Competition dynamics in a chemical system of self-replicating macrocycles

Central to the origin of life is the question how a chemical system transitioned from interacting molecules to an entity with the capacity for self-replication, diversification and adaptive evolution. Here, we study a chemical system that is comprised of macrocycles that have been shown to spontaneously give rise to self-replicating entities. By combining experimental and theoretical approaches, we strive to understand the evolutionary potential of this system. In particular, we apply eco-evolutionary reasoning to investigate whether and when this system of chemical replicators can diversify. Here, we report first results of a simplified stochastic chemical reaction model that is parameterized on the basis of experimental data. The model considers the competition of two replicators that do not interact directly but need similar building blocks for their growth and reproduction. Interestingly, the replicator that emerges first is being overtaken by the later one. By means of stochastic simulations, we will explore how the competitive ability of a replicator is determined by its chemical characteristics, and under which conditions replicators can coexist. The results will subsequently inform the design of future experiments

Once Nocturia, Always Nocturia? Natural History of Nocturia in Older Men Based on Frequency-Volume Charts:The Krimpen Study

Purpose: Nocturia is a highly prevalent and bothersome symptom that might (spontaneously) resolve. However, longitudinal data are not available on the incidence and resolution of nocturia assessed with frequency-volume charts. In this study we determined the prevalence, incidence and resolution rates of nocturia assessed by frequency-volume charts, and compared nocturnal voiding frequency over time as assessed by frequency-volume charts and questionnaires. Materials and Methods: A longitudinal, population based study was conducted among 1,688 men 50 to 78 years old with followup rounds at 2.1, 4.2 and 6.5 years. Nocturnal voiding frequency was determined with frequency-volume charts and, for comparison purposes, with a question from the International Prostate Symptom Score. Nocturia was defined as nocturnal voiding frequency 2 or greater. Prevalence, incidence and resolution rates were also determined. Results: At the 2.1-year followup the incidence rate was 23.9% and the resolution rate was 36.7%. The incidence rate was highest in the oldest group (70 to 78 years) and lowest in the youngest (50 to 54 years), whereas the resolution rate was highest in the group 55 to 59 years old and lowest in the oldest group. Because of the high resolution rate, no reliable incidence rates can be calculated. Despite fluctuation, the prevalence of nocturia increased with age and over time (from 34.4% to 44.7% for the total group, p <0.05). Men who had a frequency-volume chart-nocturnal voiding frequency less than International Prostate Symptom Score-nocturnal voiding frequency (6% of the population) more often had this later on. Conclusions: In this population frequency-volume chart assessed nocturia shows considerable fluctuation. Nevertheless, prevalence increases over time and with increasing age. Men who once had frequency-volume chart-nocturnal voiding frequency less than International Prostate Symptom Score-nocturnal voiding frequency are more likely to have this again. Therefore, frequency-volume charts as well as the International Prostate Symptom Score should be used when evaluating nocturia

Цитокіновий профіль у вагітних з хламідійно-вірусною інфекцією

Урогенитальный хламидиоз и вирусная инфекция – это актуальная медико-социальная проблема, поэтому углубленные исследования клинических, иммунологических и эндокринологических аспектов этой проблемы у беременных, разработка и внедрение лечебно-профилактических программ является одним из перспективных резервов снижения репродуктивных потерь, материнской и перинатальной заболеваемости. Вместе с этим, такие исследования составляют значительный научный интерес и большую практическую ценность. При изучении механизмов осложнений беременности большой интерес вызывают исследования функционального состояния клеток ММС (путем определения уровня провоспалительных цитокинов ИЛ - 1β, ФНО -α), а также Т-лимфоцитов (путем определения провоспалительных цитокинов ИЛ -2, ИФН-γ и провоспалительных цитокинов ИЛ -4, ИЛ -10).Urogenital chlamydia and viral infection are actual medical and social problems. That is why the most promising reserves to reduce reproductive losses, maternal and perinatal morbidity are deep study of clinical, immunological, microbiological and endocrinological aspects of this problem among pregnant women, as well as developing and implementing of health care programs. Moreover, such studies have significant scientific interest and great practical value. While studying the mechanisms of pregnancy complications, the most interesting are the study of the functional state of MMS cells (by determining the level of proinflammatory cytokines IL-1β TNF-α), and T-lymphocytes (by determining the level of proinflammatory cytokines IL-2, IFN-γ and anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-4, IL-10)

What predicts incident nocturia? A population-based study in older men: The Krimpen study

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Many conditions and characteristics are associated with nocturia, however, there is a paucity of data on the factors that predict the development of nocturia. We therefore determined factors predictive of incident nocturia. METHODS: We analyzed the database of a population-based cohort study among 1,688 men aged 50-78 years old, without radical prostatectomy, transurethral surgery, or bladder or prostate cancer, living in Krimpen aan den IJssel, The Netherlands. Data were obtained using frequency-volume charts (FVC), from which the nocturnal voiding frequency (NVF) was determined. Nocturia was defined as NVF ≥ 2. Conditions and characteristics were determined via medical examination and a 113-item questionnaire. Men without nocturia at baseline (BL) and no exclusion criteria met were selected. At the first follow-up round (FU-1; after 2.1 years) we determined how many men developed nocturia. Univariable analyses were done to determine the association between the BL characteristics and nocturia-status at FU-1. Variables with an association p <0.25 were selected to create a multivariable logistic regression model. After a manual backward selection procedure a final model was created with only significant associations (p¡ü0.05). RESULTS: At BL 1597 men completed an FVC, 133 men met the exclusion criteria. 342 men were excluded because of missing sleeping-hours, and 386 men had nocturia (34.4%), resulting in a target population of 736 men. At FU-1, 341 men were excluded because they did not void during the night or within the first hour of rising, did not complete a FVC, or due to loss to follow up. Therefore, analysis could was possible in 395 men. These men did not significantly differ from the total population regarding conditions and characteristics. Median age was 59.8, the incidence-rate after 2.1 years for nocturia was 24.8%. Table 1 shows the univariable and multivariable logistic regression models. Univariably as well as in the final model only age and alcohol intake were significantly related to incident nocturia. CONCLUSIONS: Although many characteristics are associated with nocturia, only age could significantly predict incident nocturia. Alcohol intake had a protective effect. (Table presented)

Eusociality and the evolution of aging in superorganisms

Eusocial insects—ants, bees, wasps, and termites—are being recognized as model organisms to unravel the evolutionary paradox of aging for two reasons: (1) queens (and kings, in termites) of social insects outlive similarly sized solitary insects by up to several orders of magnitude and (2) all eusocial taxa show a divergence of long queen and shorter worker life spans, despite their shared genomes and even under risk-free laboratory environments. Traditionally, these observations have been explained by invoking the classical evolutionary aging theory: well-protected inside their nests, queens are much less exposed to external hazards than foraging workers, and this provides natural selection the opportunity to favor queens that perform well at advanced ages. Although quite plausible, these verbal arguments have not been backed up by mathematical analysis. Here, for the first time, we provide quantitative models for the evolution of caste-specific aging patterns. We show that caste-specific mortality risks are in general neither sufficient nor necessary to explain the evolutionary divergence in life span between queens and workers and the extraordinary queen life spans. Reproductive monopolization and the delayed production of sexual offspring in highly social colonies lead natural selection to inherently favor queens that live much longer than workers, even when exposed to the same external hazards. Factors that reduce a colony’s reproductive skew, such as polygyny and worker reproduction, tend to reduce the evolutionary divergence in life span between queens and workers. Caste-specific extrinsic hazards also affect life span divergence, but to a much smaller extent than reproductive monopolization

Lifespan divergence between social insect castes:Challenges and opportunities for evolutionary theories of aging

The extraordinarily long lifespans of queens (and kings) in eusocial insects and the strikingly large differences in life expectancy between workers and queens challenge our understanding of the evolution of aging and provide unique opportunities for studying the causes underlying adaptive variation in lifespan within species. Here we review the major evolutionary theories of aging, focusing on their scope and limitations when applied to social insects. We show that reproductive division of labor, interactions between kin, caste specific gene regulation networks, and the integration of colony-level trade-offs with individual-level trade-offs provide challenges to the classical theories We briefly indicate how these challenges could be met in future models of adaptive phenotypic plasticity in lifespan between and within different castes

Mortality in older men with nocturia. A 15-year followup of the Krimpen study

PURPOSE: Although nocturia seems to be related to increased mortality in older men, it is unclear whether this is an independent association. Therefore, we studied the association of nocturia and mortality in community dwelling older men.MATERIALS AND METHODS: A longitudinal, population based study was conducted among 1,688 men 50 to 78 years old. Recruitment started in 1995. At baseline all men completed a questionnaire and a 3-day frequency-volume chart. Nocturnal voiding frequency was derived from the frequency-volume chart and nocturia was defined as 2 or more voids per night. In 2010 all general practitioners' patient records were checked for possible date of death. Univariable and multivariable Cox regression analyses were performed. A subanalysis was performed to determine the effect of 3 longitudinal nocturia patterns (ie incident, persistent or transient/resolved) on the mortality rate.RESULTS: A total of 1,114 men were eligible for analysis. Median followup was 13.4 years (quartiles 1 to 3: 10.3-14.1) for a total of 12,790 person-years of followup. Univariably nocturia was associated with an increased mortality rate (HR 1.63, 95% CI 1.20-2.21, p = 0.002). After correction for possible confounding factors nocturia had no significant influence on mortality (p = 0.838) in contrast to age, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, smoking and hypertension (all p &lt;0.05). Men with persistent nocturia had the highest mortality rate compared to those without nocturia. However, this association was not significant (p = 0.083).CONCLUSIONS: In an analysis based on frequency-volume chart data, the association between nocturia and mortality was explained by confounding factors, predominantly age. Furthermore, the mortality risk was not associated with the 3 nocturia patterns.</p

Prevalence, Incidence, and Resolution of Nocturnal Polyuria in a Longitudinal Community-based Study in Older Men:The Krimpen Study

<p>Background: Nocturnal polyuria (NP) is common in older men and can lead to nocturia. However, no longitudinal data are available on the natural history of NP.</p><p>Objective: To determine prevalence, incidence, and resolution rates of NP.</p><p>Design, setting, and participants: A longitudinal, community-based study was conducted among 1688 men aged 50-78 yr in Krimpen aan den IJssel, The Netherlands (reference date: 1995), with planned follow-up rounds at 2, 4, and 6 yr.</p><p>Outcome measurements and statistical analysis: NP was determined with frequency-volume charts. Two definitions of NP were used: (1) a nocturnal urine production (NUP) of >9 0 ml/h (NUP90) and (2) the nocturnal voided volume plus first morning void being >33% of the 24-h voided volume (NUV33). Nocturia was defined as two or more voids per night. We determined the prevalence of NP at each study round. At first follow-up, we determined the incidence in men without baseline NP and the resolution in men with baseline NP. Prevalence of NP in men with or without nocturia was also determined.</p><p>Results and limitations: At baseline, the prevalence of NUP90 was 15.0% and increased to 21.7% after 6.5 yr, whereas the prevalence of NUV33 was 77.8% at baseline and 80.5% after 6.5 yr. At 2.1 yr of follow-up, the incidences of NUP90 and NUV33 were 13.6% and 60.3%, respectively, and the resolution rates were 57.0% and 17.8%, respectively. Because of this fluctuation in NP, no reliable long-term incidences could be calculated. At baseline, NUP90 was prevalent in 27.7% of men with nocturia and in 8.0% of those without nocturia. At baseline, NUV33 was prevalent in 91.9% of men with nocturia and in 70.1% of men without nocturia.</p><p>Conclusions: Due to the fluctuation of NP, it is advisable to first determine its chronicity and cause before starting treatment. Because of the high prevalence of NP in men without nocturia, NUV33 should be reconsidered as a discriminative definition of NP. (C) 2012 Published by Elsevier B. V. on behalf of European Association of Urology.</p>

Determinants of Nocturia: The Krimpen Study

Purpose: Many conditions and characteristics are cross-sectionally associated with nocturia. However, to our knowledge longitudinal associations of frequency-volume chart based nocturia have not yet been studied. We identify (modifiable) determinants of nocturia in older men in a longitudinal setting. Materials and Methods: A longitudinal, community based study was conducted among 1,688 men age 50 to 78 years in Krimpen aan den IJssel, The Netherlands with planned followup rounds at 2, 4 and 6 years. Men without a history of radical prostatectomy, transurethral surgery, or bladder or prostate cancer were included in the study. Data were obtained using frequency-volume charts, from which the nocturnal voiding frequency, maximum voided volume and (nocturnal) urine production were determined. Nocturia was defined as a nocturnal voiding frequency of 2 or more episodes. Polyuria was defined as greater than 2,800 ml voided per 24 hours. For nocturnal polyuria we used the 2 definitions of 1) greater than 33% of 24-hour voided volume and 2) nocturnal urine production of greater than 90 ml per hour. Conditions and characteristics were determined via medical examinations and questionnaires. A generalized linear mixed effect model was used to determine factors longitudinally associated with nocturia. Results: Age (50 to 55 years vs greater than 60 years), maximum voided volume (greater than 300 ml vs less than 300 ml), 24-hour polyuria, nocturnal polyuria (both definitions) and lower urinary tract symptoms were all longitudinally associated with an increased prevalence of nocturia in older men. Conclusions: A smaller maximum voided volume, lower urinary tract symptoms, 24-hour polyuria and nocturnal polyuria are significant and potentially modifiable determinants of nocturia. The finding that both definitions for nocturnal polyuria are independent significant determinants may indicate a 2-step etiologic process for nocturnal polyuria