Tendència poblacional de la garsa (Pica pica) per al període 1994-2009 a la desembocadura del riu Millars (Castelló)

Aquesta nota mostra la tendència poblacional de la garsa (Pica pica) al llarg del kilòmetre 1 (des de la línea de costa, riu amunt) del paisatge protegit de la Desembocadura del riu Millars (Castelló), per al període comprés de 1994-2009 (16 anys). Els resultats se centren en censos realitzats a la zona mitjançant el mètode del transecte lineal duts a terme 3 o 4 vegades al mes. L’espècie se censa per primera vegada l’any 1997 i des l’aleshores mostra una tendència a l’alça sobretot a partir de 2003 i molt especialment en els dos últims (2008-2009). S’ha estabilitzat una abundància mitjana de 8,3 aus/km. Pel que fa a les correlacions amb la meteorologia, en els anys més freds presenta menor abundància que en els càlids. Els hiverns càlids podrien permetre major supervivència i, a més, major disponibilitat de recursos amb els quals assegurar un bon nombre de polls. L’espècie troba en la zona suficients recursos tròfics per sobreviure i un lloc excel·lent on lliurar-se de la pressió cinegètica.

Presencia del olmo temblón o negrillo, Ulmus laevis Pall. en Ibi (Alicante, Comunidad Valenciana)

Se ha localizado en la Rambla de la Gavarnera en Ibi, Alicante una pequeña población de Ulmus laevis Pall., que no había sido citado expresamente en localidades valencianas, ni en las floras locales, regionales, ni nacionales, en unos casos por no haberse localizado, en otros por considerar a este árbol alóctono en España. Desde hace una década un equipo de la ETSIA de Montes de la Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, viene realizando diversos proyectos y tesis doctorales que han dado como resultado la puesta en valor de esta especie, a través de su localización a nivel nacional, estudio ecológico, fisiológico y genético, que arrojan numerosas pruebas a favor de la autoctonía de esta especie en España. Según los autores de este dilatado proyecto, U. laevis habría tenido en España uno de su principales refugios cuaternarios, aunque en la actualidad se encuentre fragmentado en poblaciones dispersas, con pocos individuos y problemas para su conservación y supervivencia. No obstante esta especie ha demostrado mayores tasas de supervivencia a la enfermedad de los olmos, que otros de sus congéneres como Ulmus minor y U. glabra. En cuanto a su presencia en Alicante, son precisamente estos autores los que localizan un primer ejemplar en Ibi, al que ahora añadimos dos ejemplares más repartidos en tres puntos muy próximos y situados a lo largo de la Rambla de la Gavarnera. Este es un cauce irregular pero con nivel freático permanente, como lo atestiguan la existencia de pozos, azudes, albercas que abastecieron a los pequeños regadíos de la zona, muchos de ellos abandonados en la actualidad. Dada la rareza de esta especie a nivel nacional y la excepcionalidad de su presencia en Ibi, consideramos que el ejemplar de mayor porte merece la consideración de árbol singular para la Comunidad Valenciana y por otra parte, los otros ejemplares merecen su protección y multiplicación, para incrementar la población existente. Es necesario desarrollar un mayor esfuerzo de localización en este paraje y zonas próximas de la Comarca, para conocer su potencial distribución en la provincia y determinar un estatus de protección adecuado.

Effects of ocean warming and acidification on the early stages of marine fishes

Tese de doutoramento, Ciências do Mar, Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Ciências, 2016

Epicardial Radiofrequency Ablation Failure During Ablation Procedures for Ventricular Arrhythmias: Reasons and Implications for Outcomes.

BACKGROUND Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) from the epicardial space for ventricular arrhythmias is limited or impossible in some cases. Reasons for epicardial ablation failure and the effect on outcome have not been systematically analyzed. METHODS AND RESULTS We assessed reasons for epicardial RFA failure relative to the anatomic target area and the type of heart disease and assessed the effect of failed epicardial RFA on outcome after ablation procedures for ventricular arrhythmias in a large single-center cohort. Epicardial access was attempted during 309 ablation procedures in 277 patients and was achieved in 291 procedures (94%). Unlimited ablation in an identified target region could be performed in 181 cases (59%), limited ablation was possible in 22 cases (7%), and epicardial ablation was deemed not feasible in 88 cases (28%). Reasons for failed or limited ablation were unsuccessful epicardial access (6%), failure to identify an epicardial target (15%), proximity to a coronary artery (13%), proximity to the phrenic nerve (6%), and complications (<1%). Epicardial RFA was impeded in the majority of cases targeting the left ventricular summit region. Acute complications occurred in 9%. The risk for acute ablation failure was 8.3× higher (4.5-15.0; P<0.001) after no or limited epicardial RFA compared with unlimited RFA, and patients with unlimited epicardial RFA had better recurrence-free survival rates (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS Epicardial RFA for ventricular arrhythmias is often limited even when pericardial access is successful. Variability of success is dependent on the target area, and the presence of factors limiting ablation is associated with worse outcomes.

Increased fibrinogen levels at diagnosis are associated with adverse outcome in patients with acute myeloid leukemia

Increased plasma fibrinogen levels are associated with shortened overall survival (OS) in some solid tumor types. In contrast, the prognostic significance of varying fibrinogen levels in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) at diagnosis is unknown. In this study, we assessed the prognostic significance of fibrinogen levels in AML patients. In a comprehensive retrospective single-center study, we determined the survival rates of 375 consecutive AML patients undergoing at least one cycle of intensive chemotherapy induction treatment. Patients were dichotomized between low (<4.1 g/L) and high fibrinogen levels (≥4.1 g/L) at diagnosis of AML before initiation of treatment. Subsequently, quartile ranges were applied to analyze the association of varying fibrinogen levels on survival. We observed that the rates of complete remission, early death, and admission to intensive care unit were equal in the low versus high fibrinogen group. However, OS was significantly better in the low fibrinogen group (27.3 vs 13.5 months; p = 0.0009) as well as progression-free survival (12.3 vs 7.8 months; p = 0.0076). This survival difference remained significant in the multivariate analysis (p = 0.003). Assessing quartiles of fibrinogen values, we further confirmed this observation. Our data suggest that high fibrinogen levels at diagnosis of AML are associated with unfavorable OS and progression-free survival but not with increased mortality during induction treatment.

The impact of carboxy nitroxide antioxidants on irradiated ataxia telangiectasia cells

Three water-soluble carboxy nitroxide antioxidants, 5-carboxy-1,1,3,3-tetramethylisoindolin-2-yloxyl, 4-carboxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-1-yloxyl, and 3-carboxy-2,2,5,5-tetramethylpyrrolidin-1-yloxyl, show significant impact on the postirradiation survival rates of ataxia telangiectasia (A-T) cells compared to normal cells, an assay which represents a model for understanding the impact of ROS damage on the A-T phenotype. The effects of these antioxidants are much more significant than those of vitamin E or Trolox (a water-soluble vitamin E analog), studied using the same cell survival model. (C) 2004 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cannibalism in juvenile blue-swimmer crabs Portunus pelagicus (Linnaeus, 1766): effects of body size, moult stage and refuge availability

Factors influencing the rate of cannibalism in juvenile blue-swimmer crabs Portunus pelagicus were investigated under controlled conditions using time-lapse video recordings. This study was undertaken to improve blue-swimmer crab culture and experimentally addressed (1) prey vulnerability (2) cannibal-victim interactions, and (3) activity patterns of juveniles in varying degrees of refuge. Crabs used in the study were aged 15 weeks and sorted into two size classes; small (less than or equal to 60 mm carapace width (CW)) and large (greater than or equal to65 mm CW) of a similar sex ratio. Vulnerability and thus survival was influenced by body size variation, moult stage and refuge availability. Crabs with carapace width less than or equal to 60 mm were more vulnerable than larger individuals, as indicated by significant differences in survival rates. As predicted, juveniles in transition stages associated with ecdysis were especially vulnerable. Premoult (redliner) crabs appeared to be in a high state of agitation as evidenced by the frequency of agonistic encounters and this may be a contributing factor to the high mortality observed at this critical premoult stag. increases in refuge density increased survival of juveniles proportionally, indicating that the quantity of shelter is important for reducing cannibalism in this species. Cannibal-victim interactions were frequently asymmetrical in terms of size and moult stage. Cannibals were significantly heavier than victims, and were predominantly at intermoult stage. Sexual biases among cannibals and victims were not found in this study. Activity patterns of juveniles were influenced by the experimental conditions. Crabs provided with high refuge showed reduced aggressive activity and increased time spent resting, but unchanged locomotion or feeding activity. Regular grading as well as the presence of suitable shelter for newly moulted crabs is recommended for improving culture of P. pelagicus. Research into inducing synchronous moulting may also yield promising results. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Total glossectomy: Is it justified?

Background: The treatment of advanced malignancies of the tongue with total glossectomy is controversial. Methods: The present study retrospectively reviews 20 patients that had total glossectomy with or without laryngectomy performed at the Princess Alexandra Hospital (Woolloongabba, QLD, Australia) over the past 10 years. The clinicopathologic parameters, perioperative morbidity and mortality were assessed. Results: The 5 years disease free and disease specific survival rates were 34% and 38%, respectively. Ninety per cent of patients acquired independent oral feeding prior to discharge, while 57% of patients that had laryngeal preservation performed achieved satisfactory vocal rehabilitation. Conclusion: Total glossectomy is an oncologically sound surgical procedure that should only be performed in carefully selected patients with advanced malignancies affecting the tongue.

Synovial sarcoma - Towards a simplified approach to prognosis

Background: Synovial sarcoma is a high grade sarcoma that usually occurs in adults. Numerous studies have attempted to identify prognostic factors that might allow more effective treatment for particular subgroups of patients. Methods: We studied 25 histologically confirmed cases of synovial sarcoma in an attempt to identify particular patient, tumour or treatment characteristics that might have a prognostic significance using Cox proportional hazards regression modelling to identify differences in survival rates. All patients received their definitive surgical treatment from a single orthopaedic surgeon reducing the likelihood of bias related to variations in surgical technique. Results: Statistically significant higher survival rates were seen in female patients (P = 0.040) and in patients aged

Promising results of a cooperative group phase II trial of preoperative chemoradiation for locally advanced rectal cancer (TROG 9801)

PURPOSE: This article reports the overall survival, failure-free survival, local failure, and late radiation toxicity of a phase II trial of preoperative radiotherapy with continuous infusion 5-fluorouracil for rectal cancer after a minimum 3.5 years of follow-up. METHODS: Eligible patients were those with newly diagnosed localized adenocarcinoma of the rectum, within 12 cm of the anal verge, staged T3-T4 and deemed suitable for curative resection. Radiotherapy (50.4 Gy in 28 fractions in five weeks and three days) was given with continuous infusion 5-fluorouracil throughout the course of radiotherapy. RESULTS: A total of 82 patients were accrued in 13 months. The median follow-up time was 4.1 (range, 2.3-4.5) years. There were 55 males (67 percent) and the median age was 59 (range, 27-87) years. Patients were staged pretreatment as T3 (89 percent) and resectable T4 (11 percent). Endorectal ultrasound was performed in 70 percent and magnetic resonance imaging in another 5 percent. The four-year overall and failure-free survival rates were 82 percent (95 percent Cl: 72-89) and 69 percent (95 percent Cl: 58-78), respectively. The cumulative incidence of local failure at four years was 3.9 percent (95 percent CI: 1.3-11). Risk of failures, local and distant, has not reached a plateau phase. CONCLUSION: This regimen can be delivered safely and without leading to a significant increase in late toxicity. It provides excellent local control and favorable overall survival. There is a need for longer follow-up than has commonly been used for the proper evaluation of failures after an effective regimen of preoperative chemoradiation.

Total pharyngolaryngectomy for squamous cell carcinoma of the hypopharynx: A review

Objectives. To evaluate our experience with total pharyngolaryngectomy in the treatment of hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma. Study Design: Retrospective analysis of consecutively treated patients in an academic otolaryngology, head and neck department. Methods. One hundred eighty patients who had total pharyngolaryngectomy performed for hypopharyngeal carcinoma were included in this study. Patients with a history of previous head and neck cancer were excluded. Clinicopathologic parameters were recorded and survival calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Results. One hundred sixty-two (90%) of the patients were male, and the patients had a mean age of 62 years. The majority (91%) of patients had advanced overall clinical stage disease (stage 3,4). Thirty-one (17.8%) and 43 (24%) patients developed locoregional and metastatic disease recurrence, respectively. The 2- and 5-year disease-specific survival rates were 72% and 52%, respectively. Advanced nodal stage, perineural invasion, lymphovascular invasion, and positive margins were predictors of poor survival on univariate analysis, and lymphovascular invasion was an independent prognostic factor on multivariate analysis. Conclusion: Surgery and postoperative radiotherapy remains the treatment against which other modalities should be compared for advanced stage hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

Measurement of hospital performance

The rationale for carrying out this research was to address the clear lack of knowledge surrounding the measurement of public hospital performance in Ireland. The objectives of this research were to develop a comprehensive model for measuring hospital performance and using this model to measure the performance of public acute hospitals in Ireland in 2007. Having assessed the advantages and disadvantages of various measurement models the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) model was chosen for this research. DEA was initiated by Charnes, Cooper and Rhodes in 1978 and further developed by Fare et al. (1983) and Banker et al. (1984). The method used to choose relevant inputs and outputs to be included in the model followed that adopted by Casu et al. (2005) which included the use of focus groups. The main conclusions of the research are threefold. Firstly, it is clear that each stakeholder group has differing opinions on what constitutes good performance. It is therefore imperative that any performance measurement model would be designed within parameters that are clearly understood by any intended audience. Secondly, there is a lack of publicly available qualitative information in Ireland that inhibits detailed analysis of hospital performance. Thirdly, based on available qualitative and quantitative data the results indicated a high level of efficiency among the public acute hospitals in Ireland in their staffing and non pay costs, averaging 98.5%. As DEA scores are sensitive to the number of input and output variables as well as the size of the sample it should be borne in mind that a high level of efficiency could be as a result of using DEA with too many variables compared to the number of hospitals. No hospital was deemed to be scale efficient in any of the models even though the average scale efficiency for all of the hospitals was relatively high at 90.3%. Arising from this research the main recommendations would be that information on medical outcomes, survival rates and patient satisfaction should be made publicly available in Ireland; that despite a high average efficiency level that many individual hospitals need to focus on improving their technical and scale efficiencies, and that performance measurement models should be developed that would include more qualitative data.

Antiproliferative effects of carbon monoxide on pancreatic cancer

Background - Carbon monoxide, the gaseous product of heme oxygenase, is a signalling molecule with a broad spectrum of biological activities. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of carbon monoxide on proliferation of human pancreatic cancer. Methods - In vitro studies were performed on human pancreatic cancer cells (CAPAN-2, BxPc3, and PaTu-8902) treated with a carbon monoxide-releasing molecule or its inactive counterpart, or exposed to carbon monoxide gas (500 ppm/24 h). For in vivo studies, pancreatic cancer cells (CAPAN-2/PaTu-8902) were xenotransplanted subcutaneously into athymic mice, subsequently treated with carbon monoxide-releasing molecule (35 mg/kg b.w. i.p./day), or exposed to safe doses of carbon monoxide (500 ppm 1 h/day; n = 6 in each group). Results - Both carbon monoxide-releasing molecule and carbon monoxide exposure significantly inhibited proliferation of human pancreatic cancer cells (p < 0.05). A substantial decrease in Akt phosphorylation was observed in carbon monoxide-releasing molecule compared with inactive carbon monoxide-releasing molecule treated cancer cells (by 30–50%, p < 0.05). Simultaneously, carbon monoxide-releasing molecule and carbon monoxide exposure inhibited tumour proliferation and microvascular density of xenotransplanted tumours (p < 0.01), and doubled the survival rates (p < 0.005). Exposure of mice to carbon monoxide led to an almost 3-fold increase in carbon monoxide content in tumour tissues (p = 0.006). Conclusion - These data suggest a new biological function for carbon monoxide in carcinogenesis, and point to the potential chemotherapeutic/chemoadjuvant use of carbon monoxide in pancreatic cancer.

Antiproliferative effects of carbon monoxide on pancreatic cancer

Background: Carbon monoxide, the gaseous product of heme oxygenase, is a signalling molecule with a broad spectrum of biological activities. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of carbon monoxide on proliferation of human pancreatic cancer. Methods: In vitro studies were performed on human pancreatic cancer cells (CAPAN-2, BxPc3, and PaTu-8902) treated with a carbon monoxide-releasing molecule or its inactive counterpart, or exposed to carbon monoxide gas (500. ppm/24. h). For in vivo studies, pancreatic cancer cells (CAPAN-2/PaTu-8902) were xenotransplanted subcutaneously into athymic mice, subsequently treated with carbon monoxide-releasing molecule (35. mg/kg b.w. i.p./day), or exposed to safe doses of carbon monoxide (500. ppm 1. h/day; n=. 6 in each group). Results: Both carbon monoxide-releasing molecule and carbon monoxide exposure significantly inhibited proliferation of human pancreatic cancer cells (p<0.05). A substantial decrease in Akt phosphorylation was observed in carbon monoxide-releasing molecule compared with inactive carbon monoxide-releasing molecule treated cancer cells (by 30-50%, p<. 0.05). Simultaneously, carbon monoxide-releasing molecule and carbon monoxide exposure inhibited tumour proliferation and microvascular density of xenotransplanted tumours (p<0.01), and doubled the survival rates (p<0.005). Exposure of mice to carbon monoxide led to an almost 3-fold increase in carbon monoxide content in tumour tissues (p=0.006). Conclusion: These data suggest a new biological function for carbon monoxide in carcinogenesis, and point to the potential chemotherapeutic/chemoadjuvant use of carbon monoxide in pancreatic cancer. © 2013 Editrice Gastroenterologica Italiana S.r.l.

An international cohort comparison of size effects on job growth

The contribution of different-sized businesses to job creation continues to attract policymakers’ attention; however, it has recently been recognised that conclusions about size were confounded with the effect of age. We probe the role of size, controlling for age, by comparing the cohorts of firms born in 1998 over their first decade of life, using variation across half a dozen northern European countries Austria, Finland, Germany, Norway, Sweden and the UK to pin down size effects. We find that a very small proportion of the smallest firms play a crucial role in accounting for cross-country differences in job growth. A closer analysis reveals that the initial size distribution and survival rates do not seem to explain job growth differences between countries, rather it is a small number of rapidly growing firms that are driving this result.