Ringbay1436

PURPOSE Endometriosis is recognized as a steroid hormone-dependent disorder. However, controversies exist regarding the status of the steroid hormone receptor expression in endometriotic tissues. The purpose of this study was to determine the ontogeny of cellular changes in the expression of estrogen receptors (ERα, ERβ), G protein-coupled estrogen receptor 1 (GPER1), and progesterone receptors (PRs) in endometriosis using a mouse model. METHODS We used the autologous uterine tissue transfer mouse model and studied the mRNA and protein expression of ERα, ERβ, GPER1, and PR in ectopic lesions at 2, 4, and 8 weeks of induction of endometriosis. RESULT As compared to endometrium of controls, in the ectopic endometrium, ERα is reduced while ERβ was elevated in stromal cells; however, Gper1 and PR levels are reduced in both stromal and epithelial cells in a time-specific manner. There is a high inter-animal variation in the levels of these receptors in ectopic endometrium as compared to controls; the levels also varied by almost 100-fold within the same lesion resulting in "micro-heterogeneity." The expression of all these receptors also deferred between two lesions from the same animal. CONCLUSION In the endometriotic tissue, there is extensive inter-animal and intra-lesion heterogeneity in the expression of ERα, ERβ, GPER1, and PR. These changes are not due to the influence of the peritoneal environment but appear to be tissue intrinsic. We propose that the variable outcomes in hormonal therapy for endometriosis could be possibly due to heterogeneity in the expression of steroid hormone receptors in the ectopic endometrium.Large herbivores play key roles in terrestrial ecosystems. Continuous defaunation processes have produced cascade effects on plant community composition, vegetation structure, and even climate. Wood-pastures were created by traditional management practices that have maintained open structures and biodiversity for millennia. In Europe, despite the broad recognition of their biological importance, such landscapes are declining due to land-use changes. This calls for finding urgent solutions for wood-pasture conservation. To test whether introducing an ecological replacement of an extinct wild horse could have positive effects on wood-pasture restoration, we designed a 3-year rewilding experiment. check details Horses created a more open wood-pasture structure by browsing on seedlings and saplings, affected tree composition via selective browsing and controlled the colonization of woody vegetation in grassland-dominated areas. Thus, rewilding could be a potential avenue for wood-pasture restoration and biodiversity conservation. However, such benefits may not materialize without a necessary paradigm and political shift.Analysing the drivers of deforestation and forest degradation in conservation landscapes can provide crucial information for conservation management. While rates of forest loss can be measured through remote sensing, on the ground information is needed to confirm the commodities and actors behind deforestation. We administered a questionnaire to Wildlife Conservation Society's landscape managers to assess the deforestation drivers in 28 tropical conservation landscapes. Commercial and subsistence agriculture were the main drivers of deforestation, followed by settlement expansion and infrastructure development. Rice, rubber, cassava and maize were the crops most frequently cited as drivers of deforestation in these emblematic conservation landscapes. Landscape managers expected deforestation trends to continue at similar or greater magnitude in the future, calling for urgent measures to mitigate these trends.The 2015-2016 El Niño had large impacts globally. The effects were not as great as anticipated in Kenya, however, leading some commentators to call it a 'non-event'. Our study uses a novel combination of participatory Climate Vulnerability and Capacity Analysis tools, and new and existing social and biophysical data, to analyse vulnerability to, and the multidimensional impacts of, the 2015-2016 El Niño episode in southern coastal Kenya. Using a social-ecological systems lens and a unique dataset, our study reveals impacts overlooked by conventional analysis. We show how El Niño stressors interact with and amplify existing vulnerabilities to differentially impact local ecosystems and people. The policy significance of this finding is that the development of specific national capacities to deal with El Niño events is insufficient; it will be necessary to also address local vulnerabilities to everyday and recurrent stressors and shocks to build resilience to the effects of El Niño and other extremes in climate and weather.BACKGROUND Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become a major health concern. Focal fat deposition frequently seems to involve segment IV b. This indicates a consistent pattern of fat deposition in the liver. The present study evaluates the pattern of fat distribution in the liver using computed tomogram (CT) attenuation index. METHODS Two radiologists evaluated 517 non-contrast CT scan images of the abdomen and pelvis. Two 40-mm2 regions of interest (ROIs) were selected from each segment. The hepatic segmental densities (HSDs) were obtained by calculating the mean densities of areas of corresponding liver segments. The mean hepatic attenuation (MHA) was quantified by obtaining the mean segmental densities. Densities were compared between the segments and with the MHA. RESULTS The mean age (SD) of the patients was 55.5 year (15.6), and 276 (53.4%) were males. The overall mean hepatic density was 53.05 (95% CI, 52.95-53.15) Hounsfield units (HU). The lowest mean HSD was observed in segment IV b and the highest mean HSD was observed in segment V. Segments I, IV a and IV b showed significantly lower mean HSDs and segments V, VI and VIII showed significantly higher mean HSDs compared with the overall mean MHA/mean hepatic density (MHD), whereas mean HSDs of segments II, III and VII were not significantly different from the overall mean MHA/MHD. CONCLUSION Segment IV b seems to be the most vulnerable site for fat deposition; focal lesions here should be carefully evaluated. Segments II, III and VII seem to closely represent MHD.