Intraspecific variation of thermal tolerance along elevational gradients: the case of a widespread diving beetle (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae).

Species distributed across wide elevational gradients are likely to experience local thermal adaptation and exhibit high thermal plasticity, as these gradients are characterised by steep environmental changes over short geographic distances (i.e., strong selection differentials).

Genomic, morphological and physiological data support fast ecotypic differentiation and incipient speciation in an alpine diving beetle.

An intricate interplay between evolutionary and demographic processes has frequently resulted in complex patterns of genetic and phenotypic diversity in alpine lineages, posing serious challenges to species delimitation and biodiversity conservation planning. Here we integrate genomic data, geometric morphometric analyses and thermal tolerance experiments to explore the role of Pleistocene climatic changes and adaptation to alpine environments on patterns of genomic and phenotypic variation in diving beetles from the taxonomically complex Agabus bipustulatus species group. Genetic structure and phylogenomic analyses revealed the presence of three geographically cohesive lineages, two representing trans-Palearctic and Iberian populations of the elevation-generalist A.

Plasticity and associated epigenetic mechanisms play a role in thermal evolution during range expansion.

Due to global change, many species are shifting their distribution and are thereby confronted with novel thermal conditions at the moving range edges. Especially during the initial phases of exposure to a new environment, it has been hypothesized that plasticity and associated epigenetic mechanisms enable species to cope with environmental change. We tested this idea by capitalizing on the well-documented southward range expansion of the damselfly from France into Spain where the species invaded warmer regions in the 1950s in eastern Spain (old edge region) and in the 2010s in central Spain (new edge region).

Evaluation of functional warm ischemia time during controlled donation after circulatory determination of death using normothermic regional perfusion (ECMO-TT): A prospective multicenter cohort study.

Background: Controlled donation after circulatory determination of death (cDCD) seems an effective way to mitigate the critical shortage of available organs for transplant worldwide. As a recently developed procedure for organ retrieval, some questions remain unsolved such as the uncertainty regarding the effect of functional warm ischemia time (FWIT) on organs´ viability.

Methods: We developed a multicenter prospective cohort study collecting all data from evaluated organs during cDCD from 2017 to 2020.

Inhaled Sedation in Patients with COVID-19-Related Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: An International Retrospective Study.

Background And Objectives: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and the shortage of intravenous sedatives has led to renewed interest in inhaled sedation for patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). We hypothesized that inhaled sedation would be associated with improved clinical outcomes in COVID-19 ARDS patients.

Methods: Retrospective international study including mechanically ventilated patients with COVID-19 ARDS who required sedation and were admitted to 10 European and US intensive care units.

A set of accessible enhancers enables the initial response of breast cancer cells to physiological progestin concentrations.

Here, we report that in T47D breast cancer cells 50 pM progestin is sufficient to activate cell cycle entry and the progesterone gene expression program. At this concentration, equivalent to the progesterone blood levels found around the menopause, progesterone receptor (PR) binds only to 2800 genomic sites, which are accessible to ATAC cleavage prior to hormone exposure. These highly accessible sites (HAs) are surrounded by well-organized nucleosomes and exhibit breast enhancer features, including estrogen receptor alpha (ERα), higher FOXA1 and BRD4 (bromodomain containing 4) occupancy.

Convergence of life history and physiology during range expansion toward the phenotype of the native sister species.

In our globally changing planet many species show range expansions whereby they encounter new thermal regimes that deviate from those of their source region. Pressing questions are to what extent and through which mechanisms, plasticity and/or evolution, species respond to the new thermal regimes and whether these trait changes are adaptive. Using a common-garden experiment, we tested for plastic and evolutionary trait changes in life history and a set of understudied biochemical/physiological traits during the range expansion of the damselfly Ischnura elegans from France into a warmer region in Spain.

Evolution of cold tolerance and thermal plasticity in life history, behaviour and physiology during a poleward range expansion.

Many species that are moving polewards encounter novel thermal regimes to which they have to adapt. Therefore, rapid evolution of thermal tolerance and of thermal plasticity in fitness-related traits in edge populations can be crucial for the success and speed of range expansions. We tested for adaptation in cold tolerance and in life history, behavioural and physiological traits and their thermal plasticity during a poleward range expansion.

Thermal evolution of life history and heat tolerance during range expansions toward warmer and cooler regions.

Species' range edges are expanding to both warmer and cooler regions. Yet, no studies directly compared the changes in range-limiting traits within the same species during both types of range expansions. To increase our mechanistic understanding of range expansions, it is crucial to disentangle the contributions of plastic and genetic changes in these traits.

Effects of salinity changes on aquatic organisms in a multiple stressor context.

Under global change, the ion concentration of aquatic ecosystems is changing worldwide. Many freshwater ecosystems are being salinized by anthropogenic salt inputs, whereas many naturally saline ones are being diluted by agricultural drainages. This occurs concomitantly with changes in other stressors, which can result in additive, antagonistic or synergistic effects on organisms.

Glutathione oxidation correlates with one-lung ventilation time and PO2/FiO2 ratio during pulmonary lobectomy.

Objectives: During lung lobectomy, the operated lung completely collapses with simultaneous hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction, followed by expansion and reperfusion. Here, we investigated glutathione oxidation and lipoperoxidation in patients undergoing lung lobectomy, during one-lung ventilation (OLV) and after resuming two-lung ventilation (TLV), and examined the relationship with OLV duration.

Methods: We performed a single-centre, observational, prospective study in 32 patients undergoing lung lobectomy.

Accuracy of an autocalibrated pulse contour analysis in cardiac surgery patients: a bi-center clinical trial.

Background: Less-invasive and easy to install monitoring systems for continuous estimation of cardiac index (CI) have gained increasing interest, especially in cardiac surgery patients who often exhibit abrupt haemodynamic changes. The aim of the present study was to compare the accuracy of CI by a new semi-invasive monitoring system with transpulmonary thermodilution before and after cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB).

Methods: Sixty-five patients (41 Germany, 24 Spain) scheduled for elective coronary surgery were studied before and after CPB, respectively.

Atlas of Iberian water beetles (ESACIB database).

The ESACIB ('EScarabajos ACuáticos IBéricos') database is provided, including all available distributional data of Iberian and Balearic water beetles from the literature up to 2013, as well as from museum and private collections, PhD theses, and other unpublished sources. The database contains 62,015 records with associated geographic data (10×10 km UTM squares) for 488 species and subspecies of water beetles, 120 of them endemic to the Iberian Peninsula and eight to the Balearic Islands. This database was used for the elaboration of the "Atlas de los Coleópteros Acuáticos de España Peninsular".

Epidemiology of invasive candidiasis in a surgical intensive care unit: an observational study.

Background: Invasive candidiasis (IC) is a frequent and life-threatening infection in critically ill patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the epidemiology of IC and the antifungal susceptibility of etiological agents in patients admitted to our surgical intensive care unit (SICU) in Spain.

Methods: We designed a prospective, observational, single center, population-based study in a SICU.

Involvement of a citrus meiotic recombination TTC-repeat motif in the formation of gross deletions generated by ionizing radiation and MULE activation.

Background: Transposable-element mediated chromosomal rearrangements require the involvement of two transposons and two double-strand breaks (DSB) located in close proximity. In radiobiology, DSB proximity is also a major factor contributing to rearrangements. However, the whole issue of DSB proximity remains virtually unexplored.

Adjusting tidal volume to stress index in an open lung condition optimizes ventilation and prevents overdistension in an experimental model of lung injury and reduced chest wall compliance.

Introduction: The stress index (SI), a parameter derived from the shape of the pressure-time curve, can identify injurious mechanical ventilation. We tested the hypothesis that adjusting tidal volume (VT) to a non-injurious SI in an open lung condition avoids hypoventilation while preventing overdistension in an experimental model of combined lung injury and low chest-wall compliance (Ccw).

Methods: Lung injury was induced by repeated lung lavages using warm saline solution, and Ccw was reduced by controlled intra-abdominal air-insufflation in 22 anesthetized, paralyzed and mechanically ventilated pigs.

Effects of different flow patterns and end-inspiratory pause on oxygenation and ventilation in newborn piglets: an experimental study.

Background: Historically, the elective ventilatory flow pattern for neonates has been decelerating flow (DF). Decelerating flow waveform has been suggested to improve gas exchange in the neonate when compared with square flow (SF) waveform by improving the ventilation perfusion. However, the superiority of DF compared with SF has not yet been demonstrated during ventilation in small infants.

Setting individualized positive end-expiratory pressure level with a positive end-expiratory pressure decrement trial after a recruitment maneuver improves oxygenation and lung mechanics during one-lung ventilation.

Background: We investigated whether individualized positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) improves oxygenation, ventilation, and lung mechanics during one-lung ventilation compared with standardized PEEP.

Methods: Thirty patients undergoing thoracic surgery were randomly allocated to the study or control group. Both groups received an alveolar recruitment maneuver at the beginning and end of one-lung ventilation.