Right ventricular dysfunction affects survival after surgical left ventricular restoration

Cardiolog

Using self-organizing maps to investigate environmental factors regulating colony size and breeding success of the White Stork (Ciconia ciconia)

We studied variations in the size of breeding colonies and in breeding performance of White Storks Ciconia ciconia in 2006–2008 in north-east Algeria. Each colony site was characterized using 12 environmental variables describing the physical environment, land-cover categories, and human activities, and by three demographic parameters: the number of breeding pairs, the number of pairs with chicks, and the number of fledged chicks per pair. Generalized linear mixed models and the self-organizing map algorithm (SOM, neural network) were used to investigate effects of biotic, abiotic, and anthropogenic factors on demographic parameters and on their relationships. Numbers of breeding pairs and of pairs with chicks were affected by the same environmental factors, mainly anthropogenic, which differed from those affecting the number of fledged chicks per pair. Numbers of fledged chicks per pair was not affected by colony size or by the number of nests with chicks. The categorization of the environmental variables into natural and anthropogenic, in connection with demographic parameters, was relevant to detect factors explaining variation in colony size and breeding parameters. The SOM proved a relevant tool to help determine actual dynamics in White Stork colonies, and thus to support effective conservation decisions at a regional scale

Similar dispersal patterns between two closely related birds with contrasting migration strategies

Studying dispersal is crucial to understand metapopulation and sink-source dynamics and invasion processes. The capability to disperse is especially important for species living in fragmented habitats like wetlands. We investigated the distribution of natal and breeding dispersal distances and philopatry in Spanish populations of two closely related reedbed-nesting birds, the Moustached Warbler Acrocephalus melanopogon and the Eurasian Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus. These warblers are morphologically very similar, but differ in migration strategy and, in our study area, in population size. Our aims were to find the best model for dispersal distances and to assess the occurrence of intra- or interspecific differences in dispersal patterns. We used ringing data from the Spanish marking scheme and selected recaptures to avoid including migrating individuals. In both species, most individuals were philopatric but dispersing birds were able to cross large distances (up to more than 100 km), suggesting the capability to compensate for habitat fragmentation. We found the heavy-tailed Cauchy distribution to be the best conceptual description for our data, in all cases but natal dispersal of Moustached Warblers. Among Eurasian Reed Warblers, natal philopatry was lower than breeding philopatry. We found no significant interspecific differences. This does not confirm the hypothesis of higher dispersal ability in long distance migrants (like Eurasian Reed Warblers) than in resident/short distance migrant bird species (like Moustached Warblers). The similarity in dispersal patterns among the two warblers may be explained by their close phylogenetic relatedness, similar constraints imposed on both species by a patchy habitat or similar evolutionary pressures.We are grateful to the many ringers who collected the data during years of fieldwork in Spain. Francesco Ceresa is supported by an "Atraent talent'' grant from the University of Valencia.Ceresa, F.; Belda, E.; Monrós González, JS. (2016). Similar dispersal patterns between two closely related birds with contrasting migration strategies. Population Ecology. 58(3):421-427. doi:10.1007/s10144-016-0547-0S421427583Banco de datos de anillamiento del remite ICONA – Ministerio de Medio Ambiente (2015) Datos de anillamiento y recuperaciones en España. Ministerio de Agricultura, Alimentación y Medio Ambiente, SEO/BirdLife, ICO, EBD-CSIC y GOB. Madrid (in Spanish)Begon M, Townsend CR, Harper JL (2006) Ecology: from individual to ecosystems, 4th edn. Blackwell Publishing, OxfordBlomqvist D, Fessl B, Hoi H, Kleindorfer S (2005) High frequency of extra-pair fertilisation in the moustached warbler, a songbird with a variable breeding system. Behaviour 142:1133–1148Bohonak AJ (1999) Dispersal, gene flow, and population structure. Q Rev Biol 74:21–45Burnham KP, Anderson DR (2002) Model selection and multi-model inference: a practical information-theoretic approach. Springer Verlag, New YorkCantos FJ, Tellería JL (1994) Stopover site fidelity of four migrant warblers in the Iberian Peninsula. J Avian Biol 25:131–134Carrascal LM, Palomino D (2008) Las aves comunes reproductoras en España. Población en 2004–2006. SEO/BirdLife, Madrid (in Spanish with English abstract)Carrascal LM, Weykam S, Palomino D, Lobo JM, Díaz L (2005) Atlas Virtual de las Aves Terrestres de España. http://www.vertebradosibericos.org/atlasaves.html . Accessed 16 Feb 2016Castany J (2003) El carricerín real (Acrocephalus melanopogon) en el P. N. del Prat de Cabanes-Torreblanca. Doctoral thesis. University of Valencia, Valencia (in Spanish)Castany J, López G (2006) El carricerín real en España. I Censo Nacional (2005). SEO/BirdLife, Madrid (in Spanish with English abstract)Ceresa F, Belda EJ, Kvist L, Rguibi-Idrissi H, Monrós JS (2015) Does fragmentation of wetlands affect gene flow in sympatric Acrocephalus warblers with different migration strategies? J Avian Biol 46:577–588Cooper NW, Murphy MT, Redmond LJ, Dolan AC (2009) Density-dependent age at first reproduction in the eastern kingbird. Oikos 118:413–419Delignette-Muller ML, Dutang C (2015) fitdistrplus: An R Package for fitting distributions. J Stat Softw 64:1–34. http://www.jstatsoft.org/v64/i04/ . Accessed 2 Sep 2015Frankham R, Ballou JD, Briscoe DA (2010) Introduction to conservation genetics, 2nd edn. Cambridge University Press, CambridgeHengeveld R (1994) Small step invasion research. 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Acta Ornithologica 45:51–58Lambrechts MM, Blondel J, Caizergues A, Dias PC, Pradol R, Thomas DW (1999) Will estimates of lifetime recruitment of breeding offspring on small-scale study plots help us to quantify processes underlying adaptation? Oikos 86:147–151Machtans CS, Villard MA, Hannon SJ (1996) Use of riparian buffer strips as movement corridors by forest birds. Conserv Biol 10:1366–1379Nathan R, Perry G, Cronin JT, Strand AE, Cain ML (2003) Methods for estimating long-distance dispersal. Oikos 103:261–273Newton I (1992) Experiments on the limitation of bird numbers by territorial behaviour. Biol Rev 67:129–173Norberg UM (1990) Vertebrate flight, mechanics, physiology, morphology, ecology and evolution. Springer Verlag, BerlinParacuellos M, Tellería JL (2004) Factors affecting the distribution of a waterbird community: the role of habitat configuration and bird abundance. Waterbirds 27:446–453Paradis E, Baillie SR, Sutherland WJ, Gregory RD (1998) Patterns of natal and breeding dispersal in birds. J Anim Ecol 67:518–536Paradis E, Baillie SR, Sutherland WJ (2002) Modeling large-scale dispersal distances. Ecol Model 151:279–292Peirò IG (2003) Intraspecific variation in the wing shape of the long-distance migrant Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus: effects of age and distance of migration. Ardeola 50:31–37Plissner JH, Gowaty PA (1996) Patterns of natal dispersal, turnover, and dispersal costs in eastern bluebirds. Anim Behav 51:1307–1322Procházka P, Stokke BG, Jensen H, Fainová D, Bellinvia E, Fossøy F, Vikan JR, Bryja J, Soler M (2011) Low genetic differentiation among reed warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus populations across Europe. J Avian Biol 42:103–113R Core Team (2014) R: A language and environment for statistical computing. R foundation for statistical computing, ViennaRobinson WD (1999) Long-term changes in the avifauna of Barro Colorado Island, Panama, a tropical forest isolate. Conserv Biol 13:85–97SEO/BirdLife (2016a) Acrocephalus melanopogon. Anillamientos por década. http://www.anillamientoseo.org/ . Accessed 19 Feb 2016 (in Spanish)SEO/BirdLife (2016b) Acrocephalus scirpaceus. Anillamientos por década. http://www.anillamientoseo.org/ . Accessed 19 Feb 2016 (in Spanish)Shigesada N, Kawasaki K, Takeda Y (1995) Modeling stratified diffusion in biological invasions. Am Nat 146:229–251Silva JP, Phillips L, Jones W, Eldridge J, O’Hara E (2007) Life and Europe’s wetlands, restoring a vital ecosystem. Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, LuxembourgSutherland GD, Harestad AS, Price K, Lertzman KP (2000) Scaling of natal dispersal distances in terrestrial birds and mammals. Conservation ecology 4:16. http://www.consecol.org/vol4/iss1/art16 . 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Vasoresponsiveness in patients with heart failure (VASOR): protocol for a prospective observational study

BACKGROUND: Vasoplegia is a severe complication which may occur after cardiac surgery, particularly in patients with heart failure. It is a result of activation of vasodilator pathways, inactivation of vasoconstrictor pathways and the resistance to vasopressors. However, the precise etiology remains unclear. The aim of the Vasoresponsiveness in patients with heart failure (VASOR) study is to objectify and characterize the altered vasoresponsiveness in patients with h

A survey of iodine intake and thyroid volume in Dutch schoolchildren: reference values in an iodine-sufficient area and the effect of puberty

Iodine deficiency and endemic goiter have been reported in the past in The Netherlands, especially in the southeast. To evaluate iodine intake and thyroid size in Dutch schoolchildren, contrasting those living in a formerly iodine-deficient region in the east (Doetinchem) with those living in an iodine-sufficient region in the west (Amsterdam area). Cross-sectional survey of 937 Dutch schoolchildren aged 6--18 years, of whom 390 lived in the eastern and 547 in the western part of the country. Thyroid size was assessed by inspection and palpation as well as by ultrasound. Iodine intake was evaluated by questionnaires on dietary habits and by measurement of urinary iodine concentration. Eastern and western regions were similar with respect to median urinary iodine concentration (15.7 and 15.3 microg/dl, NS, Mann-Whitney U test), goiter prevalence by inspection and palpation (0.8 and 2.6%, P=0.08, chi-squared test), and thyroid volumes. The P97.5 values of thyroid volumes per age and body surface area group were all lower than the corresponding sex-specific normative WHO reference values. Iodized salt was not used by 45.7% of households. Daily bread consumption was five slices by boys and four slices by girls. Weekly milk consumption was 3 liters by boys and 2 liters by girls. Seafish was consumed once monthly. From these figures we calculated a mean daily iodine intake of 171 microg in boys and 143 microg in girls, in good agreement with the measured median urinary concentration of 16.7 microg/dl in boys and 14.5 microg/dl in girls. The sex difference in iodine excretion is fully accounted for by an extra daily consumption of one slice of bread (20 microg I) and one-seventh of a liter of milk (8.3 microg I) by boys. Thyroid volume increases with age, but a steep increase by 41% was observed in girls between 11 and 12 years, and by 55% in boys between 13 and 14 years, coinciding with peak height velocity. Girls have a larger thyroid volume at the ages of 12 and 13 years, but thyroid volume is larger in boys as of the age of 14 years. (1) Iodine deficiency disorders no longer exist in The Netherlands. (2) Bread consumption remains the main source of dietary iodine in The Netherlands; the contribution of iodized table salt and seafish is limited. (3) The earlier onset of puberty in girls renders their thyroid volume larger than in boys at the age of 12--13 years, but boys have a larger thyroid volume as of the age of 14 year

Electronic Nose Technology Fails to Sniff Out Acute Mountain Sickness.

Berendsen, Remco R., Marieke E. van Vessem, Marcel Bruins, Luc J.S.M. Teppema, Leon P.H.J. Aarts, and Bengt Kayser. Electronic nose technology fails to sniff out acute mountain sickness. High Alt Med Biol. 19:232-236, 2018. The aim of the study was to evaluate whether an electronic nose can discriminate between individuals with and without acute mountain sickness (AMS) following rapid ascent to 4554 m. We recruited recreational climbers (19 women, 82 men; age 35 ± 10 years, mean ± standard deviation [SD]) upon arrival at 4554 m (Capanna Regina Margherita, Italy) for a proof of concept study. AMS was assessed with the Lake Louise self-report score (LLSRS) and the abbreviated Environmental Symptoms Questionnaire (ESQc); scores ≥3 and ≥0.7 were considered AMS, respectively. Exhaled air was analyzed with an electronic nose (Aeonose; The eNose Company, Netherlands). The collected data were analyzed using an artificial neural network. AMS prevalence was 44% with the LLSRS (mean score of those sick 4.4 ± 1.4 [SD]) and 20% with the ESQc (1.2 ± 0.5). The electronic nose could not discriminate between AMS and no AMS (LLSRS p = 0.291; ESQc p = 0.805). The electronic nose technology utilized in this study could not discriminate between climbers with and without symptoms of AMS in the setting of an acute exposure to an altitude of 4554 m. At this stage, we cannot fully exclude that this technology per se is not able to discriminate for AMS. The quest for objective means to diagnose AMS thus continues