Variation in the Karyotype, Cytochrome b Gene, and 5S rDNA of Four Thunnus (Perciformes, Scombridae) Tunas.

Yan-Horn Lee, Tsair-Bor Yen, Chiu-Fen Chen, and Mei-Chen Tseng (2018) Thunnus tunas in Scombridae are divided into the temperate subgenus Thunnus (bluefin group) and tropical subgenus Neothunnus (yellowfin group) species based on anatomic traits and distributions. The main purpose of this study was to examine the systematic status of T. obesus based on karyotype, cytochrome (Cyt) b gene, and 5S ribosomal DNA sequences. All T. obesus, T. albacares, T. alalunga, and T. orientalis specimens were caught in southeastern coastal waters off the main island of Taiwan. The karyotypical formula of T. obesus was 2 m + 2 st + 44 t, that of T. albacares was 2 m + 2 sm + 2 st + 42 t, that of T. alalunga was 2 m + 2 sm + 2 st + 42 t, and that of T. orientalis was 2 m + 2 sm + 44 t (m: metacentric; sm: submetacentric; st: subtelocentric; t: telocentric chromosome). According to a molecular genetics analysis for these species using Cyt b gene sequences (1141 bp), interspecific genetic distances ranged from 0.004 (T. orientalis vs. T. alalunga) to 0.038 (T. alalunga vs. T. obesus). The genealogy tree exhibited these 4 species as being categorized into 4 monophyletic groups with high bootstrapping values; T. alalunga and T. orientalis are sister species. This result suggests that the species currently allocated in Thunnus and Neothunnus might need new taxonomic characters to redefine the monophyly of the two subgenera. The sequence lengths of all cloned 5S genes from the 4 species ranged from 327-342 bp. Interspecific genetic distances ranged from 0.016 (T. orientalis vs. T. alalunga) to 0.111 (T. orientalis vs. T. albacares). The phylogenetic tree based on 5S rDNA shows T. obesus divided into 2 groups: one similar to T. albacares and the other close to T. orientalis. These results imply that Thunnus tunas have a common synapomorphic character with Scombridae fish (2n = 48) and high numbers of telocentric chromosomes (42-44). Thunnus orientalis and T. alalunga are sister based on molecular data. Thunnus obesus may have been derived from a more-complicated speciation processes.

Prediction of dystocia-related cesarean section risk in uncomplicated Taiwanese nulliparas at term.

PURPOSE: We aimed to assess risk factors for dystocia-related cesarean section (CS) in uncomplicated Taiwanese nulliparas at term METHODS: We reviewed 1,272 deliveries by 1 obstetrician in a Taiwanese hospital between February 2004 and December 2011. These parturients were nulliparas with singleton pregnancies ≥ 37 weeks gestation who had liveborn cephalic deliveries. The CS group consisted of parturients with dystocia-related CS for the following indications: prolonged latent phase, failure to progress, or arrest of descent. Eight confounding variables [maternal age, height, weight, body mass index (BMI) in labor, gestational age, infant birth weight, gender, and cervical dilatation] were obtained from the medical records. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine the association between each variable and route of delivery. A predictive formula for CS probability was generated using a logistic regression model. RESULTS: Overall 15.0 % of nulliparas in our population underwent CS. Logistic regression analysis revealed a significant association between maternal BMI and CS (adjusted OR 1.112; 95 % CI 1.065-1.161; P < 0.001). The association between maternal age and CS was also statistically significant (adjusted OR 1.074, 95 % CI 1.033-1.116, P = 0.001). Maternal height, weight in labor, gestational age, infant birth weight, gender, and cervical dilatation were not significantly associated with the route of delivery. A predictive formula for CS probability was developed based on a combination of maternal BMI and age. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that maternal age and BMI in labor are significantly associated with dystocia-related CS in uncomplicated Taiwanese nulliparas at term. We develop a practical formula to predict the probability for CS. Using this formula, obstetricians can estimate the risk of CS according to maternal age and BMI in labor.

Acute pancreatitis in children: 10-year experience in a medical center.

BACKGROUND: Acute pancreatitis is uncommon in children compared with adults. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the etiologies, clinical presentations, image findings and outcome of children's acute pancreatitis. METHODS: The medical records of children and adolescent patients admitted due to pancreatitis from July 1992 to July 2002 were reviewed. The diagnosis of pancreatitis was based on clinical symptoms, at least threefold elevation of serum pancreatic enzymes, and image findings. RESULTS: This study comprised 75 patients with 96 episodes of pancreatitis. There were 36 males and 39 females, with a mean age of 10 years. The leading etiologies were idiopathic (26.7%), systemic diseases (22.7%), biliary tract disease (21.3%), and trauma (16%). Common initial manifestations included abdominal pain (93.8%), vomiting (64.2%), and fever (33.3%). The sensitivities of ultrasonography (US) and computed tomography (CT) in detecting pancreatitis were 57.3% and 74.4%, respectively. The morbidity included 6 pseudocysts and 16 repeated pancreatitis. Four pseudocysts were resulted from traumatic pancreatitis. Patients with hyperlipidemia and biliary tract disorder were more likely to have repeated attacks. Fifty-five (73.3%) patients recovered after conservative management, the remaining 20 (26.7%) patients needed surgical or other interventional treatment. The mortality rate was 5.3%. Three fatal cases (75%) had underlying medical diseases. CONCLUSIONS: The etiologies of acute pancreatitis are diverse. Abdominal CT is more sensitive than US in the diagnosis of pancreatitis. Pseudocysts are more likely to occur in patients with traumatic pancreatitis. Patients with hyperlipidemia are prone to recurrent pancreatitis. The prognosis of children's pancreatitis is good. Most patients with fatal outcome had coexistent medical diseases.