Role of Chlamydia trachomatis in miscarriage.

To determine the role of Chlamydia trachomatis in miscarriage, we prospectively collected serum, cervicovaginal swab specimens, and placental samples from 386 women with and without miscarriage. Prevalence of immunoglobulin G against C. trachomatis was higher in the miscarriage group than in the control group (15.2% vs. 7.3%; p = 0.018). Association between C. trachomatis-positive serologic results and miscarriage remained significant after adjustment for age, origin, education, and number of sex partners (odds ratio 2.3, 95% confidence interval 1.1-4.9). C. trachomatis DNA was more frequently amplified from products of conception or placenta from women who had a miscarriage (4%) than from controls (0.7%; p = 0.026). Immunohistochemical analysis confirmed C. trachomatis in placenta from 5 of 7 patients with positive PCR results, whereas results of immunohistochemical analysis were negative in placenta samples from all 8 negative controls tested. Associations between miscarriage and serologic/molecular evidence of C. trachomatis infection support its role in miscarriage.

Integrated Analysis of Molecular and Clinical Prognostic Factors in Stage II/III Colon Cancer.

Background The prognostic potential of individual clinical and molecular parameters in stage II/III colon cancer has been investigated, but a thorough multivariable assessment of their relative impact is missing. Methods Tumors from patients (N = 1404) in the PETACC3 adjuvant chemotherapy trial were examined for BRAF and KRAS mutations, microsatellite instability (MSI), chromosome 18q loss of heterozygosity (18qLOH), and SMAD4 expression. Their importance in predicting relapse-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) was assessed by Kaplan-Meier analyses, Cox regression models, and recursive partitioning trees. All statistical tests were two-sided. Results MSI-high status and SMAD4 focal loss of expression were identified as independent prognostic factors with better RFS (hazard ratio [HR] of recurrence = 0.54, 95% CI = 0.37 to 0.81, P = .003) and OS (HR of death = 0.43, 95% CI = 0.27 to 0.70, P = .001) for MSI-high status and worse RFS (HR = 1.47, 95% CI = 1.19 to 1.81, P < .001) and OS (HR = 1.58, 95% CI = 1.23 to 2.01, P < .001) for SMAD4 loss. 18qLOH did not have any prognostic value in RFS or OS. Recursive partitioning identified refinements of TNM into new clinically interesting prognostic subgroups. Notably, T3N1 tumors with MSI-high status and retained SMAD4 expression had outcomes similar to stage II disease. Conclusions Concomitant assessment of molecular and clinical markers in multivariable analysis is essential to confirm or refute their independent prognostic value. Including molecular markers with independent prognostic value might allow more accurate prediction of prognosis than TNM staging alone.

Cell locations for AQP1, AQP4 and 9 in the non-human primate brain.

The presence of three water channels (aquaporins, AQP), AQP1, AQP4 and AQP9 were observed in normal brain and several rodent models of brain pathologies. Little is known about AQP distribution in the primate brain and its knowledge will be useful for future testing of drugs aimed at preventing brain edema formation. We studied the expression and cellular distribution of AQP1, 4 and 9 in the non-human primate brain. The distribution of AQP4 in the non-human primate brain was observed in perivascular astrocytes, comparable to the observation made in the rodent brain. In contrast with rodent, primate AQP1 is expressed in the processes and perivascular endfeet of a subtype of astrocytes mainly located in the white matter and the glia limitans, possibly involved in water homeostasis. AQP1 was also observed in neurons innervating the pial blood vessels, suggesting a possible role in cerebral blood flow regulation. As described in rodent, AQP9 mRNA and protein were detected in astrocytes and in catecholaminergic neurons. However additional locations were observed for AQP9 in populations of neurons located in several cortical areas of primate brains. This report describes a detailed study of AQP1, 4 and 9 distributions in the non-human primate brain, which adds to the data already published in rodent brains. This relevant species differences have to be considered carefully to assess potential drugs acting on AQPs non-human primate models before entering human clinical trials.

Evaluating leaf litter beetle data sampled by Winkler extraction from Atlantic forest sites in southern Brazil

Evaluating leaf litter beetle data sampled by Winkler extraction from Atlantic forest sites in southern Brazil. To evaluate the reliability of data obtained by Winkler extraction in Atlantic forest sites in southern Brazil, we studied litter beetle assemblages in secondary forests (5 to 55 years after abandonment) and old-growth forests at two seasonally different points in time. For all regeneration stages, species density and abundance were lower in April compared to August; but, assemblage composition of the corresponding forest stages was similar in both months. We suggest that sampling of small litter inhabiting beetles at different points in time using the Winkler technique reveals identical ecological patterns, which are more likely to be influenced by sample incompleteness than by differences in their assemblage composition. A strong relationship between litter quantity and beetle occurrences indicates the importance of this variable for the temporal species density pattern. Additionally, the sampled beetle material was compared with beetle data obtained with pitfall traps in one old-growth forest. Over 60% of the focal species captured with pitfall traps were also sampled by Winkler extraction in different forest stages. Few beetles with a body size too large to be sampled by Winkler extraction were only sampled with pitfall traps. This indicates that the local litter beetle fauna is dominated by small species. Hence, being aware of the exclusion of large beetles and beetle species occurring during the wet season, the Winkler method reveals a reliable picture of the local leaf litter beetle community.

Cetaceos observados frente a la costa peruana y su relación con la distribución y abundancia de los recursos pelágicos. Crucero BIC Humboldt 9808-09, de Paita a Callao

resultados de las observaciones sobre cetáceos realizadas frente a la costa norte y centro del Perú a bordo del BIC Humboldt, entre el 23 de agosto y el 17 de setiembre de 1998. En 154 sesiones de observación y un recorrido de 1705 millas náuticas se registraron cetáceos en 182 ocasiones con una mayor frecuencia de registros a los 8°S y a los 10°S. El 20% de los cetáceos avistados pertenecieron al Suborden Mysticeti y el 80% al Suborden Odontoceti. Ocho avistamientos fueron mixtos (más de una especie). Entre los cetáceos mayores (36 registros y 69 individuos) destacó la ballena jorobada Megaptera novaeangliae. Los cetáceos menores avistados correspondieron principalmente a bufeos Tursiops truncatus (63% de registros y 2640 individuos) y a delfines comunes Delphinus delphis (25% de registros y 3646 individuos). A los 5°S predominaron ballenas jorobadas y bufeos mientras que a los 10°S destacó la abundancia de ballenas del género Balaenoptera y delfines comunes.

Cartas de temperatura superficial promedio del mar, frente a las costas del Perú, durante Agosto y Setiembre de 1970

Brinda información sobre la temperatura superficial del mar, con el fin de orientar a la actividad pesquera e industrias conexas para un aprovechamiento efectivo de los recursos, haciendo predicciones a corto y largo plazo sobre las condiciones del mar.

Informe del Cateo No.4 (Prospección sinóptica tipo EUREKA) 26-28 Febrero, 1974

Presenta información sobre el estado actual del stock de anchoveta, de sardina y de otras especies pelágicas en relación con el medio ambiente. La información resultante unida a la de las anteriores operaciones Cateo contribuyen a la evaluación del stock y proporcionan bases para la regulación de la pesquería durante el año 1974.

The population genetics of clonal and partially clonal diploids.

The consequences of variable rates of clonal reproduction on the population genetics of neutral markers are explored in diploid organisms within a subdivided population (island model). We use both analytical and stochastic simulation approaches. High rates of clonal reproduction will positively affect heterozygosity. As a consequence, nearly twice as many alleles per locus can be maintained and population differentiation estimated as F(ST) value is strongly decreased in purely clonal populations as compared to purely sexual ones. With increasing clonal reproduction, effective population size first slowly increases and then points toward extreme values when the reproductive system tends toward strict clonality. This reflects the fact that polymorphism is protected within individuals due to fixed heterozygosity. Contrarily, genotypic diversity smoothly decreases with increasing rates of clonal reproduction. Asexual populations thus maintain higher genetic diversity at each single locus but a lower number of different genotypes. Mixed clonal/sexual reproduction is nearly indistinguishable from strict sexual reproduction as long as the proportion of clonal reproduction is not strongly predominant for all quantities investigated, except for genotypic diversities (both at individual loci and over multiple loci).

« Recueil de [pièces et de] mémoires servans à l'histoire de Bourgogne ».

Contient : « Institution de l'Ordre de la Toison d'or, le 10 de janvier 1429 » ; « Extrait de quelques articles des comptes de Mathieu Regnaut pour les années 1432, 1433, 1434 et 1437 concernant l'Ordre de la Toison d'or » ; Autres pièces relatives à la Toison d'or ; « Obsèques du duc Philippe le Bon, l'an 1467 » ; Sentences du concile de Bâle, en faveur du duc de Bourgogne, 1433 ; « Des personnaiges et moralités posées à la joyeuse venue de monseigneur le duc Charles, en sa ville de Dijon, » 1469 ; Extraits de comptes de dépenses faites à la Chartreuse de Dijon ; Pièces relatives à la sainte hostie de la Sainte-Chapelle de Bijou. — A la suite sont des notes chronologiques sur l'histoire de Dijon, etc ; « Discours historique de la véritable origine des Bourguignons, de leur vray nom et de leur conversion à foy chrestienne et catholique, » attribué au P. François de La Vie, de la Compagnie de Jésus, 1643 ; Vue de Dijon ; dessin à la gouache ; Armoiries coloriées des chevaliers de la Toison d'or