Using environmental DNA for detection of Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans in natural water

Rapid, early, and reliable detection of invasive pathogenic microorganisms is essential in order to either predict or delineate an outbreak, and monitor appropriate mitigation measures. The chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans is expanding in Europe, and infection with this fungus may cause massive mortality in urodelans (salamanders and newts). In this study, we designed and validated species‐specific primers and a probe for detection of B. salamandrivorans in water. In a garden pond in close proximity to the B. salamandrivorans index site in the Netherlands, B. salamandrivorans‐infected newts had been detected in 2015 and have been monitored since. In 2016 and 2017, no B. salamandrivorans was detected at this site, but in 2018 B. salamandrivorans flared up in this isolated pond which allowed validation of the technique in situ. We here present the development of an environmental DNA technique that successfully detects B. salamandrivorans DNA in natural waterbodies even at low concentrations. This technique may be further validated to play a role in B. salamandrivorans range delineation and surveillance in both natural waterbodies and in captive collections

Divergent mating preferences and nuptial coloration in sibling species of cichlid fish

Mate choice by female cichlid fish from Lake Victoria plays an important role in speciation and the maintenance of species. Females are expected to select against males that are intermediate in their phenotype during the process of speciation driven by sexual selection. To test this, we hybridized two species of cichlids that differ in male nuptial coloration. Male hybrids were intermediate in nuptial coloration compared to the parental species. Hybrids had a comparable fitness to the parental species and did not suffer from inviability, sterility, skewed sex ratios, reduced survival or reduced growth rates. Females preferred males of their own species over males of the other species. This implies that female mate preference can drive speciation. Females of one species were able to distinguish between males of their own species and hybrid males; females of the other species however, were not able to see this difference. When there is hybridization in nature, for instance when coloration becomes invisible by an increase in turbidity of the water, there would be asymmetrical selection against hybrids. An understanding of these processes is crucial in speciation research and for the maintenance of biodiversity.NWO-ALW 810.64.011 Leids Universiteits Fonds Lucie Burgers Stichting Schure-Beijerinck-Popping FondsUBL - phd migration 201

Single-species dinoflagellate cyst carbon isotope fractionation in core-Top sediments: environmental controls, CO2 dependency and proxy potential

Sedimentary bulk organic matter and various molecular organic components exhibit strong CO2-dependent carbon isotope fractionation relative to dissolved inorganic carbon sources. This fractionation (p) has been employed as a proxy for paleo-pCO2. Yet, culture experiments indicate that CO2-dependent p is highly specific at genus and even species level, potentially hampering the use of bulk organic matter and non-species-specific organic compounds. In recent years, significant progress has been made towards a CO2 proxy using controlled growth experiments with dinoflagellate species, also showing highly species-specific p values. These values were, however, based on motile specimens, and it remains unknown whether these relations also hold for the organic-walled resting cysts (dinocysts) produced by these dinoflagellate species in their natural environment. We here analyze dinocysts isolated from core tops from the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea, representing several species (Spiniferites elongatus, S. (cf.) ramosus, S. mirabilis, Operculodinium centrocarpum sensu Wall and Dale (1966) (hereafter referred to as O. centrocarpum) and Impagidinium aculeatum) using laser ablation-nano-combustion-gas-chromatography-isotope ratio mass spectrometry (LA/nC/GC-IRMS). We find that the dinocysts produced in the natural environment are all appreciably more 13C-depleted compared to the cultured motile dinoflagellate cells, implying higher overall p values, and, moreover, exhibit large isotope variability. Where several species could be analyzed from a single location, we often record significant differences in isotopic variance and offsets in mean 13C values between species, highlighting the importance of single-species carbon isotope analyses. The most geographically expanded dataset, based on O. centrocarpum, shows that p correlates significantly with various environmental parameters. Importantly, O. centrocarpum shows a CO2-dependent p above g1/4g€¯240g€¯μatm pCO2. Similar to other marine autotrophs, relative insensitivity at low pCO2 is in line with active carbon-concentrating mechanisms at low pCO2, although we here cannot fully exclude that we partly underestimated p sensitivity at low pCO2 values due to the relatively sparse sampling in that range. Finally, we use the relation between p and pCO2 in O. centrocarpum to propose a first pCO2 proxy based on a single dinocyst species

The implementation of quality management systems in hospitals: a comparison between three countries

BACKGROUND: Is the implementation of Quality Management (QM) in health care proceeding satisfactorily and can national health care policies influence the implementation process? Policymakers and researchers in a country need to know the answer to this question. Cross country comparisons can reveal whether sufficient progress is being made and how this can be stimulated. The objective of the study was to investigate agreement and disparities in the implementation of QMS between The Netherlands, Hungary and Finland with respect to the evaluation model used and the national policy strategy of the three countries. METHODS: The study has a cross sectional design, based on measurements in 2000. Empirical data about QM-activities in hospitals were gathered by a self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaires were answered by the directors of the hospitals or the quality coordinators. The analyses are based on data from 101 hospitals in the Netherlands, 116 hospitals in Hungary and 59 hospitals in Finland. Outcome measures are the developmental stage of the Quality Management System (QMS), the development within five focal areas, and distinct QM-activities which were listed in the questionnaire. RESULTS: A mean of 22 QM-activities per hospital was found in the Netherlands and Finland versus 20 QM-activities in Hungarian hospitals. Only a small number of hospitals has already implemented a QMS (4% in The Netherlands,0% in Hungary and 3% in Finland). More hospitals in the Netherlands are concentrating on quality documents, whereas Finnish hospitals are concentrating on training in QM and guidelines. Cyclic quality improvement activities have been developed in the three countries, but in most hospitals the results were not used for improvements. All three countries pay hardly any attention to patient participation. CONCLUSION: The study demonstrates that the implementation of QM-activities can be measured at national level and that differences between countries can be assessed. The hypothesis that governmental legislation or financial reimbursement can stimulate the implementation of QM-activities, more than voluntary recommendations, could not be confirmed. However, the results show that specific obligations can stimulate the implementation of QM-activities more than general, framework legislation

Perceived family functioning and friendship quality: cross-sectional associations with physical activity and sedentary behaviours.

This study examined the association of adolescent-reported family functioning and friendship quality with objectively-measured moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA), sedentary time, and self-reported sedentary behaviours.The work of Andrew J Atkin, Kirsten Corder, and Esther M F van Sluijs was supported, wholly or in part, by the Centre for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR), a UKCRC Public Health Research Centre of Excellence (RES-590-28-0002). Funding from the British Heart Foundation, Department of Health, Economic and Social Research Council, Medical Research Council, and the Wellcome Trust, under the auspices of the UK Clinical Research Collaboration, is gratefully acknowledged. The work of Esther M F van Sluijs, Kirsten Corder, Ulf Ekelund and Soren Brage was supported by the Medical Research Council (MC_UU_12015/7, MC_UU_12015/3). The ROOTS data collection was supported by a programme grant to Ian Goodyer (074296/Z/04/Z) from the Wellcome Trust and by the Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit and Medical Research Council Human Nutrition Research.This is the final version of the article. It first appeared at http://www.ijbnpa.org/content/12/1/2

The association of the Mediterranean diet with heart failure risk in a Dutch population

Background and aims: It is still unclear whether a healthy diet can prevent heart failure (HF). Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the association between adherence to a Mediterranean-style diet, reflected by modified Mediterranean Diet Scores (mMDS), and the incidence of HF in men and women. / Methods and results: This observational study comprised 9316 men and 27,645 women from the EPIC-NL cohort free from cardiovascular disease at baseline. Dietary intakes were assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire. mMDS was calculated using a 9-point scale based on consumption of vegetables, legumes, fruit, nuts, seeds, grains, fish, fat ratio, dairy, meat and alcohol. HF events were ascertained by linkage to nation-wide registries. Multivariable Hazard Ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated by Cox proportional hazards regression models. Over a median follow-up of 15 years (IQR 14–16), 633 HF events occurred: 144 in men (1.5%) and 489 in women (1.8%). The median mMDS was 4 (IQR 3–5). There was significant effect modification by sex (P-value for interaction <0.001), therefore results are stratified for men and women. For men, a higher mMDS associated with lower HF risk (HR: 0.88; 95% CI: 0.79, 0.98 per point increase in mMDS; HR upper category: 0.53; 95% CI: 0.33, 0.86), whereas no association was found in women (HR: 0.98; 95% CI: 0.93, 1.04 per point increase; HR upper category: 1.07; 95% CI: 0.83, 1.36). / Conclusion: Adherence to a Mediterranean-style diet may reduce HF risk, particularly in men. The underlying reasons for the differences in findings between men and women need further study

Cardiorespiratory fitness is associated with hard and light intensity physical activity but not time spent sedentary in 10–14 year old schoolchildren: the HAPPY study

Sedentary behaviour is a major risk factor for developing chronic diseases and is associated with low cardiorespiratory fitness in adults. It remains unclear how sedentary behaviour and different physical activity subcomponents are related to cardiorespiratory fitness in children. The purpose of this study was to assess how sedentary behaviour and different physical activity subcomponents are associated with 10–14 year-old schoolchildren's cardiorespiratory fitness

Instability of Acylcarnitines in Stored Dried Blood Spots:The Impact on Retrospective Analysis of Biomarkers for Inborn Errors of Metabolism

Stored dried blood spots (DBS) can provide valuable samples for the retrospective diagnosis of inborn errors of metabolism, and for validation studies for newborn blood spot screening programs. Acylcarnitine species are subject to degradation upon long-term storage at room temperature, but limited data are available on the stability in original samples and the impact on acylcarnitine ratios. We analysed complete acylcarnitine profiles by flow-injection tandem mass spectrometry in 598 anonymous DBS stored from 2013 to 2017, at +4 degrees C during the first year and thereafter at room temperature. The concentrations of C2-, C3-, C4-, C5-, C6-, C8-, C10:1-, C10-, C12:1-, C12-, C14:1-, C14-, C16:1-, C16-, C18:2-, C18:1-, C18-, C5OH+C4DC-, C18:1OH-, and C16DC-carnitine decreased significantly, whereas a positive trend was found for free carnitine. Only the C4/C8-, C8/C10-, C14:1/C10- and C14:1/C16-carnitine ratios appeared robust for the metabolite instability. The metabolite instability may provoke the wrong interpretation of test results in the case of retrospective studies and risk the inaccurate estimation of cut-off targets in validation studies when only stored control DBS are used. We recommend including control DBS in diagnostic, retrospective cohort studies, and, for validation studies, we recommend using fresh samples and repeatedly re-evaluating cut-off targets

Intellectual and motor development of young adults with congenital hypothyroidism diagnosed by neonatal screening

Contains fulltext : 35756.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)CONTEXT: Long-term follow-up data on cognitive and motor functioning in adult patients with congenital hypothyroidism, diagnosed by neonatal screening, are scarce. Hence, it is still unclear whether the frequently reported cognitive and motor deficits observed during childhood persist in adulthood. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to examine cognitive and motor functioning in young adults with congenital hypothyroidism, born in the first 2 yr after the introduction of the Dutch neonatal screening program. DESIGN/SETTING/PATIENTS: Seventy patients were tested (mean age, 21.5 yr); 49 of them were previously tested at 9.5 yr. The median age at the start of treatment was 28 d (range, 4-293 d). Congenital hypothyroidism was classified as severe, moderate, or mild, according to pretreatment T(4) concentrations. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENT: The main outcome measurement was the influence of the severity of congenital hypothyroidism and age at which T(4) supplementation was started on cognitive and motor outcome. RESULTS: Patients, particularly those with severe congenital hypothyroidism, had significantly higher (i.e. worse) motor scores (total score, 7.8; ball skills, 2.0; balance, 4.1) compared with controls (total score, 3.2; ball skills, 0.7; balance, 1.1), and lower full-scale (95.8), verbal (96.4), and performance (95.6) intelligence quotient (IQ) scores than the normal population. No significant change in IQ from childhood to adulthood was found, and for the majority of patients, motor score classification remained the same. The severity of congenital hypothyroidism, but not the starting day of treatment, was correlated with IQ and motor scores. CONCLUSIONS: It is concluded that the severity of congenital hypothyroidism, but not the timing of treatment initiation, is an important factor determining long-term cognitive and motor outcome. Clearly, detrimental effects on developmental outcome in patients with congenital hypothyroidism persist over time

The diet-body offset in human nitrogen isotopic values: a controlled dietary study

The ‘trophic level enrichment’ between diet and body results in an overall increase in nitrogen isotopic values as the food chain is ascended. Quantifying the diet–body Δ15N spacing has proved difficult, particularly for humans. The value is usually assumed to be +3-5‰ in the archaeological literature. We report here the first (to our knowledge) data from humans on isotopically known diets, comparing dietary intake and a body tissue sample, that of red blood cells. Samples were taken from 11 subjects on controlled diets for a 30-d period, where the controlled diets were designed to match each individual’s habitual diet, thus reducing problems with short-term changes in diet causing isotopic changes in the body pool. The Δ15Ndiet-RBC was measured as +3.5‰. Using measured offsets from other studies, we estimate the human Δ15Ndiet-keratin as +5.0-5.3‰, which is in good agreement with values derived from the two other studies using individual diet records. We also estimate a value for Δ15Ndiet-collagen of ≈6‰, again in combination with measured offsets from other studies. This value is larger than usually assumed in palaeodietary studies, which suggests that the proportion of animal protein in prehistoric human diet may have often been overestimated in isotopic studies of palaeodiet