Class III Obese Women's Preferences and Concerns for Cesarean Skin Incision: A Multicenter Survey

Objective This study aims to assess class III obese women's preferences and concerns regarding cesarean delivery (CD) skin incisions. Study Design Through the National Perinatal Research Consortium (NPRC), women with body mass index ≥ 40 kg/m2 at the time of enrollment completed an anonymous survey in English or Spanish. We evaluated seven domains of preferences and concerns about the cesarean skin incision. Results We surveyed 546 women at five NPRC sites. Median age (interquartile range) was 29 (25, 35) years; 364 (66%) were parous and 161 (30%) had a prior CD. Women self-identified race/ethnicity as White (31%), non-Hispanic Black (31%), Hispanic (31%), other (6%), and not reported (1%). A total of 542 women (99%) rated both delivering the baby in the best possible condition and decreasing incision opening/infection risk as important. Women were less likely to rate other domains as important (all p < 0.001), including: having least pain possible, n = 521 (95%); decreasing the risk of complications in the next pregnancy, n = 490 (90%); decreasing interference with breastfeeding, n = 474 (87%); decreasing operative time, n = 388 (71%); and having the least visible incision, n = 369 (68%). Conclusion Women with class III obesity prioritize immediate maternal and fetal safety regarding CD skin incision over other concerns including cosmetic outcome

The missing pieces for better future predictions in subarctic ecosystems: a Torneträsk case study

Arctic and subarctic ecosystems are experiencing substantial changes in hydrology, vegetation, permafrost conditions, and carbon cycling, in response to climatic change and other anthropogenic drivers, and these changes are likely to continue over this century. The total magnitude of these changes results from multiple interactions among these drivers. Field measurements can address the overall responses to different changing drivers, but are less capable of quantifying the interactions among them. Currently, a comprehensive assessment of the drivers of ecosystem changes, and the magnitude of their direct and indirect impacts on subarctic ecosystems, is missing. The Torneträsk area, in the Swedish subarctic, has an unrivalled history of environmental observation over 100 years, and is one of the most studied sites in the Arctic. In this study, we summarize and rank the drivers of ecosystem change in the Torneträsk area, and propose research priorities identified, by expert assessment, to improve predictions of ecosystem changes. The research priorities identified include understanding impacts on ecosystems brought on by altered frequency and intensity of winter warming events, evapotranspiration rates, rainfall, duration of snow cover and lake-ice, changed soil moisture, and droughts. This case study can help us understand the ongoing ecosystem changes occurring in the Torneträsk area, and contribute to improve predictions of future ecosystem changes at a larger scale. This understanding will provide the basis for the future mitigation and adaptation plans needed in a changing climate

Long-Baseline Neutrino Facility (LBNF) and Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) Conceptual Design Report Volume 2: The Physics Program for DUNE at LBNF

The Physics Program for the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) at the Fermilab Long-Baseline Neutrino Facility (LBNF) is described

Methylotrophy in the Mire: direct and indirect routes for methane production in thawing permafrost

While wetlands are major sources of biogenic methane (CH4), our understanding of resident microbial metabolism is incomplete, which compromises the prediction of CH4 emissions under ongoing climate change. Here, we employed genome-resolved multi-omics to expand our understanding of methanogenesis in the thawing permafrost peatland of Stordalen Mire in Arctic Sweden. In quadrupling the genomic representation of the site's methanogens and examining their encoded metabolism, we revealed that nearly 20% of the metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) encoded the potential for methylotrophic methanogenesis. Further, 27% of the transcriptionally active methanogens expressed methylotrophic genes; for Methanosarcinales and Methanobacteriales MAGs, these data indicated the use of methylated oxygen compounds (e.g., methanol), while for Methanomassiliicoccales, they primarily implicated methyl sulfides and methylamines. In addition to methanogenic methylotrophy, >1,700 bacterial MAGs across 19 phyla encoded anaerobic methylotrophic potential, with expression across 12 phyla. Metabolomic analyses revealed the presence of diverse methylated compounds in the Mire, including some known methylotrophic substrates. Active methylotrophy was observed across all stages of a permafrost thaw gradient in Stordalen, with the most frozen non-methanogenic palsa found to host bacterial methylotrophy and the partially thawed bog and fully thawed fen seen to house both methanogenic and bacterial methylotrophic activities. Methanogenesis across increasing permafrost thaw is thus revised from the sole dominance of hydrogenotrophic production and the appearance of acetoclastic at full thaw to consider the co-occurrence of methylotrophy throughout. Collectively, these findings indicate that methanogenic and bacterial methylotrophy may be an important and previously underappreciated component of carbon cycling and emissions in these rapidly changing wetland habitats.IMPORTANCEWetlands are the biggest natural source of atmospheric methane (CH4) emissions, yet we have an incomplete understanding of the suite of microbial metabolism that results in CH4 formation. Specifically, methanogenesis from methylated compounds is excluded from all ecosystem models used to predict wetland contributions to the global CH4 budget. Though recent studies have shown methylotrophic methanogenesis to be active across wetlands, the broad climatic importance of the metabolism remains critically understudied. Further, some methylotrophic bacteria are known to produce methanogenic by-products like acetate, increasing the complexity of the microbial methylotrophic metabolic network. Prior studies of Stordalen Mire have suggested that methylotrophic methanogenesis is irrelevant in situ and have not emphasized the bacterial capacity for metabolism, both of which we countered in this study. The importance of our findings lies in the significant advancement toward unraveling the broader impact of methylotrophs in wetland methanogenesis and, consequently, their contribution to the terrestrial global carbon cycle.Open access journalThis item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected]

Carbon Accumulation, Flux, and Fate in Stordalen Mire, a Permafrost Peatland in Transition

Stordalen Mire is a peatland in the discontinuous permafrost zone in arctic Sweden that exhibits a habitat gradient from permafrost palsa, to Sphagnum bog underlain by permafrost, to Eriophorum-dominated fully thawed fen. We used three independent approaches to evaluate the annual, multi-decadal, and millennial apparent carbon accumulation rates (aCAR) across this gradient: seven years of direct semi-continuous measurement of CO2 and CH4 exchange, and 21 core profiles for 210Pb and 14C peat dating. Year-round chamber measurements indicated net carbon balance of −13 ± 8, −49 ± 15, and −91 ± 43 g C m−2 y−1 for the years 2012–2018 in palsa, bog, and fen, respectively. Methane emission offset 2%, 7%, and 17% of the CO2 uptake rate across this gradient. Recent aCAR indicates higher C accumulation rates in surface peats in the palsa and bog compared to current CO2 fluxes, but these assessments are more similar in the fen. aCAR increased from low millennial-scale levels (17–29 g C m−2 y−1) to moderate aCAR of the past century (72–81 g C m−2 y−1) to higher recent aCAR of 90–147 g C m−2 y−1. Recent permafrost collapse, greater inundation and vegetation response has made the landscape a stronger CO2 sink, but this CO2 sink is increasingly offset by rising CH4 emissions, dominated by modern carbon as determined by 14C. The higher CH4 emissions result in higher net CO2-equivalent emissions, indicating that radiative forcing of this mire and similar permafrost ecosystems will exert a warming influence on future climate.6 month embargo; published 14 January 2022This item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected]

Diverse sediment microbiota shape methane emission temperature sensitivity in Arctic lakes

Northern post-glacial lakes are significant, increasing sources of atmospheric carbon through ebullition (bubbling) of microbially-produced methane (CH4) from sediments. Ebullitive CH4 flux correlates strongly with temperature, reflecting that solar radiation drives emissions. However, here we show that the slope of the temperature-CH4 flux relationship differs spatially across two post-glacial lakes in Sweden. We compared these CH4 emission patterns with sediment microbial (metagenomic and amplicon), isotopic, and geochemical data. The temperature-associated increase in CH4 emissions was greater in lake middles—where methanogens were more abundant—than edges, and sediment communities were distinct between edges and middles. Microbial abundances, including those of CH4-cycling microorganisms and syntrophs, were predictive of porewater CH4 concentrations. Results suggest that deeper lake regions, which currently emit less CH4 than shallower edges, could add substantially to CH4 emissions in a warmer Arctic and that CH4 emission predictions may be improved by accounting for spatial variations in sediment microbiota. © 2021, The Author(s).Open access journalThis item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected]

Fechamento parcial do anel inguinal externo em eqüinos: avaliação pós-operatória e influência na morfologia testicular Partial closure of the equine external inguinal ring: post-operatory evaluation and influence on testicular morphology

Avaliou-se a influência do fechamento parcial do anel inguinal externo (AIE) na morfologia testicular e caracterizaram-se as alterações pós-operatórias decorrentes de sua utilização em seis eqüinos machos. Sob anestesia geral, criou-se um acesso à cavidade vaginal que foi seguido de síntese da túnica vaginal parietal e sutura do AIE ipsilateral em aproximadamente 75% de seu diâmetro (antímero suturado). No antímero contralateral foi realizado procedimento cirúrgico semelhante, mas a sutura do anel inguinal foi removida imediatamente após sua aplicação (antímero controle). No pós-operatório, os animais foram examinados diariamente por quatro semanas. O trauma cirúrgico acarretou degeneração testicular no período pós-operatório e o acesso à cavidade vaginal predispôs à formação de aderências testiculares. O grau de degeneração testicular foi equivalente nos dois antímeros, suturado e controle, e nenhum dos testículos apresentou degeneração. O procedimento mostrou ser uma alternativa viável para o tratamento de hérnias inguinais quando se deseja evitar a orquiectomia.<br>In order to evaluate the influence of parcial closure of the external inguinal ring on testicular morphology and to characterize the local post-operatory changes, six adult horses were submitted to surgery under general anesthesia. The vaginal cavity was opened and approximately 75% of the external inguinal ring was sutured (sutured side). The same procedure was performed on the contralateral side, and the sutures of the external inguinal ring were immediately removed (sham side). The horses were examined daily for four weeks. The surgical procedure induced testicular degeneration and adhesion of the testis to the parietal vaginal tunic. Similar levels of testicular degeneration were detected in both sides (sutured and sham), and none of the testes evaluated had severe degeneration. This procedure can be used for the treatment of inguinal herniation as an alternative to castration and complete closure of the external inguinal ring