Chaseborregaard8819

Patterns of insect diversity along elevational gradients are well described in ecology. However, it remains little tested how variation in the quantity, quality, and diversity of food resources influence these patterns. Here we analyzed the direct and indirect effects of climate, food quantity (estimated by net primary productivity), quality (variation in the specific leaf area index, leaf nitrogen to phosphorus and leaf carbon to nitrogen ratio), and food diversity (diversity of leaf traits) on the species richness of phytophagous beetles along the broad elevation and land use gradients of Mt. Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. We sampled beetles at 65 study sites located in both natural and anthropogenic habitats, ranging from 866 to 4,550 m asl. We used path analysis to unravel the direct and indirect effects of predictor variables on species richness. In total, 3,154 phytophagous beetles representing 19 families and 304 morphospecies were collected. We found that the species richness of phytophagous beetles was bimodally distributed along the elevation gradient with peaks at the lowest (˜866 m asl) and upper mid-elevations (˜3,200 m asl) and sharply declined at higher elevations. Path analysis revealed temperature- and climate-driven changes in primary productivity and leaf trait diversity to be the best predictors of changes in the species richness of phytophagous beetles. Species richness increased with increases in mean annual temperature, primary productivity, and with increases in the diversity of leaf traits of local ecosystems. Our study demonstrates that, apart from temperature, the quantity and diversity of food resources play a major role in shaping diversity gradients of phytophagous insects. Drivers of global change, leading to a change of leaf traits and causing reductions in plant diversity and productivity, may consequently reduce the diversity of herbivore assemblages.Reider and Schmidt (2020) brought rightful attention to the significant impact that Vicuña (Vicugna vicugna mensalis) communal dung piles have on high-altitude, plant communities in the Peruvian Andes. They recognized that such dung piles are most likely long lasting when site-specific deposit of nutrients accelerates plant growth in an otherwise nutrient deficient arid-alpine ecosystem. They made an important discovery in that dung piles were made by Vicuñas pioneering newly available alpine habitat due to recent glacial retreat. They also presented an original Vicuña Gardening Hypothesis stating, "By creating and maintaining latrines, vicuñas may be essentially creating resource patches, 'gardens,' that facilitate their movement through the barren, high-Andean landscape." Here I propose an alternative hypothesis for Vicuña dung piles based upon spatial orientation, as documented by pertinent questions.

Our aim was to explore the significance of serum prolidase enzyme activity and oxidative stress in women with unexplained infertility (UEI).

In this case-control study (n=160; 86 cases; 74 controls) prolidase enzyme activity and total antioxidant status (TAS), total oxidant status (TOS), oxidative stress index (OSI), and vitamin E were measured in plasma using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays.

Prolidase enzyme activity and TAS levels were particularly higher in the patient group (P=0.013, P=0.001, respectively). Decreased OSI levels were detected in the patient group (P=0.001). There was a positive relationship of prolidase with vitamin E in both patient and control groups (r=0.892, P=0.001, and r=0.659, P=0.001, respectively). A positive, but weak, relationship was identified between prolidase activity and TOS levels and also between vitamin E and TOS levels in the UEI group (r=0.265, P=0.049, and r=0.288, P=0.014, respectively). No association was found between prolidase and TOS levels or between vitamin E and TOS levels in the control group (r=0.0097, P=0.527, and r=0.085, P=0.610, respectively).

Our results showed an association between serum prolidase activity and oxidative stress in UEI patients. Further studies including greater groups are required to show the role of reactive oxygen species in UEI.

Our results showed an association between serum prolidase activity and oxidative stress in UEI patients. Further studies including greater groups are required to show the role of reactive oxygen species in UEI.

Toenail onychomycosis is a frequent fungal infection that is difficult to treat, especially in elderly patients. Diverse local and systemic antifungal treatments are available with variable results. Recently, different laser systems have been proposed for the treatment of onychomycosis, among them a class IV laser system adopting three different wavelengths, that is, 650, 810, and 915nm (K-Laser Cube 3TM).

This prospective pilot study aims to clarify the clinical, histopathologic, and cultural mycological efficacy of the combination of a triple wavelength laser system and local mechanical abrasion in the treatment of toenail onychomycosis.

Eight treatment sessions were performed involving a mechanical drill of the friable nail material followed by the laser treatment with four 2-minute cycles per nail with a median power of 3W providing 240J each. Clinical exam, mycological culture, and histopathology with PAS staining of nail clips were performed at the beginning and the end of the treatment period.

Nine patients with 16 clinically involved nails were included in this study (median age 55.6). Clinical improvement was noted in eight patients (89%) at the end of the treatment cycles. Initial positive cultures could be reduced from six (67%) to two (22%), P=0.07, while histopathologic examination by PAS staining remained invariable positive in all patients (100%).

Despite clinical improvement, the combination of this laser treatment and mechanical abrasion could not reduce the fungal infection rate in affected toenails. Additional local or systemic antimycotic agents should be combined in order to avoid expected clinical recurrences.

Despite clinical improvement, the combination of this laser treatment and mechanical abrasion could not reduce the fungal infection rate in affected toenails. Additional local or systemic antimycotic agents should be combined in order to avoid expected clinical recurrences.Despite improved survival rates, cancer remains one of the most common causes of childhood death. The International Cancer Benchmarking Partnership (ICBP) showed variation in cancer survival for adults. We aimed to assess and compare trends over time in cancer mortality between children, adolescents and young adults (AYAs) and adults in the six countries involved in the ICBP UK, Denmark, Australia, Canada, Norway and Sweden. Trends in mortality between 2001 and 2015 in the six original ICBP countries were examined. Age standardized mortality rates (ASR per million) were calculated for all cancers, leukaemia, malignant and benign CNS tumours, and non-CNS solid tumours. ASRs were reported for children (age 0-14 years), AYAs aged 15-39 years, and adults aged 40 years and above. Average annual percentage change (AAPC) in mortality rates per country were estimated using Joinpoint regression. For all cancers combined, significant temporal reductions were observed in all countries and all age groups. However, the overall AAPC was greater for children (-2.9; 95% CI -4.0 to -1.7) compared to AYAs (-1.8; -2.1 to -1.5) and adults aged>40 years (-1.5; -1.6 to -1.4). This pattern was mirrored for leukaemia, CNS tumours and non-CNS solid tumours, with the difference being most pronounced for leukaemia AAPC for children -4.6 (-6.1 to -3.1) vs AYAs -3.2 (-4.2 to -2.1) and over 40s -1.1 (-1.3 to -0.8). selleck chemicals AAPCs varied between countries in children for all cancers except leukaemia, and in adults over 40 for all cancers combined, but not in subgroups. Improvements in cancer mortality rates in ICBP countries have been most marked among children aged 0-14s in comparison to 15-39 and over 40 year olds. This may reflect better care, including centralised service provision, treatment protocols and higher trial recruitment rates in children compared to older patients. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

To determine the prevalence of headache, review variables believed to be associated, and assess distress levels in pregnant women.

This is a cross-sectional study conducted on pregnant women who presented to a Training and Research Hospital in Sakarya, Turkey from June 1, 2020 to December 1, 2020. The study group consisted of 600 pregnant women who agreed to take part in the study. Chi-squared test and logistic regression analysis were used to analyze the data. Statistical significance level was accepted as P value of 0.05 or less.

The ages of pregnant women ranged from 19 to 44years with a mean age of 29.01±5.27years. Prevalence of headache during pregnancy was found to be 55.7% (n=334). The number of pregnant women at of distress was found to be 144 (24.0%). There was no difference between women with and without headache and between severity of headache and prevalence of distress (P>0.05 for each).

Headache is an important health issue in pregnant women. There was no relationship between the presence and severity of headache and distress level.

Headache is an important health issue in pregnant women. There was no relationship between the presence and severity of headache and distress level.Ipilimumab was the first treatment that improved survival in advanced melanoma. Efficacy and toxicity in a real-world setting may differ from clinical trials, due to more liberal eligibility criteria and less intensive monitoring. Moreover, high costs and lack of biomarkers have raised cost-benefit concerns about ipilimumab in national healthcare systems and limited its use. Here, we report the prospective, interventional study, Ipi4 (NCT02068196), which aimed to investigate the toxicity and efficacy of ipilimumab in a real-world population with advanced melanoma. This national, multicentre, phase IV trial included 151 patients. Patients received ipilimumab 3 mg/kg intravenously and were followed for at least 5 years or until death. Treatment interruption or cessation occurred in 38%, most frequently due to disease progression (19%). Treatment-associated grade 3 to 4 toxicity was observed in 28% of patients, and immune-related toxicity in 56%. The overall response rate was 9%. Median overall survival was 12.1 months (95% CI 8.3-15.9); and progression-free survival 2.7 months (95% CI 2.6-2.8). After 5 years, 20% of patients were alive. In a landmark analysis from 6 months, improved survival was associated with objective response (HR 0.16, P = .001) and stable disease (HR 0.49, P = .005) compared to progressive disease. Poor performance status, elevated lactate dehydrogenase and C-reactive protein were identified as biomarkers. This prospective trial represents the longest reported follow-up of a real-world melanoma population treated with ipilimumab. Results indicate safety and efficacy comparable to phase III trials and suggest that the use of ipilimumab can be based on current cost-benefit estimates.Species assemblages often have a non-random nested organization, which in vertebrate scavenger (carrion-consuming) assemblages is thought to be driven by facilitation in competitive environments. However, not all scavenger species play the same role in maintaining assemblage structure, as some species are obligate scavengers (i.e., vultures) and others are facultative, scavenging opportunistically. We used a database with 177 vertebrate scavenger species from 53 assemblages in 22 countries across five continents to identify which functional traits of scavenger species are key to maintaining the scavenging network structure. We used network analyses to relate ten traits hypothesized to affect assemblage structure with the 'role' of each species in the scavenging assemblage in which it appeared. We characterized the role of a species in terms of both the proportion of monitored carcasses on which that species scavenged, or scavenging breadth (i.e., the species 'normalized degree'), and the role of that species in the nested structure of the assemblage (i.