pylori infection status. GS-1101 chemical structure However, HPIN-GC had a more advanced pT classification (T3/T4; 51.9 vs 31.1%, p = .025) and a more advanced

stage (more than stage I; 63 vs 41.3%, p = .027) than H. pylori-positive gastric cancer. Conclusion:  At least 5.4% cases of gastric cancer were H. pylori negative among South Korean patients. HPIN-GC looks like to have a poorer prognosis than H. pylori-positive cases. “
“Background:  Cardiac syndrome X (CSX) is a condition in which patients have the pain of angina despite normal coronary angiogram. Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection causes chronic inflammation which may play a pathogenic role in CSX. We surveyed the association of inflammation with H. pylori and its virulent strain (cytotoxin-associated

gene A positive; CagA+) infections with CSX. Material and Methods:  Sixty patients with CSX (38 women/22 men; mean age: 51.8 ± 12.3) and 60 age- and gender-matched healthy controls (39 women/21 men; mean age: 48.9 ± 6.3) were enrolled. Plasma samples were tested for the presence of IgG antibody to H. pylori using enzyme linked immunosorbent selleck products assay (ELISA) method. IgG- positive patients were determined by the presence of IgG antibody to CagA, also by ELISA method. Also, plasma levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) were measured by ELISA method. Results:  Patients with CSX were detected to have significantly higher plasma IL-6 and TNF-α level in comparison with normal controls (33.6 ± 3.5 vs 3.2 ± 0.4 and 24.2 ± 2.3 vs 3.1 ± 0.4, respectively; p < 0.01). The plasma levels of these inflammatory factors in CgA+ were significantly higher than those in CagA− (CSX: IL-6: 43.05 ± 5.04 vs 23.97 ± 4.58 and TNF-α: 31.43 ± 3.13 vs 16.47 ± 2.93, Controls: IL-6: 3.52 ± 1.39 vs 2.90 ± 0.67 and TNF-α: 5.39 ± 1.17 vs 2.22 ± 0.43, respectively; p < 0.05). Conclusion:  The CagA+ strain of H. pylori, can not only be a trigger, and may also have a role via chronic inflammation in the pathogenesis of CSX. "
“Background:  The Helicobacter pylori reinfection this website seems to be higher in developing countries, than in developed ones. The aim of the study was to determine the annual recurrence

rate of H. pylori, in Brazilian patients with peptic ulcer disease, in a 5-year follow-up. Methods:  Patients, with peptic ulcer disease diagnosed by upper digestive endoscopy (UDE) and H. pylori infection verified by histological analysis, rapid urease test, polymerase chain reaction, and urea breath test (UBT), were treated for bacterial eradication. The cure of the infection was verified using the same tests, 3 months after. Clinical evaluation and UBT were performed after sixth and ninth month. After 1 year of follow-up, UBT and UDE were repeated. Up to the fifth year, patients were assessed twice a year and an UBT was performed annually. The patients included and all the reinfected were tested for 15 different genes of the H. pylori.

pylori infection status. Kinase Inhibitor Library price However, HPIN-GC had a more advanced pT classification (T3/T4; 51.9 vs 31.1%, p = .025) and a more advanced

stage (more than stage I; 63 vs 41.3%, p = .027) than H. pylori-positive gastric cancer. Conclusion:  At least 5.4% cases of gastric cancer were H. pylori negative among South Korean patients. HPIN-GC looks like to have a poorer prognosis than H. pylori-positive cases. “
“Background:  Cardiac syndrome X (CSX) is a condition in which patients have the pain of angina despite normal coronary angiogram. Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection causes chronic inflammation which may play a pathogenic role in CSX. We surveyed the association of inflammation with H. pylori and its virulent strain (cytotoxin-associated

gene A positive; CagA+) infections with CSX. Material and Methods:  Sixty patients with CSX (38 women/22 men; mean age: 51.8 ± 12.3) and 60 age- and gender-matched healthy controls (39 women/21 men; mean age: 48.9 ± 6.3) were enrolled. Plasma samples were tested for the presence of IgG antibody to H. pylori using enzyme linked immunosorbent Liproxstatin-1 ic50 assay (ELISA) method. IgG- positive patients were determined by the presence of IgG antibody to CagA, also by ELISA method. Also, plasma levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) were measured by ELISA method. Results:  Patients with CSX were detected to have significantly higher plasma IL-6 and TNF-α level in comparison with normal controls (33.6 ± 3.5 vs 3.2 ± 0.4 and 24.2 ± 2.3 vs 3.1 ± 0.4, respectively; p < 0.01). The plasma levels of these inflammatory factors in CgA+ were significantly higher than those in CagA− (CSX: IL-6: 43.05 ± 5.04 vs 23.97 ± 4.58 and TNF-α: 31.43 ± 3.13 vs 16.47 ± 2.93, Controls: IL-6: 3.52 ± 1.39 vs 2.90 ± 0.67 and TNF-α: 5.39 ± 1.17 vs 2.22 ± 0.43, respectively; p < 0.05). Conclusion:  The CagA+ strain of H. pylori, can not only be a trigger, and may also have a role via chronic inflammation in the pathogenesis of CSX. "
“Background:  The Helicobacter pylori reinfection see more seems to be higher in developing countries, than in developed ones. The aim of the study was to determine the annual recurrence

rate of H. pylori, in Brazilian patients with peptic ulcer disease, in a 5-year follow-up. Methods:  Patients, with peptic ulcer disease diagnosed by upper digestive endoscopy (UDE) and H. pylori infection verified by histological analysis, rapid urease test, polymerase chain reaction, and urea breath test (UBT), were treated for bacterial eradication. The cure of the infection was verified using the same tests, 3 months after. Clinical evaluation and UBT were performed after sixth and ninth month. After 1 year of follow-up, UBT and UDE were repeated. Up to the fifth year, patients were assessed twice a year and an UBT was performed annually. The patients included and all the reinfected were tested for 15 different genes of the H. pylori.

When you combine two DAAs with relatively low barriers to resistance, it

is easy for the virus to produce the double mutants that are resistant to both drugs. RBV slows this down somewhat, but does not add enough antiviral activity to prevent resistance more than 60% of the time with tegobuvir and GS 9256. There is one other factor involved in preventing resistance and that is the activity of the DAA. These extremely potent agents, which rapidly drop the viral load down to undetectable, also prevent resistance. A good example of this is the combination study of BI 201335 and BI 207127.6 This study compared two groups: BI201727 400 mg or 600 mg given thrice daily plus BI 201335 and RBV 1000-1200 mg for 4 weeks. In the 400-mg group, the RVR was 73% (with better response in genotype 1b than 1a, as

Selleck Doramapimod one would expect with a protease inhibitor in the regimen). In the 600-mg group, the RVR was 100% and did not BYL719 differ between genotype 1a and 1b. From these data, one can infer that the potency of either the protease inhibitor or the nonnucleoside polymerase inhibitor was different, because the same two classes of drugs, plus RBV, yielded a much higher RVR. To be fair, there was no arm without RBV in this study and, of course, it is hard to compare results between studies. The designs of both studies are elegant, simple, and easy to understand, and they advance the field enormously. Gilead is now aggressively addressing the issue of

potency by adding a third DAA to tegobuvir and GS 9256 with and without 上海皓元医药股份有限公司 RBV.7 The other study in this issue of Hepatology2 advances the field dramatically further. Not only does it move us from RVR without IFN to sustained virological response (SVR), but it does so in null responders! This represents a giant step toward the “Holy Grail” of HCV therapy: once-daily, oral IFN-free treatment. The world of HCV treatment changed forever in April of 2011 when the first IFN-free SVRs were presented using an NS5A inhibitor and a protease inhibitor, the same two drugs used in the Chayama et al. article.8 The 100% SVR with quadruple therapy was overshadowed by the all-oral double DAA combination (without RBV) that resulted in a 36% SVR. This was the long-awaited proof of principle that HCV could be eradicated without IFN. Notably, in the all-oral arm both of the genotype 1b patients achieved an SVR, but only 2/9 of the genotype 1a patients, demonstrating the differences in activity of protease inhibitors in genotypes 1a and 1b. The Chayama et al. study in this issue7 examined the combination of the NS5A BMS-790052 60 mg qd (now called daclatasvir) and the protease inhibitor BMS-650032 600 mg (now called asunaprevir) in null responders, but only in genotype 1b, the most common genotype in Japan. Ten patients received both drugs for 24 weeks. Of the nine patients who completed the study, all achieved an SVR.

When you combine two DAAs with relatively low barriers to resistance, it

is easy for the virus to produce the double mutants that are resistant to both drugs. RBV slows this down somewhat, but does not add enough antiviral activity to prevent resistance more than 60% of the time with tegobuvir and GS 9256. There is one other factor involved in preventing resistance and that is the activity of the DAA. These extremely potent agents, which rapidly drop the viral load down to undetectable, also prevent resistance. A good example of this is the combination study of BI 201335 and BI 207127.6 This study compared two groups: BI201727 400 mg or 600 mg given thrice daily plus BI 201335 and RBV 1000-1200 mg for 4 weeks. In the 400-mg group, the RVR was 73% (with better response in genotype 1b than 1a, as

selleck one would expect with a protease inhibitor in the regimen). In the 600-mg group, the RVR was 100% and did not Sotrastaurin in vitro differ between genotype 1a and 1b. From these data, one can infer that the potency of either the protease inhibitor or the nonnucleoside polymerase inhibitor was different, because the same two classes of drugs, plus RBV, yielded a much higher RVR. To be fair, there was no arm without RBV in this study and, of course, it is hard to compare results between studies. The designs of both studies are elegant, simple, and easy to understand, and they advance the field enormously. Gilead is now aggressively addressing the issue of

potency by adding a third DAA to tegobuvir and GS 9256 with and without MCE RBV.7 The other study in this issue of Hepatology2 advances the field dramatically further. Not only does it move us from RVR without IFN to sustained virological response (SVR), but it does so in null responders! This represents a giant step toward the “Holy Grail” of HCV therapy: once-daily, oral IFN-free treatment. The world of HCV treatment changed forever in April of 2011 when the first IFN-free SVRs were presented using an NS5A inhibitor and a protease inhibitor, the same two drugs used in the Chayama et al. article.8 The 100% SVR with quadruple therapy was overshadowed by the all-oral double DAA combination (without RBV) that resulted in a 36% SVR. This was the long-awaited proof of principle that HCV could be eradicated without IFN. Notably, in the all-oral arm both of the genotype 1b patients achieved an SVR, but only 2/9 of the genotype 1a patients, demonstrating the differences in activity of protease inhibitors in genotypes 1a and 1b. The Chayama et al. study in this issue7 examined the combination of the NS5A BMS-790052 60 mg qd (now called daclatasvir) and the protease inhibitor BMS-650032 600 mg (now called asunaprevir) in null responders, but only in genotype 1b, the most common genotype in Japan. Ten patients received both drugs for 24 weeks. Of the nine patients who completed the study, all achieved an SVR.

,15 103 patients with acute HE were randomized to receive either rifaximin or lactulose for 5 to 10 days. This study showed no significant difference in improvement in the two groups (81.6% versus 80.4%), although the patients in the rifaximin group had a better portosystemic encephalopathy index because of an improvement in the electroencephalogram abnormalities and ammonia Roxadustat levels. A double-blind study by Bucci and Palmieri,16

comparing rifaximin and lactulose in 58 patients with moderate to severe HE, also showed improvement in the electroencephalogram findings and ammonia levels in the rifaximin group. Rifaximin was better tolerated and had a faster onset of action. In a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials comparing rifaximin and lactulose, Jiang et al.17 found only five trials, involving a total of 264 patients, that met the inclusion criteria. There was no significant difference between the two groups with respect to improvements in both acute and chronic HE (relative risk = 1.08, 95% confidence interval = 0.85-1.38, P = 0.53).

However, in a meta-analysis of 14 randomized Selleck Fulvestrant controlled trials (n = 650) and 3 cohort studies (n = 161), Lawrence and Klee18 found that rifaximin was more effective than nonabsorbable disaccharides and as effective as other antibiotics. It was also better tolerated and associated with less frequent and shorter hospitalization in comparison with lactulose. Leevy and Phillips19 evaluated 145 patients with HE who medchemexpress initially received lactulose for 6 months and then rifaximin for 6 months. The incidence of hospitalization was lower (0.5 versus 1.6, P < 0.001) and the duration of hospitalization was shorter (2.5 versus 7.3, P < 0.001) during therapy with rifaximin. The study by Bass

et al.20 is the first randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study that has evaluated rifaximin for the prevention of HE. This multicenter trial included 299 patients with chronic liver disease and a history of HE. Patients received either 550 mg of rifaximin or placebo twice daily for 6 months. Approximately 90% of the patients in both groups also received lactulose. The primary endpoint was the development of HE. Recurrence of HE was reported in 22.1% of the patients (31 of 140) receiving rifaximin and 45.9% of the patients (73 of 159) receiving the placebo (P < 0.001, 95% confidence interval = 0.28-0.64). The incidence of recurrent HE was reduced by 58% in the rifaximin group versus the placebo group with a number needed to treat of 4. The secondary endpoint of the study was time to first hospitalization due to HE, which was also reduced by 50% in rifaximin-treated patients with a number needed to treat of 9 (13.6% of the rifaximin group versus 22.6% of the placebo group, P = 0.01, 95% confidence interval = 0.29-0.87). No major adverse events were noted in the rifaximin group. The mortality rate was the same in the two groups.

,15 103 patients with acute HE were randomized to receive either rifaximin or lactulose for 5 to 10 days. This study showed no significant difference in improvement in the two groups (81.6% versus 80.4%), although the patients in the rifaximin group had a better portosystemic encephalopathy index because of an improvement in the electroencephalogram abnormalities and ammonia Venetoclax solubility dmso levels. A double-blind study by Bucci and Palmieri,16

comparing rifaximin and lactulose in 58 patients with moderate to severe HE, also showed improvement in the electroencephalogram findings and ammonia levels in the rifaximin group. Rifaximin was better tolerated and had a faster onset of action. In a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials comparing rifaximin and lactulose, Jiang et al.17 found only five trials, involving a total of 264 patients, that met the inclusion criteria. There was no significant difference between the two groups with respect to improvements in both acute and chronic HE (relative risk = 1.08, 95% confidence interval = 0.85-1.38, P = 0.53).

However, in a meta-analysis of 14 randomized Selumetinib mouse controlled trials (n = 650) and 3 cohort studies (n = 161), Lawrence and Klee18 found that rifaximin was more effective than nonabsorbable disaccharides and as effective as other antibiotics. It was also better tolerated and associated with less frequent and shorter hospitalization in comparison with lactulose. Leevy and Phillips19 evaluated 145 patients with HE who 上海皓元 initially received lactulose for 6 months and then rifaximin for 6 months. The incidence of hospitalization was lower (0.5 versus 1.6, P < 0.001) and the duration of hospitalization was shorter (2.5 versus 7.3, P < 0.001) during therapy with rifaximin. The study by Bass

et al.20 is the first randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study that has evaluated rifaximin for the prevention of HE. This multicenter trial included 299 patients with chronic liver disease and a history of HE. Patients received either 550 mg of rifaximin or placebo twice daily for 6 months. Approximately 90% of the patients in both groups also received lactulose. The primary endpoint was the development of HE. Recurrence of HE was reported in 22.1% of the patients (31 of 140) receiving rifaximin and 45.9% of the patients (73 of 159) receiving the placebo (P < 0.001, 95% confidence interval = 0.28-0.64). The incidence of recurrent HE was reduced by 58% in the rifaximin group versus the placebo group with a number needed to treat of 4. The secondary endpoint of the study was time to first hospitalization due to HE, which was also reduced by 50% in rifaximin-treated patients with a number needed to treat of 9 (13.6% of the rifaximin group versus 22.6% of the placebo group, P = 0.01, 95% confidence interval = 0.29-0.87). No major adverse events were noted in the rifaximin group. The mortality rate was the same in the two groups.

Nyberg – Grant/Research Support: Merck, Roche/Genentech, Vertex, Bristol Myers Squibb, Gilead, Pharmasset, Abbott; Speaking and Teaching: Merck Thomas J. Urban – Patent Held/Filed: Schering Plough “
“The gastrointestinal tract is protected by a mucus barrier with both secreted and cell-surface mucins contributing to the exclusion of luminal microbes and toxins. Alterations in the structure and/or quantity of mucins alter the barrier function of mucus and could Belinostat play roles in initiating and maintaining mucosal

inflammation in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), and in driving cancer development in the intestine. The aim of this review is to focus on the roles of the mucins in IBD. The polymorphisms of mucin genes that have been associated with

PF-01367338 nmr susceptibility to IBD, and alterations in mucin expression as well as factors that regulate production of the mucins in IBD, are summarized. Data from animal models of intestinal inflammation, which support the importance of mucins in IBD and cancer development, are also discussed. “
“Liver biopsy remains the most definitive test in assessing the severity of liver disease. The most important complication of liver biopsy is bleeding which occurs in 0.1-0.3% of patients. Exchange of information between the clinician and the pathologist is imperative in liver biopsy interpretation because the findings on liver biopsy are often not specific for a diagnosis. Paracentesis is the most

efficient way of determining diagnosis in patients presenting with ascites. Bleeding occurs in 0.3% of patients undergoing paracentesis. Intravenous albumin should be administered to patients undergoing removal of more than five liters of ascites fluid. “
“Type III interferons (IFN) (IFN-λ1, -λ2, -λ3/interleukin [IL]-29, -28A, -28B) are cytokines with type I IFN-like antiviral activities. Most cells have expressed both type I and III IFN following Toll-like receptor (TLR) stimulation or viral infection, whereas the ability of cells to respond to IFN-λ was restricted to a specific subset MCE公司 of cells. It was reported that signal transduction pathway of IFN-λ was similar to that of IFN-α/β although a receptor adapted by IFN-λ were distinct from that of IFN-α/β. However, the clinical significance and the role of each IFN-λ were unclear. Recent genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of the human whole genome revealed several single nucleotide polymorphism sites (SNP) strongly associated with the response to pegylated IFN-α (PEG-IFN) plus ribavirin (RBV) treatment in chronic hepatitis C patients. The SNP, which are located near the IL-28B gene of chromosome 19, were discovered simultaneously by three independent studies opening a new prospective in hepatitis C research.

Nyberg – Grant/Research Support: Merck, Roche/Genentech, Vertex, Bristol Myers Squibb, Gilead, Pharmasset, Abbott; Speaking and Teaching: Merck Thomas J. Urban – Patent Held/Filed: Schering Plough “
“The gastrointestinal tract is protected by a mucus barrier with both secreted and cell-surface mucins contributing to the exclusion of luminal microbes and toxins. Alterations in the structure and/or quantity of mucins alter the barrier function of mucus and could Lapatinib in vivo play roles in initiating and maintaining mucosal

inflammation in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), and in driving cancer development in the intestine. The aim of this review is to focus on the roles of the mucins in IBD. The polymorphisms of mucin genes that have been associated with

Epigenetics inhibitor susceptibility to IBD, and alterations in mucin expression as well as factors that regulate production of the mucins in IBD, are summarized. Data from animal models of intestinal inflammation, which support the importance of mucins in IBD and cancer development, are also discussed. “
“Liver biopsy remains the most definitive test in assessing the severity of liver disease. The most important complication of liver biopsy is bleeding which occurs in 0.1-0.3% of patients. Exchange of information between the clinician and the pathologist is imperative in liver biopsy interpretation because the findings on liver biopsy are often not specific for a diagnosis. Paracentesis is the most

efficient way of determining diagnosis in patients presenting with ascites. Bleeding occurs in 0.3% of patients undergoing paracentesis. Intravenous albumin should be administered to patients undergoing removal of more than five liters of ascites fluid. “
“Type III interferons (IFN) (IFN-λ1, -λ2, -λ3/interleukin [IL]-29, -28A, -28B) are cytokines with type I IFN-like antiviral activities. Most cells have expressed both type I and III IFN following Toll-like receptor (TLR) stimulation or viral infection, whereas the ability of cells to respond to IFN-λ was restricted to a specific subset medchemexpress of cells. It was reported that signal transduction pathway of IFN-λ was similar to that of IFN-α/β although a receptor adapted by IFN-λ were distinct from that of IFN-α/β. However, the clinical significance and the role of each IFN-λ were unclear. Recent genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of the human whole genome revealed several single nucleotide polymorphism sites (SNP) strongly associated with the response to pegylated IFN-α (PEG-IFN) plus ribavirin (RBV) treatment in chronic hepatitis C patients. The SNP, which are located near the IL-28B gene of chromosome 19, were discovered simultaneously by three independent studies opening a new prospective in hepatitis C research.

It is likely that these studies underestimated multiple infection rates, because the screening methods used lacked sensitivity for detection of viruses present at low levels (<1% of the population) in a single sample, and screening for different viruses from the same subtype was not undertaken.6, 7, 19, 22 For these reasons, further evaluation of the incidence of multiple infection is required. In the

present study, two nested reverse-transcription AZD6244 nmr polymerase chain reaction (nRT-PCR) assays for the detection of multiple infection were developed and validated. The first assay incorporated a set of HCV subtype-specific nRT-PCR AZD6738 ic50 primers that amplified a portion of the core region and was used to detect one or more genotypes in a single serum sample. The second assay targeting the HCV core C terminus, envelope glycoprotein 1 and the hypervariable region 1 of envelope glycoprotein 2 (E1/HVR1) was used to detect subtype and genotype changes in longitudinal samples. Using longitudinally collected samples from a prospective cohort of seronegative and HCV RNA–negative IDU prison

inmates,27 the objectives of this study were to evaluate the prevalence of mixed infection at incident HCV infection and the incidence of subsequent multiple infection (superinfection, reinfection, strain switch) during follow-up. The natural history, including

HCV displacement, of these multiple infection episodes and viral factors that predicted the outcome of viral competition were examined. CI, confidence interval; Ct, threshold cycle; E1, envelope glycoprotein 1; HCV, hepatitis C virus; HITS, Hepatitis C Incidence and medchemexpress Transmission Study; HVR1, hypervariable region 1 of envelope glycoprotein 2; IDU, injection drug user; nRT-PCR, nested reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. The Hepatitis C Incidence and Transmission Study (HITS) is a prospective cohort study of HCV-seronegative/RNA-negative, high-risk IDU prison inmates recruiting in 19 correctional centers in New South Wales, Australia. Details of the study protocol have been reported elsewhere.27 All participants provided written informed consent. The protocol was approved by the institutional review boards of Justice Health and the Department of Corrective Services. All sera were initially tested using a qualitative HCV RNA detection assay (TMA assay, Versant, Bayer, Australia; lower limit of detection, <10 IU/mL). If detectable, quantification was undertaken (Roche COBAS AmpliPrep/COBAS TaqMan test; limit of detection, 15 IU/mL). Multiple infection is defined as infection with more than one HCV strain.

Mothers and adult daughters have significantly stronger social associations than do unrelated adult females. We suggest that giraffe

have evolved mechanisms for fostering the formation of social associations with similar aged non-kin. Giraffes live in a complex society incorporating both kinship and age proximity as factors modulating the formation of social associations that underlie the fission/fusion dynamics of their flexible herd structure. “
“Robertsonian (Rb) fusions are one of the most frequent types of chromosomal rearrangements and have greatly contributed to the evolution of mammalian genome architecture. Apart from rare exceptions, investigations at the species level (i.e. polymorphism) are almost exclusively restricted to two mammalian models, namely the house mouse Mus musculus domesticus (2n=22–40) and the common shrew Sorex araneus this website (2n=20–33). Yet, these two species display important but usually locally restricted Rb polymorphisms. Another rodent species, Gerbillus nigeriae, has

also been shown to display a wide range of diploid number variation (2n=60–74) due to Rb polymorphism. However, data about the latter species are rather scarce. We provide here a survey including recapitulation of 137 available ATM/ATR inhibitor review karyotypic data that were implemented with 241 new records, thus allowing us to draw the first map of 2n variation throughout the species range. First, truly segregating MCE centric fusions are observed in almost all localities investigated. Moreover, the geographic patterns (from 79 West African localities in total) show that local 2n variations are clearly lower than those observed at a wider scale, thus leading to some spatial structuring that may reflect phylogeographic assemblages. The meiotic

study of 13 male specimens allowed us to identify several instances of double and triple Rb heterozygous individuals, and strongly suggested that heterozygosity is more the rule than the exception in the species. From there, it is tempting to speculate that the extraordinary Rb plasticity observed in G. nigeriae may be selectively maintained and confer adaptability to this species, which inhabits unstable Sahelian environments, where it is able to colonize efficiently habitats that undergo rapid human-mediated and/or climatic changes. “
“Egg provisioning is a major maternal effect in amphibians. We evaluated the relationship between starting body size (a proxy of egg provisioning) and multiple measures of larval performance in the Italian agile frog Rana latastei; we analysed within-clutch variation, to remove co-variation between provisioning and genetic maternal effect. We reared tadpoles from multiple clutches in a common environment under two food treatments (high- and low-protein content), and measured the mortality, tadpole size during development and development rate.