Mesh-less laparoscopic treatment of apical prolapse

The pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is a common gynaecological problem, affecting nearly 50% of women over 40. The sacrocolpopexy using a synthetic mesh is now considered the “gold standard” for management of women with apical prolapse. In April 2019 the FDA placed a ban on the production of transvaginal meshes for prolapse due to late complications. The meshes for abdominal repair of POP are still used, but in future they may also be prohibited. The goal of the following video is to present a mesh-less modification of two techniques used for apical organ prolapse, the sacrocolpopexy and the pectopexy.

Early embryogenesis and organogenesis in the annelid Owenia fusiformis

Background Annelids are a diverse group of segmented worms within Spiralia, whose embryos exhibit spiral cleavage and a variety of larval forms. While most modern embryological studies focus on species with unequal spiral cleavage nested in Pleistoannelida (Sedentaria + Errantia), a few recent studies looked into Owenia fusiformis, a member of the sister group to all remaining annelids and thus a key lineage to understand annelid and spiralian evolution and development. However, the timing of early cleavage and detailed morphogenetic events leading to the formation of the idiosyncratic mitraria larva of O. fusiformis remain largely unexplored. Results Owenia fusiformis undergoes equal spiral cleavage where the first quartet of animal micromeres are slightly larger than the vegetal macromeres. Cleavage results in a coeloblastula approximately 5 h post-fertilization (hpf) at 19 °C. Gastrulation occurs via invagination and completes 4 h later, with putative mesodermal precursors and the chaetoblasts appearing 10 hpf at the dorso-posterior side. Soon after, at 11 hpf, the apical tuft emerges, followed by the first neurons (as revealed by the expression of elav1 and synaptotagmin-1) in the apical organ and the prototroch by 13 hpf. Muscles connecting the chaetal sac to various larval tissues develop around 18 hpf and by the time the mitraria is fully formed at 22 hpf, there are FMRFamide+ neurons in the apical organ and prototroch, the latter forming a prototrochal ring. As the mitraria feeds, it grows in size and the prototroch expands through active proliferation. The larva becomes competent after ~ 3 weeks post-fertilization at 15 °C, when a conspicuous juvenile rudiment has formed ventrally. Conclusions Owenia fusiformis embryogenesis is similar to that of other equal spiral cleaving annelids, supporting that equal cleavage is associated with the formation of a coeloblastula, gastrulation via invagination, and a feeding trochophore-like larva in Annelida. The nervous system of the mitraria larva forms earlier and is more elaborated than previously recognized and develops from anterior to posterior, which is likely an ancestral condition to Annelida. Altogether, our study identifies the major developmental events during O. fusiformis ontogeny, defining a conceptual framework for future investigations.

Early Embryogenesis and Organogenesis in the Annelid Owenia Fusiformis

Background : Annelids are a diverse group of segmented worms within Spiralia, whose embryos exhibit spiral cleavage and a variety of larval forms. While most modern embryological studies focus on species with unequal spiral cleavage nested in Pleistoannelida (Sedentaria + Errantia), a few recent studies looked into Owenia fusiformis , a member of the sister group to all remaining annelids and thus a key lineage to understand annelid and spiralian evolution and development. However, the timing of early cleavage and detailed morphogenetic events leading to the formation of the idiosyncratic mitraria larva of O. fusiformis remain largely unexplored.Results : O. fusiformis undergoes equal spiral cleavage where the first quartet of animal micromeres are slightly larger than the vegetal macromeres. Cleavage results in a coeloblastula approximately five hours post fertilization (hpf) at 19 ºC. Gastrulation occurs via invagination and completes four hours later, with putative mesodermal precursors and the chaetoblasts appearing 10 hpf at the dorsoposterior side. Soon after, at 11 hpf, the apical tuft emerges, followed by the first neurons (as revealed by the expression of elav1 and synaptotagmin1 ) in the apical organ and the prototroch by 13 hpf. Muscles connecting the chaetal sac to various larval tissues develop around 18 hpf and by the time the mitraria is fully formed at 22 hpf, there are FMRFamide + neurons in the apical organ and prototroch, the latter forming a prototrochal ring. As the mitraria feeds, it grows in size and the prototroch expands through active proliferation. The larva becomes competent after ~3 weeks post fertilization at 15 ºC, when a conspicuous juvenile rudiment has formed ventrally.Conclusions : O. fusiformis embryogenesis is similar to that of other equal spiral cleaving annelids, supporting that equal cleavage is associated with the formation of a coeloblastula, gastrulation via invagination, and a feeding trochophore-like larva in Annelida. The nervous system of the mitraria larva forms earlier and is more complex than previously recognized and develops from anterior to posterior, which is likely an ancestral condition to Annelida. Altogether, our study identifies the major developmental events during O. fusiformis ontogeny, defining a conceptual framework for future investigations.

Early embryogenesis and organogenesis in the annelid Owenia fusiformis

BackgroundAnnelids are a diverse group of segmented worms within Spiralia, whose embryos exhibit spiral cleavage and a variety of larval forms. While most modern embryological studies focus on species with unequal spiral cleavage nested in Pleistoannelida (Sedentaria + Errantia), a few recent studies looked into Owenia fusiformis, a member of the sister group to all remaining annelids and thus a key lineage to understand annelid and spiralian evolution and development. However, the timing of early cleavage and detailed morphogenetic events leading to the formation of the idiosyncratic mitraria larva of O. fusiformis remain largely unexplored.ResultsO. fusiformis undergoes equal spiral cleavage where the first quartet of animal micromeres are slightly larger than the vegetal macromeres. Cleavage results in a coeloblastula approximately five hours post fertilization (hpf) at 19 °C. Gastrulation occurs via invagination and completes four hours later, with putative mesodermal precursors and the chaetoblasts appearing 10 hpf at the dorsoposterior side. Soon after, at 11 hpf, the apical tuft emerges, followed by the first neurons (as revealed by the expression of elav1 and synaptotagmin1) in the apical organ and the prototroch by 13 hpf. Muscles connecting the chaetal sac to various larval tissues develop around 18 hpf and by the time the mitraria is fully formed at 22 hpf, there are FMRFamide+ neurons in the apical organ and prototroch, the latter forming a prototrochal ring. As the mitraria feeds, it grows in size and the prototroch expands through active proliferation. The larva becomes competent after ∼3 weeks post fertilization at 15 °C, when a conspicuous juvenile rudiment has formed ventrally.ConclusionsO. fusiformis embryogenesis is similar to that of other equal spiral cleaving annelids, supporting that equal cleavage is associated with the formation of a coeloblastula, gastrulation via invagination, and a feeding trochophore-like larva in Annelida. The nervous system of the mitraria larva forms earlier and is more complex than previously recognised and develops from anterior to posterior, which is likely an ancestral condition to Annelida. Altogether, our study identifies the major developmental events during O. fusiformis ontogeny, defining a conceptual framework for future investigations.

Identification of the Neuropeptide Precursor Genes Potentially Involved in the Larval Settlement in the Echiuran Worm Urechis unicinctus

Background: In marine invertebrate life cycles, which often consist of planktonic larval and benthonic adult stages, settlement of the free-swimming larva to the sea floor in response to environmental cues is a key life cycle transition. Settlement is regulated by a specialized sensory–neurosecretory system, the larval apical organ. The neuroendocrine mechanisms through which the apical organ transduces environmental cues into behavioral responses during settlement are not fully understood yet.Results: In this study, a total of 54 neuropeptide precursors (pNPs) were identified in the Urechis unicinctus larva and adult transcriptome databases using local BLAST and NpSearch prediction, of which 10 pNPs belonging to the ancient eumetazoa, 24 pNPs belonging to the ancient bilaterian, 3 pNPs belonging to the ancient protostome, 9 pNPs exclusive in lophotrochozoa, 3 pNPs exclusive in annelid, and 5 pNPs only found in U. unicinctus. Furthermore, four pNPs (MIP, FRWamide, FxFamide and FILamide) which may be associated with the settlement and metamorphosis of U. unicinctus larvae were analysed by qRT-PCR. Whole-mount in situ hybridization results showed that all the four pNPs were expressed in the region of the apical organ of the larva, and the positive signals were also detected in the ciliary band and abdomen chaetae. We speculated that these pNPs may regulate the movement of larval cilia and chaeta by sensing external attachment signals.Conclusions: This study represents the first comprehensive identification of neuropeptides in Echiura, and would contribute to a complete understanding on the roles of various neuropeptides in larval settlement of most marine benthonic invertebrates.

Identification of the neuropeptide precursor genes potentially involved in the larval settlement in the Echiuran worm Urechis unicinctus

Background In marine invertebrate life cycles, which often consist of planktonic larval and benthonic adult stages, settlement of the free-swimming larva to the sea floor in response to environmental cues is a key life cycle transition. Settlement is regulated by a specialized sensory–neurosecretory system, the larval apical organ. The neuroendocrine mechanisms through which the apical organ transduces environmental cues into behavioral responses during settlement are not fully understood yet. Results In this study, a total of 54 neuropeptide precursors (pNPs) were identified in the Urechis unicinctus larva and adult transcriptome databases using local BLAST and NpSearch prediction, of which 10 pNPs belonging to the ancient eumetazoa, 24 pNPs belonging to the ancient bilaterian, 3 pNPs belonging to the ancient protostome, 9 pNPs exclusive in lophotrochozoa, 3 pNPs exclusive in annelid, and 5 pNPs only found in U. unicinctus. Furthermore, four pNPs (MIP, FRWamide, FxFamide and FILamide) which may be associated with the settlement and metamorphosis of U. unicinctus larvae were analysed by qRT-PCR. Whole-mount in situ hybridization results showed that all the four pNPs were expressed in the region of the apical organ of the larva, and the positive signals were also detected in the ciliary band and abdomen chaetae. We speculated that these pNPs may regulate the movement of larval cilia and chaeta by sensing external attachment signals. Conclusions This study represents the first comprehensive identification of neuropeptides in Echiura, and would contribute to a complete understanding on the roles of various neuropeptides in larval settlement of most marine benthonic invertebrates.

Identification of the Neuropeptide Precursor Genes Potentially Involved in the Larval Settlement in the Echiuran Worm Urechis unicinctus

Background: In marine invertebrate life cycles, which often consist of planktonic larval and benthonic adult stages, settlement of the free-swimming larva to the sea floor in response to environmental cues is a key life cycle transition. Settlement is regulated by a specialized sensory–neurosecretory system, the larval apical organ. The neuroendocrine mechanisms through which the apical organ transduces environmental cues into behavioral responses during settlement are not fully understood yet.Results: In this study, a total of 54 neuropeptide precursors (pNPs) were identified in the Urechis unicinctus larva and adult transcriptome databases using local BLAST and de novo prediction, of which 10 pNPs belonging to the ancient eumetazoa, 23 pNPs belonging to the ancient bilaterian, 3 pNPs belonging to the ancient protostome, 10 pNPs exclusive in lophotrochozoa, 3 pNPs exclusive in annelid, and 5 pNPs only found in U. unicinctus. Furthermore, four pNPs (MIP, FRWamide, FxFamide and FILamide) which may be associated with the settlement and metamorphosis of U. unicinctus larvae were verified successfully by qRT-PCR. Whole-mount in situ hybridization results showed that all the four pNPs were expressed in the region of the apical organ of the larva, and the positive signals were also detected in the ciliary band and abdomen chaetae. We speculated that these pNPs may regulate the movement of larval cilia and chaeta by sensing external attachment signals.Conclusions: This study represents the first comprehensive identification of neuropeptides in Echiura, and would contribute to a complete understanding on the roles of various neuropeptides in larval settlement of most marine benthonic invertebrates.

A new genus and two new species of unarmed hymenolepidid cestodes (Cestoda: Hymenolepididae) from geomyid rodents in Mexico and Costa Rica

Two new cestodes of the family Hymenolepididae are described from two species of rodents of the family Geomyidae collected in Mexico and Costa Rica. One new species of Hymenolepis is described from Cratogeomys planiceps Merriam 1895 from near Toluca, Mexico and another that we allocate to a new genus is described from Heterogeomys heterodus (Peters, 1865) from near Irazú Volcano, Costa Rica. Hymenolepis s. str. includes those Hymenolepididae with an apical organ, with no hooks on suckers or apical organ, and three testes. Hobergia irazuensis n. gen., n. sp. includes a hymenolepidid with an apical organ, unarmed scolex, small pockets termed foveolae, in which the suckers completely retract, and extremely bi-lobed ovary. Multivariate morphometric analysis showed good separation of these species from all other hymenolepidids possessing an apical organ and lacking a well developed rostellum and rostellar hooks in the Nearctic and Neotropical regions.