumers, which differ on socio-economic and behavioural characteristics. Amongst price sensitive consumers, willingness to pay extra for an animal welfare label is negligible. Complementary, qualitative interviews reveal consumers' difficulties in comparing the varying standards that underpin quality assurance schemes

Low-fidelity DNA synthesis by human DNA polymerase theta

Human DNA polymerase theta (pol θ or POLQ) is a proofreading-deficient family A enzyme implicated in translesion synthesis (TLS) and perhaps in somatic hypermutation (SHM) of immunoglobulin genes. These proposed functions and kinetic studies imply that pol θ may synthesize DNA with low fidelity. Here, we show that when copying undamaged DNA, pol θ generates single base errors at rates 10- to more than 100-fold higher than for other family A members. Pol θ adds single nucleotides to homopolymeric runs at particularly high rates, exceeding 1% in certain sequence contexts, and generates single base substitutions at an average rate of 2.4 × 10−3, comparable to inaccurate family Y human pol κ (5.8 × 10−3) also implicated in TLS. Like pol κ, pol θ is processive, implying that it may be tightly regulated to avoid deleterious mutagenesis. Pol θ also generates certain base substitutions at high rates within sequence contexts similar to those inferred to be copied by pol θ during SHM of immunoglobulin genes in mice. Thus, pol θ is an exception among family A polymerases, and its low fidelity is consistent with its proposed roles in TLS and SHM