Aggerriley7772

We investigated the effects of host sex and flea phenology (estimated as periods of high versus low abundance) on individual body size in four fleas of small mammals. Amalaraeus penicilliger and Ctenophthalmus uncinatus are ectoparasites of the bank vole Myodes glareolus, whereas Doratopsylla dasycnema and Palaeopsylla soricis are ectoparasites of the common shrew Sorex araneus. We found significant effects of host sex and phenology on the body size of all flea species, although there was no general trend in the directions of these effects. Larger A. penicilliger were found on female hosts, whereas larger P. soricis were found on male hosts. In the remaining species, larger fleas were collected from male hosts during periods of high abundance (male C. uncinatus and female D. dasycnema) and from female hosts during periods of low abundance (male C. uncinatus). Regarding phenology, larger fleas were recorded during periods of either high (A. penicilliger, C. uncinatus, D. dasycnema) or low (C. uncinatus, P. soricis) abundance, but this depended on flea and/or host sex. We conclude that the directions of the host sex and phenology effects varied between flea species. click here Furthermore, the direction of the host sex effect was mediated by the effect of phenology and vice versa.

Injection devices for administration of biopharmaceuticals enable subcutaneous self-administration by patients. To meet patient specific capabilities, injection forces need to be characterized. We address the open question of whether tissue resistance significantly contributes to overall injection forces, especially for large injection volumes.

Subcutaneous tissue resistance was systematically quantified for injection volumes up to 11mL depending on viscosity (1-20mPa·s) and injection rates (0.025-0.2mL/s) using Göttingen Minipigs as the animal model. The contribution of an artificially applied external force at the injection site simulating autoinjector needle cover depression was tested between 2.5-7.5N.

Tissue resistance reached average values of ~120mbar for injection volumes up to 11mL independent of viscosity and injection rate, and maximum values of 300mbar were determined. Artificially applied external forces led to higher values, independent of the absolute applied force - maximum values of 1bar were obtained when injecting 4.5mL of the 20mPa·s solution at an injection rate of 0.1mL/s with the application of an artificial 5N force, corresponding to ~450mbar. All conditions yield defined injection sites suggesting tissue resistance is defined by mechanical properties of the subcutaneous tissue.

We set our results in relation to overall injection forces, concluding that maximum values in tissue resistance may cause challenges during subcutaneous injection when using injection devices. Graphical abstract.

We set our results in relation to overall injection forces, concluding that maximum values in tissue resistance may cause challenges during subcutaneous injection when using injection devices. Graphical abstract.The receptor-activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL) and its specific receptor RANK have essential roles in regulating bone metabolism and the immune system. Besides, the RANKL/RANK system plays important roles in multiple physiological and pathophysiological processes such as mammary gland development during pregnancy, cancer development, and bone metastasis. While it has long been known that RANKL and RANK are expressed in the central nervous system (CNS), the physiological roles of RANKL/RANK system in the CNS and the underlying molecular mechanisms have been elucidated recently. Over the last decade, several reports showed that the central RANKL/RANK system plays important roles in regulating body temperature, brain ischemia, autoimmune encephalopathy, feeding behavior, and energy metabolism. In this review, it is provided an updated information regarding the roles of RANKL/RANK system in the CNS.

Bone loss in end stage renal disease (ESRD) patients associates with fractures, vascular calcification, cardiovascular disease (CVD) and increased mortality. We investigated factors associated with changes of bone mineral density (ΔBMD) during the initial year on dialysis therapy and associations of ΔBMD with subsequent mortality in ESRD patients initiating dialysis.

In 242 ESRD patients (median age 55years, 61% men) starting dialysis with peritoneal dialysis (PD; n = 138) or hemodialysis (HD; n = 104), whole-body dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), body composition, nutritional status and circulating biomarkers were assessed at baseline and 1year after dialysis start. We used multivariate linear regression analysis to determine factors associated with ΔBMD, and fine and gray competing risk analysis to determine associations of ΔBMD with subsequent mortality risk.

BMD decreased significantly in HD patients (significant reductions of BMD

and BMD

) but not in PD patients. HD compared to PD therapy associated with negative changes in BMD

, BMD

, BMD

and BMD

. Better preservation of BMD associated with significantly lower all-cause mortality for ΔBMD

(sub-hazard ratio, sHR, 0.91), ΔBMD

(sHR 0.91) and ΔBMD

(sHR 0.92), while only ΔBMD

(sHR 0.92) had a beneficial effect on CVD-mortality.

PD had beneficial effect compared with HD on BMD changes during first year of dialysis therapy. Better preservation of BMD, especially in bone sites rich in cortical bone, associated with lower subsequent mortality. BMD in cortical bone may have stronger association with clinical outcome than BMD in trabecular bone.

PD had beneficial effect compared with HD on BMD changes during first year of dialysis therapy. Better preservation of BMD, especially in bone sites rich in cortical bone, associated with lower subsequent mortality. BMD in cortical bone may have stronger association with clinical outcome than BMD in trabecular bone.

Bile duct injury and vasculobiliary injury are possible complications during laparoscopic cholecystectomy which can lead to increased morbidity, mortality, costs of hospitalization and litigation. Proper documentation of the critical view of safety and safe plane of dissection may play a crucial role for archivization, teaching and medicolegal purposes.

The study group consisted of 100 patients with symptomatic cholecystolithiasis qualified for laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The critical view of safety was documented on two photographs and safe plain of dissection obtained with laparoscopic ultrasound was documented on one photograph as well as the whole procedure was recorded. The photographs were printed in the operating theatre and videos were stored on an external hard drive.

The mean time to obtain and analyse photographs was significantly shorter than video, and the size of the stored data was significantly smaller for photographs than videos. The cost of one documentation procedure was significantly lower for video than photographs.