Impact of Wood Age on Termite Microbial Assemblages

The decomposition of wood and detritus is challenging to most macroscopic organisms due to the recalcitrant nature of lignocellulose. Moreover, woody plants often protect themselves by synthesizing toxic or nocent compounds which infuse their tissues. Termites are essential wood decomposers in warmer terrestrial ecosystems and, as such, they have to cope with high concentrations of plant toxins in wood. In this paper, we evaluated the influence of wood age on the gut microbial (bacterial and fungal) communities associated with the termites Reticulitermes flavipes (Rhinotermitidae) (Kollar, 1837) and Microcerotermes biroi (Termitidae) (Desneux, 1905). We confirmed that the secondary metabolite concentration decreased with wood age. We identified a core microbial consortium maintained in the gut of R. flavipes and M. biroi and found that its diversity and composition were not altered by the wood age. Therefore, the concentration of secondary metabolites had no effect on the termite gut microbiome. We also found that both termite feeding activities and wood age affect the wood microbiome. Whether the increasing relative abundance of microbes with termite activities is beneficial to the termites is unknown and remains to be investigated. IMPORTANCE Termites can feed on wood thanks to their association with their gut microbes. However, the current understanding of termites as holobiont is limited. To our knowledge, no studies comprehensively reveal the influence of wood age on the termite-associated microbial assemblage. The wood of many tree species contains high concentrations of plant toxins that can vary with their age and may influence microbes. Here, we studied the impact of Norway spruce wood of varying ages and terpene concentrations on the microbial communities associated with the termites Reticulitermes flavipes (Rhinotermitidae) and Microcerotermes biroi (Termitidae). We performed a bacterial 16S rRNA and fungal ITS2 metabarcoding study to reveal the microbial communities associated with R. flavipes and M. biroi and their impact on shaping the wood microbiome. We noted that a stable core microbiome in the termites was unaltered by the feeding substrate, while termite activities influenced the wood microbiome, suggesting that plant secondary metabolites have negligible effects on the termite gut microbiome. Hence, our study shed new insights into the termite-associated microbial assemblage under the influence of varying amounts of terpene content in wood and provides a groundwork for future investigations for developing symbiont-mediated termite control measures.

Distribution of biomass dynamics in relation to tree size in forests across the world

Tree size shapes forest carbon dynamics and determines how trees interact with their environment, including a changing climate. Here, we conduct the first global analysis of among-site differences in how aboveground biomass stocks and fluxes are distributed with tree size. We analyzed repeat tree censuses from 25 large-scale (4-52 ha) forest plots spanning a broad climatic range over five continents to characterize how aboveground biomass, woody productivity, and woody mortality vary with tree diameter. We examined how the median, dispersion, and skewness of these size-related distributions vary with mean annual temperature and precipitation. In warmer forests, aboveground biomass, woody productivity, and woody mortality were more broadly distributed with respect to tree size. In warmer and wetter forests, aboveground biomass and woody productivity were more right skewed, with a long tail towards large trees. Small trees (1-10 cm diameter) contributed more to productivity and mortality than to biomass, highlighting the importance of including these trees in analyses of forest dynamics. Our findings provide an improved characterization of climate-driven forest differences in the size structure of aboveground biomass and dynamics of that biomass, as well as refined benchmarks for capturing climate influences in vegetation demographic models.

Accession Site Does Not Influence the Risk of Stroke after Diagnostic Coronary Angiography or Intervention: Results from a Large Prospective Registry

Introduction

Periprocedural stroke represents a rare but serious complication of cardiac catheterization. Pooled data from randomized trials evaluating the risk of stroke following cardiac catheterization via transradial versus transfemoral access showed no difference. On the other hand, a significant difference in stroke rates favoring transradial access was found in a recent meta-analysis of observational studies. Our aim was to determine if there is a difference in stroke risk after transradial versus transfemoral catheterization within a contemporary real-world registry.

Methods

Data from 14,139 patients included in a single-center prospective registry between 2009 and 2016 were used to determine the odds of periprocedural transient ischemic attack (TIA) and stroke for radial versus femoral catheterization via multivariate logistic regression with Firth's correction.

Results

A total of 10,931 patients underwent transradial and 3,208 underwent transfemoral catheterization. Periprocedural TIA/stroke occurred in 41 (0.29%) patients. Age was the only significant predictor of TIA/stroke in multivariate analysis, with each additional year representing an odds ratio (OR) = 1.09 (CI 1.05–1.13, p < 0.000). The choice of accession site had no impact on the risk of periprocedural TIA/stroke (OR = 0.81; CI 0.38–1.72, p = 0.577).

Conclusion

Observational data from a large prospective registry indicate that accession site has no influence on the risk of periprocedural TIA/stroke after cardiac catheterization.

Common spatial patterns of trees in various tropical forests: Small trees are associated with increased diversity at small spatial scales

Tropical forests are notable for their high species diversity, even on small spatial scales, and right-skewed species and size abundance distributions. The role of individual species as drivers of the spatial organization of diversity in these forests has been explained by several hypotheses and processes, for example, stochastic dilution, negative density dependence, or gap dynamics. These processes leave a signature in spatial distribution of small trees, particularly in the vicinity of large trees, likely having stronger effects on their neighbors. We are exploring species diversity patterns within the framework of various diversity-generating hypotheses using individual species-area relationships. We used the data from three tropical forest plots (Wanang-Papua New Guinea, Barro Colorado Island-Panama, and Sinharaja-Sri Lanka) and included also the saplings (DBH ≥ 1 cm). Resulting cross-size patterns of species richness and evenness reflect the dynamics of saplings affected by the distribution of large trees. When all individuals with DBH ≥1 cm are included, ~50% of all tree species from the 25- or 50-ha plot can be found within 35 m radius of an individual tree. For all trees, 72%-78% of species were identified as species richness accumulators, having more species present in their surroundings than expected by null models. This pattern was driven by small trees as the analysis of DBH >10 cm trees showed much lower proportion of accumulators, 14%-65% of species identified as richness repellers and had low richness of surrounding small trees. Only 11%-26% of species had lower species evenness than was expected by null models. High proportions of species richness accumulators were probably due to gap dynamics and support Janzen-Connell hypothesis driven by competition or top-down control by pathogens and herbivores. Observed species diversity patterns show the importance of including small tree size classes in analyses of the spatial organization of diversity.

Plant phylogeny drives arboreal caterpillar assemblages across the Holarctic

Assemblages of insect herbivores are structured by plant traits such as nutrient content, secondary metabolites, physical traits, and phenology. Many of these traits are phylogenetically conserved, implying a decrease in trait similarity with increasing phylogenetic distance of the host plant taxa. Thus, a metric of phylogenetic distances and relationships can be considered a proxy for phylogenetically conserved plant traits and used to predict variation in herbivorous insect assemblages among co-occurring plant species.Using a Holarctic dataset of exposed-feeding and shelter-building caterpillars, we aimed at showing how phylogenetic relationships among host plants explain compositional changes and characteristics of herbivore assemblages.Our plant-caterpillar network data derived from plot-based samplings at three different continents included >28,000 individual caterpillar-plant interactions. We tested whether increasing phylogenetic distance of the host plants leads to a decrease in caterpillar assemblage overlap. We further investigated to what degree phylogenetic isolation of a host tree species within the local community explains abundance, density, richness, and mean specialization of its associated caterpillar assemblage.The overlap of caterpillar assemblages decreased with increasing phylogenetic distance among the host tree species. Phylogenetic isolation of a host plant within the local plant community was correlated with lower richness and mean specialization of the associated caterpillar assemblages. Phylogenetic isolation had no effect on caterpillar abundance or density. The effects of plant phylogeny were consistent across exposed-feeding and shelter-building caterpillars.Our study reveals that distance metrics obtained from host plant phylogeny are useful predictors to explain compositional turnover among hosts and host-specific variations in richness and mean specialization of associated insect herbivore assemblages in temperate broadleaf forests. As phylogenetic information of plant communities is becoming increasingly available, further large-scale studies are needed to investigate to what degree plant phylogeny structures herbivore assemblages in other biomes and ecosystems.

Vertical stratification of a temperate forest caterpillar community in eastern North America

Vertical niche partitioning might be one of the main driving forces explaining the high diversity of forest ecosystems. However, the forest's vertical dimension has received limited investigation, especially in temperate forests. Thus, our knowledge about how communities are vertically structured remains limited for temperate forest ecosystems. In this study, we investigated the vertical structuring of an arboreal caterpillar community in a temperate deciduous forest of eastern North America. Within a 0.2-ha forest stand, all deciduous trees ≥ 5 cm diameter at breast height (DBH) were felled and systematically searched for caterpillars. Sampled caterpillars were assigned to a specific stratum (i.e. understory, midstory, or canopy) depending on their vertical position and classified into feeding guild as either exposed feeders or shelter builders (i.e. leaf rollers, leaf tiers, webbers). In total, 3892 caterpillars representing 215 species of butterflies and moths were collected and identified. While stratum had no effect on caterpillar density, feeding guild composition changed significantly with shelter-building caterpillars becoming the dominant guild in the canopy. Species richness and diversity were found to be highest in the understory and midstory and declined strongly in the canopy. Family and species composition changed significantly among the strata; understory and canopy showed the lowest similarity. Food web analyses further revealed an increasing network specialization towards the canopy, caused by an increase in specialization of the caterpillar community. In summary, our study revealed a pronounced stratification of a temperate forest caterpillar community, unveiling a distinctly different assemblage of caterpillars dwelling in the canopy stratum.

Heart failure is the strongest predictor of acute kidney injury in patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention for ST-elevation myocardial infarction

BACKGROUND

ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients treated by primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are at higher risk of acute kidney injury (AKI) than patients undergoing PCI in stable clinical conditions. This fact suggests that mechanisms other than contrast nephrotoxicity are involved.

AIM

To evaluate the incidence, risk factors, and consequences of AKI in patients undergoing primary PCI for STEMI in current daily practice.

METHODS

Analysis of all consecutive patients who underwent primary PCI over a one-year period. AKI was defined as an increase in serum creatinine ≥ 50% or 26.5 μmol/L (AKIN criteria) from the baseline within 48 h.

RESULTS

A total of 202 patients were included. AKI occurred in 25 (12.4%) subjects. Baseline characteristics and in-hospital complications of the patients with and without AKI did not differ significantly except for age (69 ± 13 vs. 62 ± 12; p = 0.003), female gender (48.0% vs. 26.6%; p = 0.035), hypertension (88.0% vs. 62.7%; p = 0.013), left ventricular ejection fraction (40% ± 12% vs. 49% ± 14%; p = 0.002), cardiogenic shock (44.0% vs. 5.1%; p < 0.0001), use of intravenous diuretics (76.0% vs. 26.0%; p < 0.0001), ventricular arrhythmias (24.0% vs. 3.4%; p = 0.001), and in-hospital mortality (24.0% vs. 3.4%; p = 0.001). In multivariate analysis heart failure remained the only independent correlate of AKI.

CONCLUSIONS

AKI was an frequent and serious complication of STEMI in patients treated by primary PCI. Heart failure was the strongest predictor of AKI. Other risk factors including contrast medium volume, baseline renal function, diabetes, and age failed to predict AKI.

Fatty acid profile in erythrocyte membranes and plasma phospholipids affects significantly the extent of inflammatory response to coronary stent implantation

In coronary heart disease, the treatment of significant stenosis by percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with stent implantation elicits local and systemic inflammatory responses. This study was aimed at evaluation of the dynamics of inflammatory response and elucidation of the relationship between the fatty acid profile of red blood cell (RBC) membranes or plasma phospholipids and inflammation after PCI. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), serum amyloid A (SAA), malondialdehyde (MDA) and the fatty acid profiles were determined in patients with advanced coronary artery disease undergoing PCI before, 24 h and 48 h after drug-eluting stent implantation (n=36). Patients after PCI exhibited a significant increase in studied markers (hsCRP, IL-6, SAA, MDA). Many significant associations were found between the increase of IL-6, resp. SAA and the amounts of n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (namely linoleic, dihomo-gamma-linolenic, docosatetraenoic and docosapentaenoic acid), resp. saturated fatty acids (pentadecanoic, stearic, nonadecanoic) in erythrocyte membranes. The magnitude of the inflammatory response to PCI is related to erythrocyte membrane fatty acid profile, which seems to be a better potential predictor of elevation of inflammatory markers after PCI than plasma phospholipids.

Pharmacokinetics and pharmacogenetics of capecitabine and its metabolites following replicate administration of two 500 mg tablet formulations

PURPOSE

To describe concentration versus time profiles of capecitabine and its metabolites 5'-DFUR, 5'-DFCR and 5-FU, depending on tablet formulation and on frequent and/or relevant genetic polymorphisms of cytidine deaminase, dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase, thymidylate synthase and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR).

METHODS

In 46 cancer patients on chronic capecitabine treatment, who voluntarily participated in the study, individual therapeutic doses were replaced on four consecutive mornings by the study medication. The appropriate number of 500 mg test (T) or reference (R) capecitabine tablets was given in randomly allocated sequences TRTR or RTRT (replicate design). Average bioavailability was assessed by ANOVA.

RESULTS

Thirty female and 16 male patients suffering from gastrointestinal or breast cancer (mean age 53.4 years; mean dose 1739 mg) were included. The T/R ratios for AUC0-t(last) and C max were 96.7 % (98 % CI 90.7-103.2 %) and 87.2 % (98 % CI 74.9-101.5 %), respectively. Within-subject variability for AUC0-t(last) and C max (coefficient of variation for R) was 16.5 and 30.2 %, respectively. Similar results were seen for all metabolites. No serious adverse events occurred. For the MTHFR C677T (rs1801133) genotype, an increasing number of 677C alleles showed borderline correlation with an increasing elimination half-life of capecitabine (p = 0.043).

CONCLUSIONS

The extent of absorption was similar for T and R, but the rate of absorption was slightly lower for T. While such differences are not considered as clinically relevant, formal bioequivalence criteria were missed. A possible, probably indirect role of the MTHFR genotype in pharmacokinetics of capecitabine and/or 5-FU should be investigated in further studies.

[50 years' of the Institute of Sports Medicine at the Charles University Medical School on the 650th anniversary of its founding]

In an agreeable shadow of the great 650th anniversary of Charles University foundation (1348-1998), arising of the first Institute of Sports Medicine round the world on Medical Faculty in Prague (1948-1998) was commemorated by scientific session. Since J. E. Purkynĕ (1850) have gone idea of favourable effect of body training for human health by representatives of Prague Medical Faculty, till Doctor J. Král, who started lectures for medical students in this discipline in 1933. Rise of Institute of Sports Medicine was approved in 1934, but its realization thanks to Professor Král, was performed after 2nd World War in 1948. From the beginning, students have lectures within the framework of daily study of whole wide of the branche, including practical exercises and closing examine. First text book of sports medicine and first book about clinic in sports medicine was written (J. Král). Members of Institute lectured on many foreign universities and scientific congresses and published more than 2,500 scientific works, some of them have world priority. For example first wireless transmission of heart frequency (V. Seliger, V. Kruta), cardiologic observations during big sports load (J. Král, Z. Hornof), discoveries at biochemical laboratory (J. Král, A. Zenísek), at medical functional anthropologic laboratory (V. Novotný), introducing of remedial exercises in clinical practice (L. Schmid, M. Zintlová, J. Chrástek) etc. In the set out choice of literary citation it is put on only fragment of publications which document scientific activity of jubileeing Institute. For period of duration of Institute more than hundred thousand patients were examined--both sportives and non-sportives, young and old. Contemporary trend goes from classic care about sportsmen towards preventive medicine. Attention is focused first of all to testing of middle aged and older patients in sense of prevention of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases and indication for specific movement load. In 650 years history of pedagogic and scientific success of Charles University, 50-year activity of Institute of Sports Medicine means only tiny part. In view of healthy risks, which brings modern life style and in view of worsening of environment, an important task stand before the discipline with new prevention conception.

[Trends in physical fitness in male white collar workers in the Czech population over the past 20 years]

BACKGROUND

Common mortality and especially mortality on CAD is increased by low aerobic component of physical fitness. A study dealing with physical fitness changes of the Czech population has been still missing in our bibliography. The aim of the study was to evaluate physical fitness changes in the Czech male population since last 20 years.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Physical fitness in 494 men in the age range of 20 - 60 years was compared to the men fitness examined 20 years ago. In the men of 20 - 29.9 years peak power (3.90 W vs 3.46 W, p < 0.01) and maximal ventilation (1.38 l.min-1 vs 1.24 l.min-1, p < 0.05) decreased. In the men 30 - 39.9 years old only peak aerobic power (37.2 ml.min-1 vs 35.7 ml.min-1, p < 0.05) slightly decreased. In the men 40 - 49.9 years old Vemax.kg-1 (1.38 l.min-1 vs 1.18 l.min-1, p < 0.001) and VO2max.kg-1 (35.6 ml.min-1 vs 32.4 ml.min-1, p < 0.001) severely decreased as well as in 50 - 59.9 years old men VEmax.kg-1 (1.23 l.min-1 vs 1.13 l.min-1, p < 0.05) and VO2max.kg-1 (32.7 ml.min-1 vs 29.4 ml.min-1, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Physical fitness of the Czech white-collar men decreased. The decline of physical fitness was related not only to lower exercise activity, but also to significant increment of body fat. Physical fitness, especially its aerobic component, decreased in Czech older men since last 20 years.

[Paroxetine in the treatment of depressive disorders (pilot study)]

In an open study, 42 depressive patients (according to DSM-III-R) were administered paroxetine at mean minimal and maximum doses of 21 and 48 mg once daily in the morning. Treatment resulted in complete remission as defined by Serejsky in 57%, and 55% of patients were rated, according to CGI, as improved. Global HAMD and FKD scores significantly dropped compared to baseline values and responders and non-responders differed significantly as early as seven days of treatment, although the onset of the antidepressive effect was not clinically apparent before 2 weeks of treatment. Significant reductions were seen in all items except paranoidity and weight loss and hypochondria using the FKD scale. A substantial reduction in suicidal ideation and tendencies was also noted in the group of non-responders, a finding supporting a non-specific anti-suicidal effect of paroxetine, which was therapeutically significantly more successful in women than in men. Side effects occurring in 10% and more percent of treated subjects included fatiguability, sweating, tremor, dry mouth, obstipation and nausea.

[Heroin addiction--a new type of drug dependence in Slovakia (personal experience)]

The authors present their initial experience with patients reporting contact with heroin. For the authors this is a new type of dependence. They present a group of 33 patients (only two women), mean age 26 years, hospitalized at two psychiatric clinics in Bratislava. The majority of patients were single, and had only elementary education. Only in 10 patients the diagnosis of fully developed dependence on heroin confirmed, in 12 patients sign of dependence were lacking. The authors draw attention to the discrepancy between subjective data of the patients and objectively assessable signs of dependence. Most frequently heroin was inhaled, only in five patients i.v. administration of the drug was recorded. For treatment available psychopharmaceutical preparations were used (anxiolytics, neuroleptics). Opium administration was not necessary.

[Homicidal activity directed against parents (forensic-psychiatric aspect)]

The authors present an account of four men where orders were given to examine their mental state because of murderous activity focused on a parent. In three instances murder was involved, in one case attempted murder. Three of the subjects were youths 13-19 year old, one was 61-year-old at time of murder. In three instances the activity occurred in a state of affect, incl. one case of simple affect of anger and mild drunkenness, in another case (except simple affect of fear) a short-out activity, and in the last case a pathic affect with impaired consciousness at the climax. In one case (the 13-year-old boy) the parent was killed during sleep obnubilation. The temporary mental disorder at the time of the crime led in three of the murders to severe impairment of differentiating and control abilities. In another of the men (61 years old) in the impaired control and differentiating abilities in addition to the affect of anger and simple drunkenness--slight impairment of cognitive functions participated. The authors emphasize the exceptional character of aggression in cases of murderous activities focused on parents. They compare their own experience with data in the literature and draw attention to the frequent occurrence of major forensic mental disorders. The diagnosis of mental disorders must respect general diagnostic principles. An important part is played by auxiliary examination methods.