Seabird stress and breeding: Endocrine and hematological stress biomarkers differ between gray-faced petrel (Pterodroma gouldi) colonies.

Seabird breeding success is known to reflect oceanic conditions. Gray-faced petrels (Pterodroma gouldi) breeding on the east coast of Auckland, New Zealand, exhibit poor reproductive success and slow chick development compared to west coast conspecifics. This study mapped changes in physiological traits (corticosterone [CORT] and hematological parameters) indicative of sublethal stress in this Procellariiform species between the west coast (Ihumoana) and east coast (Hawere) island colonies. We found adult gray-faced petrels on the east coast to be lighter and, unlike west coast birds, exhibited an attenuation of response CORT levels between incubation and chick-rearing phases. Such responses were also reflected in east coast chicks that were lighter and had higher feather CORT titers than west coast chicks. Measures of adult hematology and plasma biochemistry revealed significantly lower glucose levels in east coast birds and indicated that chick rearing is the most stressful phase of breeding for this species Combined; these results suggest that east coast birds are under greater nutritional stress and that parents appear to transfer the costs of poor foraging to their chicks to preserve their own condition, consequently increasing chick developmental stress. Our results suggest that any long-term decrease in ocean conditions and/or climatic shifts would be more acutely felt by east coast chicks and potentially their parents, resulting in years of poor breeding success rates on a local scale.

Blood tests are not always helpful in predicting bacterial meningitis in children.

Bacterial meningitis is characterized by inflammation of the meninges covering the brain. It is a life-threatening illness, if untreated. The aim of this study was to examine whether blood tests including C-reactive protein (CRP) and full blood count (FBC) predict bacterial meningitis in children. We also examined the relationship between cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) tests including gram stain, culture and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and blood tests such as culture and PCR results. We studied 11 patients admitted with bacterial meningitis in the Paediatric wards, National Children's Hospital, Dublin, Northern Ireland (2012-2016). The mean age was 10.7 (SD, 14.7) months. In this group of patients, 5 (45.5%) had leucocytosis, 7 (63.6%) experienced neutrophilia and 1 (9.1%) had both leukopenia and neutropenia. C-reactive protein (CRP) value of less than 1 mg/L was found in 2 patients (18.2%). No link was found between CSF gram stain and CSF culture (p value 0.66) or CSF PCR results (p value 0.75). Meningitis should be investigated and treated if clinically suspected, regardless of CRP values or peripheral blood results.

Comparison of p16INK4A and Hybrid Capture 2 human papillomavirus testing as adjunctive tests in liquid-based gynecologic SurePath preparations.

p16(INK4a), cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor, is functionally inactivated in many tumors, including cervical cancer. We compared p16(INK4A) immunocytochemical staining and Hybrid Capture 2 (HCII) on SurePath specimens using tissue biopsies (as the gold standard). Their utility in a spectrum of atypical and preneoplastic lesions, and their ability to accurately identify underlying lesions of CIN II or greater was assessed using biopsy follow-up data. One-hundred and seventeen residual SurePath samples were collected: 43 atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS), 47 low-grade (LGSIL), and 27 high-grade (HGSIL) squamous intraepithelial lesions. Two slides were prepared from each sample; one stained with the SurePath autocyte stain and one immunostained using the CINtec p16(INK4a) Cytology Kit (Dakocytomation). High-risk HPV testing was performed using the HCII DNA test (Digene, Gaithersburg, MD). Available tissue biopsy follow-up data was retrieved. p16(INK4a) was positive in 32.6% (14/43) ASCUS, 46.8% (22/47) LGSIL, and 48.1% (13/27) HGSIL specimens. HCII DNA test was positive in 41.9% (18/43) ASCUS, 78.7% (37/47) LGSIL, and 96.3% (26/27) HGSIL samples. The sensitivity, specificity, positive (PPV) and negative (NPV) predictive values of p16(INK4a) and HCII were: 58.7% and 89.8%, 58.6% and 34.6%, 69.2% and 72.1%, 47.2% and 64.3%, respectively. In patients with cervical biopsies, the PPV of HCII (92.3%) results for a biopsy with CINII/III was significantly higher than the PPV of p16(INK4a) (52%) (P=0.001). Using liquid-based cytology specimens, HCII is a more sensitive test than p16(INK4a) for detection of abnormal cytology. HCII has a higher PPV than p16(INK4a) for identifying CIN II/III.