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While donor-conceived children have similar mental health outcomes compared to spontaneously conceived children, there is an inconsistency between studies investigating mental health outcomes of donor-conceived people in adulthood. This study is an online health survey that was completed by 272 donor sperm-conceived adults and 877 spontaneously conceived adults from around the world. Donor sperm-conceived adults had increased diagnoses of attention deficit disorder (P = 0.004), and autism (P = 0.044) in comparison to those conceived spontaneously. Donor sperm-conceived adults self-reported increased incidences of seeing a mental health professional (P < 0.001), identity formation problems (P < 0.001), learning difficulties (P < 0.001), panic attacks (P = 0.038), recurrent nightmares (sperm P = 0.038), and alcohol/drug dependency (P = 0.037). DASS-21 analysis revealed that donor sperm-conceived adults were also more stressed than those conceived spontaneously (P = 0.013). Both donor sperm and spontaneously conceived cohorts were matched for sex, age, height, alcohol consumption, smoking, exercise, own fertility, and maternal smoking. The increase in adverse mental health outcomes is consistent with some studies of donor-conceived adult mental health outcomes. These results are also consistent with the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) phenomenon that has linked adverse perinatal outcomes, which have been observed in donor-conceived neonates, to increased risk of chronic disease, including mental health. Further work is required to reconcile our observations in adults to contrary observations reported in donor-conceived children.

Exotic diseases and pests of trees have caused continental-scale disturbances in forest ecosystems and industries, and their invasions are considered largely unpredictable. We tested the concept of preinvasion assessment of not yet invasive organisms, which enables empirical risk assessment of potential invasion and impact. Our example assesses fungi associated with Old World bark and ambrosia beetles and their potential to impact North American trees. We selected 55 Asian and European scolytine beetle species using host use, economic, and regulatory criteria. We isolated 111 of their most consistent fungal associates and tested their effect on four important southeastern American pine and oak species. Our test dataset found no highly virulent pathogens that should be classified as an imminent threat. Twenty-two fungal species were minor pathogens, which may require context-dependent response for their vectors at North American borders, while most of the tested fungi displayed no significant impact. Our results are significant in three ways; they ease the concerns over multiple overseas fungus vectors suspected of heightened potential risk, they provide a basis for the focus on the prevention of introduction and establishment of species that may be of consequence, and they demonstrate that preinvasion assessment, if scaled up, can support practical risk assessment of exotic pathogens.

Objective: Increased macrophage recruitment in the early stages of wound healing leads to an excessive inflammatory response associated with elevated fibrosis and scarring. This recruitment relies upon integrins on the surface of monocytes that regulate their migration and extravasation from the circulation into the wound site, where they differentiate into macrophages. The aim of this study was to determine if inhibiting monocyte extravasation from the circulation into burns would reduce macrophages numbers in burns and lead to reduced inflammation and scar formation. Approach: Scald burns were created on mice and treated with integrin alpha L (αL) function blocking antibody via intravenous delivery day 1 after injury. The effect of inhibiting macrophage recruitment into the burn was assessed using macro- and microscopic wound parameters as well as immunohistochemistry for inflammatory cell markers, cytokines, and collagen deposition. Results: Burn wound-associated macrophages were reduced by 54.7% at day 3 following treatment with integrin αL antibody, with levels returning to normal by day 7. This reduction in macrophages led to a concomitant reduction in inflammatory mediators, including tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα) and Il-10 as well as a reduction in proscarring transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGFβ1). This reduced inflammatory response was also associated with less alpha smooth muscle actin (αSMA) expression and an overall trend toward reduced scar formation with a lower collagen I/III ratio. Innovation: Treatment of burns with integrin αL function blocking antibodies reduces inflammation in burn wounds. Conclusion: These results suggest that reducing macrophage infiltration into burn wounds may lead to a reduced early inflammatory response and less scar formation following burn injury.

To mitigate the movement of non-native organisms with trade, phytosanitary systems have been implemented within and between countries. In some countries such as Cuba, little is known about the within-state plant health system. To facilitate the development of future trade partnership between Cuba and the United States, agencies need to understand the organizational structure and diagnostic capacity of the Cuban Plant Protection System, identify potential synergies between the United States and Cuban systems, and identify steps towards cooperation. This paper fills this critical void by presenting a descriptive analysis of the plant health system in Cuba. Information was integrated from available literature, informal interviews with Cuban experts, and workshops focused on Cuban policies, risk, and potential collaboration attended by Cuban and American experts. We identify the next practical steps in improving cooperation, including building trust and capacity. Mutual understanding of phytosanitary systems will be crucial for the regional economic and environmental stability of a post-embargo United States-Cuban relationship., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Aim: To compare perinatal outcomes for neonates conceived with donated sperm with those for neonates conceived spontaneously in an Australian population cohort., Methods: Perinatal outcomes for all births in South Australia for the period January 1986-December 2002 were linked with assisted reproductive treatment records to determine those conceived from donated sperm. Birth outcome measures were analyzed using Student's t-test and logistic regression using generalized estimating equations to determine statistical significance., Results: Donor sperm neonates were not significantly different from their spontaneously conceived counterparts in terms of mean birthweight, low birthweight, preterm delivery, small for gestational age, or large for gestational age. They were, however, significantly more likely to be born at lower mean gestational age (P = 0.012), and to have preterm delivery with low birthweight (P = 0.008), when controlling for maternal age, parity, ethnicity, socioeconomic quartile and baby's sex. These associations were not apparent when singletons and twins were considered separately., Conclusion: There was some evidence of compromised perinatal outcomes for donor sperm neonates compared with their spontaneously conceived counterparts, which appeared to be partly attributable to multiplicity., (© 2017 Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology.)

Forests provide myriad ecosystem services that are vital to humanity. With climate change, we expect to see significant changes to forests that will alter the supply of these critical services and affect human well-being. To better understand the impacts of climate change on forest-based ecosystem services, we applied a data envelopment analysis method to assess plot-level efficiency in the provision of ecosystem services in Florida natural loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) forests. Using field data for n = 16 loblolly pine forest plots, including inputs such as site index, tree density, age, precipitation, and temperatures for each forest plot, we assessed the relative plot-level production of three ecosystem services: timber, carbon sequestered, and species richness. The results suggested that loblolly pine forests in Florida were largely inefficient in the provision of these ecosystem services under current climatic conditions. Climate change had a small negative impact on the loblolly pine forests efficiency in the provision of ecosystem services. In this context, we discussed the reduction of tree density that may not improve ecosystem services production.

Previous research indicates interest among some donor-conceived people, donors and recipient parents in having contact. Outcomes of such contact appear largely, but not universally, positive. This paper seeks to understand better the characteristics of associated support services. Information gathered using the authors' direct experiences and professional and personal networks in different parts of the world indicates the emergence of four main groupings: (i) publically funded services outside of treatment centers; (ii) services provided by fertility treatment or gamete bank services; (iii) services provided privately by independent psychosocial or legal practitioners; and (4) services organized by offspring and/or recipient parents. Key operational features examined were: (i) who can access such services and when; (ii) what professional standards and funding are in place to provide them; and (iii) how 'matching' and contact processes are managed. Differences appear influenced variously by the needs of those directly affected, local policies, national legislation and the interests of the fertility services which recruit gamete donors and/or deliver donor conception treatments. The paper is intended to inform fuller debate about how best to meet the needs of those seeking information and contact, the implications for the way that fertility treatment and gametes donation services are currently provided and future research needs.

Since its inception, donor conception practices have been a reproductive choice for the infertile. Past and current practices have the potential to cause significant and lifelong harm to the offspring through loss of kinship, heritage, identity, and family health history, and possibly through introducing physical problems. Legislation and regulation in Australia that specifies that the welfare of the child born as a consequence of donor conception is paramount may therefore be in conflict with the outcomes. Altering the paradigm to a child-centric model, however, impinges on reproductive choice and rights of adults involved in the process. With some lobby groups pushing for increased reproductive choice while others emphasise offspring rights there is a dichotomy of interests that society and legislators need to address. Concepts pertaining to a shift toward a child-centric paradigm are discussed.

Impaired wound healing in the elderly presents a major clinical challenge. Understanding the cellular mechanisms behind age-related impaired healing is vital for developing new wound therapies. Here we show that the actin-remodelling protein, Flightless I (FliI) is a contributing factor to the poor healing observed in elderly skin and that gender plays a major role in this process. Using young and aged, wild-type and FliI overexpressing mice we found that aging significantly elevated FliI expression in the epidermis and wound matrix. Aging exacerbated the negative effect of FliI on wound repair and wounds in aged FliI transgenic mice were larger with delayed reepithelialisation. When the effect of gender was further analysed, despite increased FliI expression in young and aged male and female mice, female FliI transgenic mice had the most severe wound healing phenotype suggesting that male mice were refractory to FliI gene expression. Of potential importance, males, but not females, up-regulated transforming growth factor-beta1 and this was most pronounced in aged male FliI overexpressing wounds. As FliI also functions as a co-activator of the estrogen nuclear receptor, increasing concentrations of beta-estradiol were added to skin fibroblasts and keratinocytes and significantly enhanced FliI expression and translocation of FliI from the cytoplasm to the nucleus was observed. FliI further inhibited estrogen-mediated collagen I secretion suggesting a mechanism via which FliI may directly affect provisional matrix synthesis. In summary, FliI is a contributing factor to impaired healing and strategies aimed at decreasing FliI levels in elderly skin may improve wound repair.

The tetraspanin CD151 forms complexes in epithelial cell membranes with laminin-binding integrins alpha6beta4, alpha3beta1, and alpha6beta1, and modifies integrin-mediated cell migration in vitro. We demonstrate in this study that CD151 expression is upregulated in a distinct temporal and spatial pattern during wound healing, particularly in the migrating epidermal tongue at the wound edge, suggesting a role for CD151 in keratinocyte migration. We show that healing is significantly impaired in CD151-null mice, with wounds gaping wider at 7 days post-injury. The rate of re-epithelialization of the CD151-null wounds is adversely affected, with significantly less wound area being covered by migrating epidermal cells. Our studies reveal that although laminin levels are similar in wild-type and CD151-null wounds, the organization of the laminin in the basement membrane is impaired. Furthermore, upregulation of alpha6 and beta4 integrin expression is adversely affected in CD151-null mice wounds. In contrast, we find no significant effect of CD151 gene knockout on alpha3 and beta1 integrin expression in wound repair. We suggest that mice lacking the CD151 gene are defective in wound healing, primarily owing to impairment of the re-epithelialization process. This may be due to defective basement membrane formation and epithelial cell adhesion and migration.

Statement of Problems: To determine whether topical prednisolone affected sinus mucosal healing in a sheep animal model., Methods of Study: A standardised sheep model with concurrent Oestrus ovus infection was utilised. Following full thickness nasal mucosal injuries, hyaluronic acid packs soaked with prednisolone were applied to one side of the nasal cavity, with hyaluronic acid packs without prednisolone, to the other. At four weekly intervals, for 16 weeks, mucosal biopsies were taken and analysed for epithelial thickness and length, for cilial height and percentage of ciliated mucosa and mucosal inflammation., Results: Eighteen sheep were utilised, with each acting as its own control. At completion of the study there was no statistical difference between the control or treatment group for the percentage of mucosal epithelialisation (mean: 86.5% vs 92.2%), epithelial thickness (mean: 39.7 microns vs 39.3 microns or the percentage of epithelium ciliated (mean: 26.5% vs 30.8%). Furthermore prednisolone had no effect on mucosal inflammation with the control arm mean score of 3.44 (SD .022) and treatment arm mean of 3.77 (SD 0.21)., Conclusion: Hyaluronic acid nasal packs soaked in prednisolone failed to improve the speed of mucosal healing or re-ciliation in the sheep model of eosinophilic rhinosinusitis.