Ovarian dynamics and fecundity regulation in blueback herring, Alosa aestivalis, from the Connecticut River, US

We analyzed ovarian dynamics of anadromous blueback herring, Alosa aestivalis, in Connecticut River with the principal aim of exploring oocyte recruitment and how it shapes the fecundity pattern. We examined the oocyte release strategy and analyzed spawning cyclicity by linking oocyte growth to the degeneration of postovulatory follicles. Females were accordingly classified as pre-spawners, early and late active spawners, and oocyte recruitment intensity was compared among the different spawning phases. Oocyte recruitment occurred continuously and in parallel with spawning activity, a pattern which is diagnostic of indeterminate fecundity. However, both fecundity and oocyte recruitment intensity progressively decreased (tapered) throughout spawning, until the ovary was depleted of vitellogenic oocytes. There was no massive atresia of vitellogenic oocytes at the end of the spawning season, which is atypical of indeterminate spawners. We propose that tapering in oocyte recruitment and fecundity is an adaptation to the high energetic expenditure of the upstream spawning migration

Eventos adversos asociados al uso de los antibióticos claritromicina y azitromicina

En Odontología se prescriben antibióticos de manera empírica para el tratamiento de procesos infecciosos, siendo los macrólidos una alternativa terapéutica para casos de hipersensibilidad y resistencia bacteriana. Sin embargo, su uso no está exento de riesgos. El objetivo de este estudio fue identificar y caracterizar los eventos adversos asociados al uso de claritromicina y azitromicina. Se realizó un estudio observacional-descriptivo- transversal de Farmacovigilancia Proactiva en pacientes de dos Centros de Salud de la Ciudad de Corrientes que recibían antibióticos macrólidos, azitromicina o claritromicina, durante un período de dieciocho meses. Variables analizadas: edad, sexo, tratamiento farmacológico actual según diagnóstico, características de los eventos adversos identificados según: órganos y tejidos afectados; gravedad, tipo de reacción (A o B según mecanismo de producción); imputabilidad y resultado de la reacción (recuperado, recuperado con secuelas, no recuperado, desconocido, riesgo de vida). Se registraron 97 pacientes, de los cuales 26 (27%) presentaron eventos adversos. Los órganos afectados con mayor frecuencia fueron el sistema gastrointestinal (14, 54%) y cardiovascular en segundo término (5, 19%). Tres fueron graves (11%) y requirieron suspender la medicación, 7 moderados (27%) y 16 leves (62%). El 100% se recuperaron ad in- tegrum. Según el mecanismo de producción 22 (85%) fueron tipo A y 4 (15%) de tipo B. Según la imputabilidad 18 (82%) fueron probables y 3 probadas (12%). Los datos obtenidos muestran un potencial de eventos cardiovasculares, cuya gravedad debiera ser tenida en cuenta para la toma de decisiones relacionadas con la práctica clínica odontológica a fin de evitar un uso innecesario.

The next generation of laser spectroscopy experiments using light muonic atoms

Precision spectroscopy of light muonic atoms provides unique information about the atomic and nuclear structure of these systems and thus represents a way to access fundamental interactions, properties and constants. One application comprises the determination of absolute nuclear charge radii with unprecedented accuracy from measurements of the 2S$\,$-$\,$2P Lamb shift. Here, we review recent results of nuclear charge radii extracted from muonic hydrogen and helium spectroscopy and present experiment proposals to access light muonic atoms with $Z \geq 3$. In addition, our approaches towards a precise measurement of the Zemach radii in muonic hydrogen ($\mu$p) and helium ($\mu$$^{3}$He$^{+}$) are discussed. These results will provide new tests of bound-state quantum-electrodynamics in hydrogen-like systems and can be used as benchmarks for nuclear structure theories.Comment: 17 pages, 8 figure

FGF receptor genes and breast cancer susceptibility: results from the Breast Cancer Association Consortium

Background:Breast cancer is one of the most common malignancies in women. Genome-wide association studies have identified FGFR2 as a breast cancer susceptibility gene. Common variation in other fibroblast growth factor (FGF) receptors might also modify risk. We tested this hypothesis by studying genotyped single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and imputed SNPs in FGFR1, FGFR3, FGFR4 and FGFRL1 in the Breast Cancer Association Consortium. Methods:Data were combined from 49 studies, including 53 835 cases and 50 156 controls, of which 89 050 (46 450 cases and 42 600 controls) were of European ancestry, 12 893 (6269 cases and 6624 controls) of Asian and 2048 (1116 cases and 932 controls) of African ancestry. Associations with risk of breast cancer, overall and by disease sub-type, were assessed using unconditional logistic regression. Results:Little evidence of association with breast cancer risk was observed for SNPs in the FGF receptor genes. The strongest evidence in European women was for rs743682 in FGFR3; the estimated per-allele odds ratio was 1.05 (95 confidence interval=1.02-1.09, P=0.0020), which is substantially lower than that observed for SNPs in FGFR2. Conclusion:Our results suggest that common variants in the other FGF receptors are not associated with risk of breast cancer to the degree observed for FGFR2. © 2014 Cancer Research UK

Measurement of the Depth of Maximum of Extensive Air Showers above 10^18 eV

We describe the measurement of the depth of maximum, Xmax, of the longitudinal development of air showers induced by cosmic rays. Almost four thousand events above 10^18 eV observed by the fluorescence detector of the Pierre Auger Observatory in coincidence with at least one surface detector station are selected for the analysis. The average shower maximum was found to evolve with energy at a rate of (106 +35/-21) g/cm^2/decade below 10^(18.24 +/- 0.05) eV and (24 +/- 3) g/cm^2/decade above this energy. The measured shower-to-shower fluctuations decrease from about 55 to 26 g/cm^2. The interpretation of these results in terms of the cosmic ray mass composition is briefly discussed.Comment: Accepted for publication by PR