| 1. |
- Proletov, Ian, et al.
(författare)
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Primary and secondary glomerulonephritides 1.
- 2014
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Ingår i: Nephrology, dialysis, transplantation : official publication of the European Dialysis and Transplant Association - European Renal Association. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1460-2385. ; 29 Suppl 3:May, s. 186-200
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)
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| 2. |
- Agudo, Antonio, et al.
(författare)
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Hemochromatosis (HFE) gene mutations and risk of gastric cancer in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study
- 2013
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Ingår i: Carcinogenesis. - : Oxford University Press. - 0143-3334 .- 1460-2180. ; 34:6, s. 1244-1250
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Hereditary hemochromatosis (HH) is a strong risk factor for hepatocellular cancer, and mutations in the HFE gene associated with HH and iron overload may be related to other tumors, but no studies have been reported for gastric cancer (GC). A nested case-control study was conducted within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC), including 365 incident gastric adenocarcinoma and 1284 controls matched by center, sex, age and date of blood collection. Genotype analysis was performed for two functional polymorphisms (C282Y/rs1800562 and H63D/rs1799945) and seven tagSNPs of the HFE genomic region. Association with all gastric adenocarcinoma, and according to anatomical localization and histological subtype, was assessed by means of the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) estimated by unconditional logistic regression adjusted for the matching variables. We observed a significant association for H63D with OR (per rare allele) of 1.32 (CI = 1.03-1.69). In subgroup analyses, the association was stronger for non-cardia anatomical subsite (OR = 1.60, CI = 1.16-2.21) and intestinal histological subtype (OR = 1.82, CI = 1.27-2.62). Among intestinal cases, two tagSNPs (rs1572982 and rs6918586) also showed a significant association that disappeared after adjustment for H63D. No association with tumors located in the cardia or with diffuse subtype was found for any of the nine SNPs analyzed. Our results suggest that H63D variant in HFE gene seems to be associated with GC risk of the non-cardia region and intestinal type, possibly due to its association with iron overload although a role for other mechanisms cannot be entirely ruled out.
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| 3. |
- Almeida, Erika, et al.
(författare)
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Antipredator responses of two anurans towards native and exotic predators
- 2011
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Ingår i: Amphibia-Reptilia. - 0173-5373 .- 1568-5381. ; 32:3, s. 341-350
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- When faced with the risk of predation, tadpoles of many amphibian species are known to modify their phenotype. In this work we studied the effect of an exotic species, the red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii), on the phenotype of two species of amphibians with different reproduction habitats: the Iberian painted frog, Discoglossus galganoi, that normally reproduces in temporary water bodies and the common toad, Bufo bufo, that reproduces in permanent water bodies. The responses were compared with the ones shown in the presence of a native predator, dragonfly (Aeshnidae) larvae. Behaviour, growth and morphology of tadpoles were monitored in a factorial experiment with five treatments. Our results showed that only the permanent habitat species altered its behaviour and life-history traits in the presence of P. clarkii; however, this was mediated by chemical cues from consumed conspecifics. Antipredator responses of B. bufo towards the exotic crayfish were similar to the ones towards the native predator, while D. galganoi responded to the dragonfly larvae but not to P. clarkii. This may be the result of infrequent colonization events of temporary habitats by the crayfish. Therefore, the consequences of the introduction of P. clarkii might be more serious for D. galganoi and other species living in temporary habitats. Species breeding in permanent habitats, more prone to having generalized antipredator responses, may be relatively protected against this exotic crayfish although the effectiveness of these responses still needs to be tested.
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| 4. |
- Dik, Vincent K, et al.
(författare)
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Prediagnostic intake of dairy products and dietary calcium and colorectal cancer survival - results from the EPIC cohort study.
- 2014
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Ingår i: Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention. - 1538-7755 .- 1055-9965. ; 23:9, s. 1813-1823
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background We investigated whether prediagnostic reported intake of dairy products and dietary calcium are associated with colorectal cancer (CRC) survival. Methods Data from 3,859 subjects with CRC (42.1% male, mean age at diagnosis 64.2 ± 8.1 years) in the European Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) cohort were analyzed. Intake of dairy products and dietary calcium was assessed at baseline (1992-2000) using validated, country-specific dietary questionnaires. Multivariable Cox regression models were used to calculate hazard ratios (HR) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (95%-CI) for CRC specific death (n=1,028) and all-cause death (n=1,525) for different quartiles of intake. Results The consumption of total dairy products was not statistically significantly associated with risk of CRC-specific death (adjusted HR Q4 vs. Q1: 1.17 95%-CI 0.97-1.43) nor of all-cause death (Q4 vs. Q1: 1.16 95%-CI 0.98-1.36). Multivariable adjusted HRs for CRC-specific death (Q4 vs. Q1) were 1.21 (95%-CI 0.99-1.48) for milk, 1.09 (95%-CI 0.88-1.34) for yoghurt and 0.93 (95%-CI 0.76-1.14) for cheese. The intake of dietary calcium was not associated with the risk of CRC-specific (adjusted HR Q4 vs. Q1: 1.01 95%-CI 0.81-1.26) nor of all-cause death (Q4 vs. Q1: 1.01 95%-CI 0.84-1.21). Conclusions The prediagnostic reported intake of dairy products and dietary calcium are not associated with disease-specific or all-cause risk of death in patients diagnosed with CRC. Impact The impact of diet on cancer survival is largely unknown. This study shows that despite it's inverse association with CRC risk, the prediagnostic intake of dairy and dietary calcium do not affect CRC survival.
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| 5. |
- Elks, Cathy E., et al.
(författare)
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Age at Menarche and Type 2 Diabetes Risk The EPIC-InterAct study
- 2013
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Ingår i: Diabetes Care. - : American Diabetes Association. - 1935-5548 .- 0149-5992. ; 36:11, s. 3526-3534
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVEYounger age at menarche, a marker of pubertal timing in girls, is associated with higher risk of later type 2 diabetes. We aimed to confirm this association and to examine whether it is explained by adiposity.RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODSThe prospective European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC)-InterAct case-cohort study consists of 12,403 incident type 2 diabetes cases and a stratified subcohort of 16,154 individuals from 26 research centers across eight European countries. We tested the association between age at menarche and incident type 2 diabetes using Prentice-weighted Cox regression in 15,168 women (n = 5,995 cases). Models were adjusted in a sequential manner for potential confounding and mediating factors, including adult BMI.RESULTSMean menarcheal age ranged from 12.6 to 13.6 years across InterAct countries. Each year later menarche was associated with 0.32 kg/m(2) lower adult BMI. Women in the earliest menarche quintile (8-11 years, n = 2,418) had 70% higher incidence of type 2 diabetes compared with those in the middle quintile (13 years, n = 3,634), adjusting for age at recruitment, research center, and a range of lifestyle and reproductive factors (hazard ratio [HR], 1.70; 95% CI, 1.49-1.94; P < 0.001). Adjustment for BMI partially attenuated this association (HR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.18-1.71; P < 0.001). Later menarche beyond the median age was not protective against type 2 diabetes.CONCLUSIONSWomen with history of early menarche have higher risk of type 2 diabetes in adulthood. Less than half of this association appears to be mediated by higher adult BMI, suggesting that early pubertal development also may directly increase type 2 diabetes risk.
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| 6. |
- Jakszyn, Paula G, et al.
(författare)
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Nitrosamines and Heme Iron and Risk of Prostate Cancer in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition.
- 2012
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Ingår i: Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention. - 1055-9965 .- 1538-7755. ; 21:3, s. 547-551
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: The evidence about nitrosamines and heme iron intake and cancer risk is limited, despite the biologic plausibility of the hypothesis that these factors might increase cancer risk. We investigated the association between dietary nitrosamines and heme iron and the risk of prostate cancer among participants of European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC).METHODS: Data on food consumption and complete follow-up for cancer occurrence was available for 139,005 men, recruited in 8 European countries. Estimates of HRs were obtained by proportional hazard models, stratified by age at recruitment, and study center, and adjusted for total energy intake, smoking status, marital status, dairy products, educational level, and body mass index.RESULTS: After a mean follow-up of 10 years, 4,606 participants were diagnosed with first incident prostate cancer. There was no overall association between prostate cancer risk and nitrosamines exposure (preformed and endogenous) or heme iron intake (HR for a doubling of intake: 1.00; 95% CI: 0.98-1.03 for N-Nitrosodimethlyamine, 0.95; 95% CI: 0.88-1.03 for endogenous Nitrosocompounds, and 1.00; 95 CI: 0.97-1.03 for heme iron).Conclusions and Impact: Our findings do not support an effect of nitrosamines (endogenous and exogenous) and heme iron intake on prostate cancer risk.
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| 7. |
- Nunes, Ana L., et al.
(författare)
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Do anuran larvae respond behaviourally to chemical cues from an invasive crayfish predator? : A community-wide study
- 2013
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Ingår i: Oecologia. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0029-8549 .- 1432-1939. ; 171:1, s. 115-127
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Antipredator behaviour is an important fitness component in most animals. A co-evolutionary history between predator and prey is important for prey to respond adaptively to predation threats. When non-native predator species invade new areas, native prey may not recognise them or may lack effective antipredator defences. However, responses to novel predators can be facilitated by chemical cues from the predators' diet. The red swamp crayfish Procambarus clarkii is a widespread invasive predator in the Southwest of the Iberian Peninsula, where it preys upon native anuran tadpoles. In a laboratory experiment we studied behavioural antipredator defences (alterations in activity level and spatial avoidance of predator) of nine anurans in response to P. clarkii chemical cues, and compared them with the defences towards a native predator, the larval dragonfly Aeshna sp. To investigate how chemical cues from consumed conspecifics shape the responses, we raised tadpoles with either a tadpole-fed or starved crayfish, or dragonfly larva, or in the absence of a predator. Five species significantly altered their behaviour in the presence of crayfish, and this was largely mediated by chemical cues from consumed conspecifics. In the presence of dragonflies, most species exhibited behavioural defences and often these did not require the presence of cues from predation events. Responding to cues from consumed conspecifics seems to be a critical factor in facilitating certain behavioural responses to novel exotic predators. This finding can be useful for predicting antipredator responses to invasive predators and help directing conservation efforts to the species at highest risk.
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| 8. |
- Nunes, Ana L., et al.
(författare)
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Morphological and life-history responses of anurans to predation by an invasive crayfish : an integrative approach
- 2014
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Ingår i: Ecology and Evolution. - : Wiley. - 2045-7758. ; 4:8, s. 1491-1503
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Predator-induced phenotypic plasticity has been widely documented in response to native predators, but studies examining the extent to which prey can respond to exotic invasive predators are scarce. As native prey often do not share a long evolutionary history with invasive predators, they may lack defenses against them. This can lead to population declines and even extinctions, making exotic predators a serious threat to biodiversity. Here, in a community-wide study, we examined the morphological and life-history responses of anuran larvae reared with the invasive red swamp crayfish, Procambarus clarkii, feeding on conspecific tadpoles. We reared tadpoles of nine species until metamorphosis and examined responses in terms of larval morphology, growth, and development, as well as their degree of phenotypic integration. These responses were compared with the ones developed in the presence of a native predator, the larval dragonfly Aeshna sp., also feeding on tadpoles. Eight of the nine species altered their morphology or life history when reared with the fed dragonfly, but only four when reared with the fed crayfish, suggesting among-species variation in the ability to respond to a novel predator. While morphological defenses were generally similar across species (deeper tails) and almost exclusively elicited in the presence of the fed dragonfly, life-history responses were very variable and commonly elicited in the presence of the invasive crayfish. Phenotypes induced in the presence of dragonfly were more integrated than in crayfish presence. The lack of response to the presence of the fed crayfish in five of the study species suggests higher risk of local extinction and ultimately reduced diversity of the invaded amphibian communities. Understanding how native prey species vary in their responses to invasive predators is important in predicting the impacts caused by newly established predator-prey interactions following biological invasions.
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| 9. |
- Nunes, Ana L., et al.
(författare)
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Nonlethal injury caused by an invasive alien predator and its consequences for an anuran tadpole
- 2010
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Ingår i: Basic and Applied Ecology. - : Elsevier BV. - 1439-1791 .- 1618-0089. ; 11:7, s. 645-654
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Nonlethal tail injury resulting from unsuccessful predation attempts is common in anuran larvae and can potentially induce significant fitness costs in terms of survival and growth. We tested the hypotheses that the alien red swamp crayfish, Procambarus clarkii, is an important inducer of tail injury in tadpoles of the Iberian spadefoot toad, Pelobates cultripes, and that tail damage can have important consequences for the tadpoles' life history and morphology. This was investigated by first estimating frequencies of caudal injury in P. cult ripes tadpoles in temporary ponds, with and without crayfish. Secondly, we performed a laboratory experiment in which four levels of tail injury frequency were combined with two levels of food availability. The frequency of tadpoles with damaged tails was higher in ponds with crayfish and the presence of this predator was the strongest predictor of tail injury frequency in a pond. Induced tail loss decreased larval survivorship and affected tail morphology, with injured tadpoles developing deeper tail muscles and shallower tail fins. The magnitude of these effects depended on injury frequency, as well as on food availability. The results suggest that P. clarkii is inflicting tail injuries at much higher levels than those occurring before its introduction; these injuries affect tadpole morphology and may induce delayed fitness costs.
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| 10. |
- Nunes, Ana L., et al.
(författare)
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Rapid evolution of constitutive and inducible defenses against an invasive predator
- 2014
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Ingår i: Ecology. - : Wiley. - 0012-9658 .- 1939-9170. ; 95:6, s. 1520-1530
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Invasive alien predators can impose strong selection on native prey populations and induce rapid evolutionary change in the invaded communities. However, studies on evolutionary responses to invasive predators are often complicated by the lack of replicate populations differing in coexistence time with the predator, which would allow the determination of how prey traits change during the invasion. The red swamp crayfish Procambarus clarkii has invaded many freshwater areas worldwide, with negative impacts for native fauna. Here, we examined how coexistence time shapes antipredator responses of the Iberian waterfrog (Pelophylax perezi) to the invasive crayfish by raising tadpoles from five populations differing in historical exposure to P. clarkii (30 years, 20 years, or no coexistence). Tadpoles from non-invaded populations responded to the presence of P. clarkii with behavioral plasticity (reduced activity), whereas long-term invaded populations showed canalized antipredator behavior (constant low activity level). Tadpoles from one of the long-term invaded populations responded to the crayfish with inducible morphological defenses (deeper tails), reflecting the use of both constitutive and inducible antipredator defenses against the exotic predator by this population. Our results suggest that, while naive P. perezi populations responded behaviorally to P. clarkii, the strong predation pressure imposed by the crayfish has induced the evolution of qualitatively different antipredator defenses in populations with longer coexistence time. These responses suggest that strong selection by invasive predators may drive rapid evolutionary change in invaded communities. Examining responses of prey species to biological invasions using multiple populations will help us better forecast the impact of invasive predators in natural communities.
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