Equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) have become essential considerations in different academic fields in recent years, attracting an increasing number of voices and perspectives from different groups. While recent contributions have shed light on the barriers faced by some groups, the concept of EDI and implementation of solutions are still in their infancy in ecology and evolution. There is a clear lack of an intersectionality framework that is more inclusive of the global diversity of researchers. As researchers in ecology and evolution from the Global South and Global North with different backgrounds, we recognize the need to present a global view of EDI in order to highlight the role of intersectionality where researchers from Global South are not only impeded by discrimination, but also by other cultural, linguistic, and socioeconomic factors that affect their level of training, ultimately reducing their likelihood of reaching leadership positions. We present a simple model of intersectionality that explains the main drivers of the variation in academic success among researchers, and highlight that most of the variation is determined by factors that individuals have no control over (e.g. place of birth, gender, ethnicity). We recommend measures to increase the representation of the global diversity in the field of ecology and evolution in order to collectively solve global societal and environmental issues.

22 q 11.2 deletion syndrome is a genetic disease associated with a high rate of various psychiatric disorders in addition to multiple physical diseases. This case report suggested that a multidisciplinary team approach is important for perioperative management of patient with 22 q 11.2 deletion syndrome.

An infected tooth that may be deemed unrestorable and may be salvaged by atraumatic removal, an in-hand apicoectomy and retrograde seal, then replantation. Extraction, placing an apical seal and replantation of teeth is not new, nonetheless, clinicians may need to be reminded of this procedure.

Mechanical clinching is an ef- ficient join- ing tech- nique fre- quently used in the au- tomotive industry to join sub- assemblies of the car body. Dur- ing me- chanical clinching, the ma- terial in the joint is cold worked altering the cyclic material proper- ties and affecting the per- formance of the joint under cyclic loading. The pa- per presents an approach for fatigue life es- timation of clinched joints us- ing the Local Strain Approach. Numer- ical sim- ulation is utilized to retrieve local stresses and strains in the crit- ical re- gion. Ex- perimen- tal inves- tigation is presented to vali- date the crack ini- tiation lo- cation and an assess- ment of the fa- tigue life estima- tion is car- ried out.

Periprocedural venous thromboembolisms (VTEs) area rare occurrence but a critical complication after catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF) .here we report a 39 year old gentleman treated for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation with catheter cryoablation ,while was compliant to anticoagulation with DOAC dabigatran . one week later he developed acute PE

Background: Endometrial ablation (EA) is a less invasive treatment alternative to hysterectomy for heavy menstrual bleeding, but which ablation technique works best remains unknown. Objectives: A systematic review and network meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy of different first and second generation EA techniques. Search strategy: A systematic search of online databases from inception. Selection criteria: Randomised controlled trials of EA techniques. Data Collection and Analysis: Primary outcomes (amenorrhoea rate and patient satisfaction rate at short (up to 12 months), intermediate (between 12 months and 5 years), and long term (5 years or more) follow-up) and secondary outcomes (re-intervention rate) were compared between first and second generation EA techniques. Treatment effects of different second generation EA techniques were compared. Main results: Comparing first versus second generation EA, there was no significant difference in amenorrhoea rates at short (OR 1.27, 95%CI 0.83-1.95), intermediate (OR 0.79, 95%CI 0.48-1.30), or long term (OR 1.39, 95%CI 0.94-2.07) follow-up. This was the same with patient satisfaction rates at short (OR 0.76, 95%CI 0.53-1.09), intermediate (OR 0.76, 95%CI 0.47-1.23), and long term (OR 0.68, 95%CI 0.31-1.51) follow-up. No difference in re-intervention rates was demonstrated. Highest amenorrhoea rate was achieved with bipolar radiofrequency, followed by hydrothermablation, microwave and thermal balloon ablation. Conclusions: Second generation EA seem to be as effective as first generation techniques in achieving amenorrhoea, high patient satisfaction and low re-intervention rate. Bipolar radiofrequency ablation seems to be the best amongst second generation EA in achieving amenorrhoea. Funding: None Keywords: ‘endometrial ablation’, ‘menorrhagia’, ‘heavy menstrual bleeding’

Abstract

The installation of quantum chemistry software packages is commonly done manually and can be a time-consuming and complicated process. An update of the underlying Linux system requires a reinstallation in many cases and can quietly break software installed on the system. In this paper, we present an approach that allows for an easy installation of quantum chemistry software packages, which is also independent of operating system updates. The use of the Nix package manager allows building software in a reproducible manner, which allows for a reconstruction of the software for later reproduction of scientific results. The build recipes that are provided can be readily used by anyone to avoid complex installation procedures.

Objective. To determine risk and protective factors of obstetric anal sphincter injuries (OASIS). Design. A retrospective register-based observational study. Setting. Sweden. Population. A cohort of 988, 988 singleton term deliveries 2005-2016 were included. Methods. Data from the Swedish Medical Birth Registry and Statistics Sweden were extracted to identify cases of OASIS and maternal and foetal characteristics. Modified Poisson Regression analyses were performed to assess risk factors. Main outcome measures. Risk ratios for OASIS with 95% confidence interval associated with maternal and foetal risk factors were calculated. Results. The rate of OASIS was 3.5% (n=34, 583). Primiparity (aRR 3.13 95% CI 3.05–3.21), vacuum extraction (aRR 2.79 95% CI 2.73–2.86), forceps (aRR 4.27 95% CI 3.86–4.72) and high birth weight (aRR 2.61 95% CI 2.50–2.72) were associated with a significantly increased risk of OASIS. Increasing maternal age and decreasing maternal height increased the risk of OASIS. Smoking (aRR 0.74 95% CI 0.70–0.79) and low maternal education (aRR 0.87 95% CI 0.83–0.92) were associated with a decreased frequency of reported OASIS. Obesity decreased the risk of OASIS (aRR 0.90 95% CI 0.87–0.94), but only after adjusting for foetal birth weight. Previous caesarean section increased the risk of OASIS (aRR 1.41; 95% CI 1.36–1.47). Conclusion. Primiparity, instrumental delivery and high birth weight increased the risk of OASIS. Risk factors including BMI, height, age, smoking, maternal education, ethnicity and previous caesarean section also contribute to the overall risk of OASIS. Keywords. Obstetric sphincter injuries, risk factors, pregnancy.

VALERIA A. ZÚÑIGA (Orcid ID :https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9327-6588) BLANCA BAZAN-PERKINS (Orcid ID :https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1331-6349 )To the Editor,Covid-19, caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, has brought threats to public health and has caused millions of deaths to date. It is suggested that a cytokine storm in Covid-19 is associated with greater mortality and clinical deterioration, attributing severe cases to the increase of interleukin (IL) -1, tumor necrosis factor (TNF) -ɑ, interferon (IFN) -γ and IL-6.1Since the onset of the pandemic due Covid-19, evidence has indicated that vitamin D (VD) deficiency is associated with a preeminent incidence of infection2 and severity of Covid-19. As a consequence, sales of vitamin supplements have increased during the pandemic, including VD, due to its possible prophylactic or therapeutic value.3Prohormone and VD can be obtained from endogenous production prompted by ultraviolet B radiation, from supplements, and from the diet. VD has multiple regulatory effects in the human body (figure 1), since there is evidence of the presence of its receptor in different tissues.4 VD acts as a regulator of mineral homeostasis considering its effects on parathyroids, bone and intestine and has a variety of other biological functions, including immunological.5For this reason, it is possible to have effects on innate and adaptive immunity, allowing the induction of monocyte and macrophage signaling, especially on antimicrobial peptides such as cathelicidins and β-defensin 2. Likewise, VD enables the inhibition of both B and T cells, decreases IL-1, IL-6, TNF-ɑ and reduces antigen presenting cells such as dendritic cells.5 Evidence highlights that vitamin D3 generates a shift from an inflammatory T-helper (Th) 1-cell response to a pro-tolerogenic Th2 response with an arrest of cytotoxic T lymphocyte infiltration and an increase in CD4+ CD25+ T regulatory cells (Tregs).5 Hence, the possible development of atopy is suspected in people who consume VD in excess.Atopy refers to the disposition of developing an immune hyperresponsiveness against allergens and antigens, leading to CD4+ Th2 polarization and immunoglobulin E (IgE) overproduction.6 However, an increase in atopy has not been seen due to the consumption of this vitamin.Scrutinizing with the aforementioned, VD inhibits maturation, differentiation, and survival of dendritic cells. It also down-regulates major histocompatibility complex type II and costimulatory receptors CD40, CD80 and CD865, which are elevated in atopy7; hindering the interaction and activation of T cells. Moreover, B cell proliferation and differentiation, even towards IgE, is reduced.Additionally, VD induces regulatory T-lymphocytes,5the latter being able to exhort immune tolerance by enhancing the secretion of IL-10 and transforming growth factor β.7The deterioration or absence of development of an allergic or atopic disease by people who consume VD, can be explained by the action of Tregs. The latter can subdue proliferation and activation of effector Th cells, such as Th2 or Th17, and impede functions and migration of Th1, thus IFN-γ, Th2, Th9 and Th17 cells.7 Responsively, Th2 cytokines get suppressed8 by action of Tregs during atopy, including mast cells, IgE, basophils, and eosinophils,9 as shown in figure 2.Tregs have suppressive mechanisms mediated by its inhibitory cytokines and its stimulatory signals such as CTLA-4. This receptor implements an immunoregulatory function, restraining T cell response by avoiding the union of CD28 T-cell costimulatory molecule with its ligands CD80 and CD86.In conclusion, VD promotes immune homeostasis through Tregs, reducing pro-inflammatory cytokines clustering, regulating levels of anti-inflammatory cytokines and enhancing the production of antimicrobial peptides. In this way, the derivation of an atopic disease as a result of a supposed increase in Th2 lymphocytes is avoided due to the consumption of this vitamin.

We continue to study an initial boundary value problems to a model describing the evolution in time of diffusive phase interfaces in sea-ice growth. In a previous paper global existence and the long-time of behavior of weak solutions in one space was studied under Dirichlet boundary conditions. Here we show that the global existence of weak solutions and the long-time behavior are also studied under Neumann boundary condition. In this paper we study in space dimension lower than or equal to $3$.

The signaling molecular mechanisms in zebrafish response to electricity are unknown, so here we asked if changes to dopaminergic signaling pathways can affect their electrically-evoked locomotion. To answer this question, the effects of multiple selective and non-selective dopamine compounds on the electric response of zebrafish larvae is investigated. A microfluidic device with enhanced control of experimentation with multiple larvae is used, which features a novel design to immobilize four zebrafish larvae in parallel and expose them to electric current that induces tail locomotion. In 6 days post-fertilization zebrafish larvae, the electric induced locomotor response is quantified in terms of the tail movement duration and beating frequency to discern the effect of non-lethal concentrations of dopaminergic agonists (apomorphine, SKF-81297, and quinpirole), and antagonists (butaclamol, SCH-23390, and haloperidol). All dopamine antagonists decrease locomotor activity, while dopamine agonists do not induce similar behaviours in larvae. The D2- like selective dopamine agonist quinpirole enhances movement. However, exposure to non-selective and D1-selective dopamine agonists apomorphine and SKF-81297 cause no significant change in the electric response. Exposing larvae that were pre-treated with butaclamol and haloperidol to apomorphine and quinpirole, respectively, restores electric locomotion. The results demonstrate a correlation between electric response and the dopamine signalling pathway. We propose that the electrofluidic assay has profound application potential as a chemical screening method when investigating biological pathways, behaviors, and brain disorders.

Environment drives the host movements that shape pathogen transmission through three mediating processes: host density, host mobility, and contact. These processes combine with pathogen life-history to give rise to an “epidemiological landscape” that determines spatial patterns of pathogen transmission. Yet despite its central role in transmission, strategies for predicting the epidemiological landscape from real-world data remain limited. Here, we develop the epidemiological landscape as an interface between movement ecology and spatial epidemiology. We propose a movement-pathogen pace-of-life heuristic for prioritizing the landscape’s central processes by positing that spatial dynamics for fast pace-of-life pathogens are best-approximated by the spatial ecology of host contacts; spatial dynamics for slower pace-of-life pathogens are best approximated by host densities; and spatial dynamics for pathogens with environmental reservoirs reflect a convolution of those densities with the spatial configuration of environmental reservoir sites. We then identify mechanisms that underpin the epidemiological landscape and match each mechanism to emerging tools from movement ecology. Finally, we outline workflows for describing the epidemiological landscape and using it to predict subsequent patterns of pathogen transmission. Our framework links transmission to environmental context, providing a scaffold for mechanistically understanding how environmental context can generate and shift existing patterns in spatial epidemiology.

Objective: The study aimed to evaluate the indications and describe the aortic valve reconstruction techniques by Ozaki’s procedure in Vietnam and report mid-term outcomes of this technique in Vietnam. Methods: Between June 2017 and December 2019, 72 patients diagnosed with isolated aortic valve disease, with a mean age of 52.9 (19 – 79 years old), and a male:female ratio of 3:1 underwent aortic valve reconstruction surgery by Ozaki’s technique at Cardiovascular Center, E Hospital, Vietnam. Results: The aortic valve diseases consisted of aortic stenosis (42%), aortic regurgitation (28%), and a combination of both (30%). In addition, the proportion of aortic valves with bicuspid morphology and small annulus (≤ 21 mm) was 28% and 38.9%, respectively. The mean aortic cross-clamp time was 106 ± 13.8 minutes, mean cardiopulmonary bypass time was 136.7 ± 18.5 minutes, and 2.8% of all patients required conversion to prosthetic valve replacement surgery. The mean follow-up time was 26.4 months (12- 42 months), the survival rate was 95.8%, the reoperation rate was 2.8%, and rate of postoperative moderate or higher aortic valve regurgitation was 4.2%. Postoperative valvular hemodynamics was favorable, with a peak pressure gradient of 16.1 mmHg and an effective orifice area index of 2.3 cm 2. Conclusions: This procedure was safe and effective, with favorable valvular hemodynamics and a low rate of valvular degeneration. However, more long-term follow-up data are needed.

Central nervous system (CNS) relapse in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients is uncommon. The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with ALL is routinely sampled at each intrathecal chemotherapy treatment to screen for CNS relapse, which is both time-consuming and resource-intensive and must be completed approximately 30 times per patient throughout treatment. Our objective was to examine the cost-effectiveness of the routine screening on all CSF samples for CNS relapse in ALL patients, and to identify if CNS relapse can be detected clinically. We identified all patients diagnosed with ALL at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) between January 2001 and June 2021. We collected the total number of CSF samples in these patients and the number of CSF samples positive for CNS relapse. An in-depth chart review on the patients who relapsed in the CNS was completed to identify their symptoms at relapse. Over the study period, 351 patients were diagnosed with ALL and underwent a total of 6515 LPs, each of which examined a CSF sample. The cost of CSF sample analysis is $14.32, thus, the total cost for the study sample was $93,294.80. There were 14 CNS relapses and although symptoms including headache, vomiting and fatigue were common, two patients were asymptomatic at relapse. Given the marginal cost of routine CSF screening and the lack of specific and sensitive symptoms for CNS relapse, we conclude that the routine practice of sending all CSF samples for analysis of CNS relapse in ALL patients is cost-effective and beneficial.

Understanding how eco-evolutionary processes and environmental factors drive population differentiation and adaptation are key challenges in evolutionary biology of relevance for biodiversity protection. Differentiation requires at least partial reproductive separation, which may result from different modes of isolation such as geographic isolation (allopatry) or isolation by distance (IBD), resistance (IBR), and environment (IBE). Despite that multiple modes might jointly influence differentiation, studies that compare the relative contributions are scarce. Using RADseq, we analyse neutral and adaptive genetic diversity and structure in 11 pike (Esox lucius) populations along a latitudinal gradient (54.9 - 63.6°N), to investigate the relative effects of IBD, IBE and IBR, and to assess whether the effects differ between neutral and adaptive variation, or across structural levels. Patterns of neutral and adaptive variation differed, likely reflecting that they have been differently affected by stochastic and deterministic processes. The importance of the different modes of isolation differed between neutral and adaptive diversity, yet were consistent across structural levels. Neutral variation was influenced by interactions among all three modes of isolation, with IBR (seascape features) playing a central role, wheares adaptive variation was mainly influenced by IBE (environmental conditions). Taken together, this and previous studies suggest that it is common that multiple modes of isolation interactively shape patterns of genetic variation, and that their relative contributions differ among systems. To enable identification of general patterns and understand how various factors influence the relative contributions, it is important that several modes are simultaneously investigated in additional populations, species and environmental settings.

Biaxial (axial and torsional loading) static tests were performed for the first time on EN-GJS-600–3 ductile cast iron tubular specimens obtained reproducing the solidification conditions typical of thick-walled castings. The experimental results were elaborated to determine the yield and fracture loci of the material, which exhibited significant deviations from those predicted by the Von Mises and Mohr-Coulomb criteria usually adopted for steels and grey cast iron, respectively. For this purpose, several alternative criteria proposed in the technical literature, some of them specifically devised for composite materials, have been calibrated and compared to account for the peculiar mechanical properties of this natural composite material.

Omics approaches have been applied to understand the boosted productivity of natural products by industrial high-producing microorganisms. Here, with the updated genome sequence and transcriptomic profiles derived from high-throughput sequencing, we exploited comparative omics analysis to further enhance the biosynthesis of erythromycin in an industrial overproducer, Saccharopolyspora erythraea HL3168 E3. By comparing the genome of E3 with the wild type NRRL23338, we identified fragment deletions inside 56 coding sequences and 255 single nucleotide polymorphisms over the genome of E3. Substantial numbers of genomic variations were observed in genes responsible for pathways which were interconnected to the biosynthesis of erythromycin by supplying precursors/cofactors or by signal transduction. Through comparative transcriptomic analysis, L-glutamine/L-glutamate and 2-oxoglutarate were identified as reporter metabolites. Around the node of 2-oxoglutarate, genomic mutations were also observed. Furthermore, the transcriptomic data suggested that genes involved in the biosynthesis of erythromycin were significantly up-regulated constantly, whereas some genes in biosynthesis clusters of other secondary metabolites contained nonsense mutations and were expressed at extremely low levels. Based on the omics association analysis, readily available strategies were proposed to engineer E3 by simultaneously overexpressing sucB (coding for 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase E2 component) and sucA (coding for 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase E1 component), which increased the erythromycin titer by 71% compared to E3 in batch culture. This work provides more promising molecular targets to engineer for enhanced production of erythromycin by the overproducer.

Extreme environments are inhospitable to the majority of species, but some organisms are able to survive in such hostile conditions due to evolutionary adaptations. For example, modern bony fishes have colonized various aquatic environments, including perpetually dark, hypoxic, hypersaline and toxic habitats. Eurasian perch (Perca fluviatilis) is among the few fish species of northern latitudes that is able to live in extremely acidic humic lakes. Such lakes represent almost “nocturnal” environments; they contain high levels of dissolved organic matter, which in addition to creating a challenging visual environment, also affects a large number of other habitat parameters and biotic interactions. To reveal the genomic targets of humic-associated selection, we performed whole-genome sequencing of perch originating from 16 humic and 16 clear-water lakes in northern Europe. We identified over 800,000 SNPs, of which >10,000 were identified as potential candidates under selection (associated with >3,000 genes) using multiple outlier approaches. Our findings suggest that adaptation to the humic environment involves hundreds of regions scattered across the genome. Putative signals of adaptation were detected in genes and gene families with diverse functions, including organism development and ion transportation. The observed excess of variants under selection in regulatory regions highlights the importance of adaptive evolution via regulatory elements, rather than via protein sequence modification. Our study demonstrates the power of whole-genome analysis to illuminate multifaceted nature of humic adaptation and highlights the next challenge moving from high-throughput outlier identification towards functional validation of causal mutations underlying phenotypic traits of ecological and evolutionary importance.

Objective We report our experience with a transvaginal approach with overlapping AS repair. The aim of this study was to evaluate long term functional outcomes. Design Retrospective Cohort study. Setting and Population Women who had undergone AS surgery for anal incontinence from July 2005 to July 2020. were included. The patients included attended the Mercy Hospital Perineal clinic a multidisciplinary team of urogynecologists and colorectal surgeons. Private patients from the surgeons in Perineal clinic were also included. Methods Overall 107 women were included in the study with a median follow up of 57.5 months. Main Outcome Measure We analysed outcomes by comparing patients St marks score difference before and after surgery. Meaningful clinical difference (MID) was set at 5 points as per previous validation studies, complications and patient demographics were recorded along with a question if they would recommend this treatment to a friend. Results An improvement exceeding the minimal clinical difference (MID) was seen in 69.3% of women. With a marked improvement in 46.5% of patients. Furthermore 70% of our patients would recommend the procedure to a friend, if they were in a similar situation. Wound infection or perineal breakdown occurred in 45% of women but did not significantly impact on outcomes. Conclusion Transvaginal AS repair is associated with significant improvements in patients’ St. Marks score. Our data shows that the long-term success rate of transvaginal AS repair may be better than previously reported in the literature using a transvaginal approach. Funding This study received no funding or sponsorship

A new peridynamic fatigue damage-cumulative hybrid model is developed in this study, which is modeled by Kinetic Theory of Fracture(KTF) and Paris formula. The compact tension specimen and modified compact tension specimen are used to study the convergence of the fatigue crack growth path and fatigue life. Then constant amplitude cyclic loading and variable amplitude cyclic loading of the specimens are simulated. By comparing with the experimental results, the accuracy of the model is verified. Compared with the fatigue model that only uses KTF, the hybrid model predicts the fatigue crack growth rate more accurately. The model is based on the stress damage criterion in the fatigue crack initiation stage, which can be a basis for fatigue prediction and safety design of components in complex stress state in actual engineering.

A document by Samira Gholizadeh. Click on the document to view its contents.

Deferring non-emergent cardiac surgery became the strategy of choice for several international healthcare systems afflicted by high case burdens of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19) in order to both conserve valuable healthcare resources and protect patients from possible exposure. Missing from the available dataset to help guide policy development has been a clear understanding of the extent to which COVID-19 infection modulates cardiac surgery outcomes. In their investigation, Bonalumi and colleagues uncovered an inpatient COVID-19 positivity rate of almost 10 times higher than that of the general Italian population, as well as a mortality rate over 20 times higher amongst cardiac surgery patients with perioperative COVID-19 infection compared to those COVID-negative. While the summation of available evidence points to the serious consideration cardiac surgeons must give to delaying surgeries during the COVID-19 pandemic, recognition must be given to the risks that postponing cardiac surgery may have on patient outcomes. Emerging data is beginning to demonstrate the efficacy of vaccination in preventing postoperative COVID-19 infection and morbidity.

In this paper, the dynamics of Hepatitis C infectious disease model with two treatment effects are studied through the Ito Stochastic Differential Equations (SDEs). While the first treatment rate reduces the reproduction of virion, the other mitigates the new infections. Though the deterministic behaviour of the model has been extensively studied, little is known about its stochastic properties. Thus, we examine sufficient conditions for the existence and uniqueness of the ergodic stationary distribution of the model via stochastic Lyapunov approach. The existence of a unique positive solution is also studied. The numerical simulations of the SDE model are performed through the Euler-Maruyama method and compared with their deterministic counterparts. The results obtained by SDEs are found to conform to those reported through their deterministic analogues.