POINT OF CARE INFECTIOUS DISEASE DIAGNOSIS VIA ISOTHERMAL NUCLEIC ACID AMPLIFICATION INTEGRATED INTO A SAMPLE TO ANSWER DEVICE

Sexually transmitted infections caused by Chlamydia trachomatous (CT) and Neisseria gonorrhea (NG) are often under-diagnosed, miss-diagnosed, and not properly treated, leading to long term complications such as ectopic pregnancy and infertility, and to emergence of drug resistance. Dengue virus (DENV) infections can cause dengue fever (DF), which if not properly managed can lead to Dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) and dengue shock syndrome (DSS), causing significant morbidity and mortality. In both cases, early and accurate detection at the point of care is critical to facilitate proper patient care and disease management. Nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) provide suitable sensitivity and specificity, but are often complex, expensive, and difficult to implement at the point of care, especially in low resource settings. We have developed a prototype system consisting of a cartridge and compact instrument that can execute sample preparation, isothermal Loop Mediated amplification (LAMP) and lateral flow detection of these pathogens. For CT and NG, we have established singleplex and duplex LAMP assays, in liquid and paper form, with lateral flow detection. We have performed inhibition testing, demonstrated full process execution outside the cartridge, then implemented the 4 process in the cartridge and device, demonstrating detection down to 100 Elementary Bodies (EB)/mL for CT and 100 colony forming unit (CFU)/mL NG in urine. For DENV, we established a pan-serotype singleplex RT-LAMP assay and a duplex assay with MS2 as an internal amplification control, in liquid and paper form. We demonstrated that the master-mix in paper form is stable upon storage at RT and 40oC over 8 weeks. For sample preparation starting from whole blood, we performed plasma separation coupled to amplification, with inhibitor testing. The next step is a front to back experiment and implementation in a modified cartridge for the detection of all DENV serotypes. The herein described assay processes and prototype systems can be further developed to enable point of care diagnosis for these and other pathogens in low resource settings

Characteristic Min-Polynomial and Eigen Problem of a Matrix over Min-Plus Algebra

Let R_ε=R∪{-∞}, with R being a set of all real numbers. The algebraic structure (R_ε,⊕,⊗) is called max-plus algebra. The task of finding the eigenvalue and eigenvector is called the eigenproblem. There are several methods developed to solve the eigenproblem of A∈R_ε^(n×n), one of them is by using the characteristic max-polynomial. There is another algebraic structure that is isomorphic with max-plus algebra, namely min-plus algebra. Min-plus algebra is a set of R_(ε^' )=R∪{+∞} that uses minimum (⊕^' ) and addition (⊗) operations. The eigenproblem in min-plus algebra is to determine λ∈R_(ε^' ) and v∈R_(ε^')^n such that A⊗v=λ⊗v. In this paper, we provide a method for determining the characteristic min-polynomial and solving the eigenproblem by using the characteristic min-polynomial. We show that the characteristic min-polynomial of A∈R_(ε^')^(n×n) is the permanent of I⊗x⊕^' A, the smallest corner of χ_A (x) is the principal eigenvalue (λ(A)), and the columns of A_λ^+ with zero diagonal elements are eigenvectors corresponding to the principal eigenvalue

Le rôle du contrôle juridictionnel dans la détection des risques liés à la commande publique : Approche basée sur l’analyse des rapports annuels de la Cour des comptes

The jurisdictional control of the Court of Accounts over public expenditure in particular over public procurement constitutes a principal main instrument for detecting risks that may arise at all stages of the process of awarding and executing public contracts, It’s a tool of paramount importance for guaranteeing the integrity, transparency and protection of public funds. This study is based on the content analysis of the annual reports published by the Court of Accounts in which it gives its appreciation of the management; including that in public procurement, in State services, local authorities; public establishments and every organisation working under its control by the law. The results of this study show that these reports are a good opportunity to learn about the risks that hinder the management of public procurement and to take corrective actions to remedy them.   Keywords: Jurisdictional control, management control, annual report of the Court of Accounts, public procurement, judgment of accounts, budgetary and financial discipline. JEL Classification: M42, H83 Paper type: Theoretical Research Le contrôle juridictionnel de la Cour des comptes sur les dépenses publiques, particulièrement sur la commande publique, est un instrument principal de détection des risques qui peuvent survenir dans toutes les étapes du processus de passation et d’exécution de la commande publique. C’est un outil d’une importance capitale permettant de garantir l’intégrité, la transparence et la protection des deniers publics tout en luttant contre toutes formes des actes de malveillance ou de pratiques malsaines entraînant la dilapidation de l’argent public. Cette étude repose sur l’analyse du contenu des rapports annuels publiés par la Cour des comptes dans lesquels figure son appréciation de la gestion, y compris celle de la commande publique, des services de l’État, des collectivités territoriales, des établissements publics ainsi que tout organisme soumis à son contrôle en vertu de la loi. Les résultats de l’étude témoignent que ces rapports constituent une occasion propice pour se renseigner sur les risques qui entravent la gestion de la commande publique et mettre en conséquence des actions correctives pour y remédier.   Mots clés : Contrôle juridictionnel, contrôle de la gestion, rapport annuel de la Cour des comptes, commande publique, jugement des comptes, discipline budgétaire et financière. JEL Classification :M42, H83 Type de l’article : Article théorique &nbsp

Le rôle du contrôle juridictionnel dans la détection des risques liés à la commande publique : Approche basée sur l’analyse des rapports annuels de la Cour des comptes

The jurisdictional control of the Court of Accounts over public expenditure in particular over public procurement constitutes a principal main instrument for detecting risks that may arise at all stages of the process of awarding and executing public contracts, It’s a tool of paramount importance for guaranteeing the integrity, transparency and protection of public funds. This study is based on the content analysis of the annual reports published by the Court of Accounts in which it gives its appreciation of the management; including that in public procurement, in State services, local authorities; public establishments and every organisation working under its control by the law. The results of this study show that these reports are a good opportunity to learn about the risks that hinder the management of public procurement and to take corrective actions to remedy them.   Keywords: Jurisdictional control, management control, annual report of the Court of Accounts, public procurement, judgment of accounts, budgetary and financial discipline. JEL Classification: M42, H83 Paper type: Theoretical Research Le contrôle juridictionnel de la Cour des comptes sur les dépenses publiques, particulièrement sur la commande publique, est un instrument principal de détection des risques qui peuvent survenir dans toutes les étapes du processus de passation et d’exécution de la commande publique. C’est un outil d’une importance capitale permettant de garantir l’intégrité, la transparence et la protection des deniers publics tout en luttant contre toutes formes des actes de malveillance ou de pratiques malsaines entraînant la dilapidation de l’argent public. Cette étude repose sur l’analyse du contenu des rapports annuels publiés par la Cour des comptes dans lesquels figure son appréciation de la gestion, y compris celle de la commande publique, des services de l’État, des collectivités territoriales, des établissements publics ainsi que tout organisme soumis à son contrôle en vertu de la loi. Les résultats de l’étude témoignent que ces rapports constituent une occasion propice pour se renseigner sur les risques qui entravent la gestion de la commande publique et mettre en conséquence des actions correctives pour y remédier.   Mots clés : Contrôle juridictionnel, contrôle de la gestion, rapport annuel de la Cour des comptes, commande publique, jugement des comptes, discipline budgétaire et financière. JEL Classification :M42, H83 Type de l’article : Article théorique &nbsp

Le rôle du contrôle juridictionnel dans la détection des risques liés à la commande publique : Approche basée sur l’analyse des rapports annuels de la Cour des comptes

The jurisdictional control of the Court of Accounts over public expenditure in particular over public procurement constitutes a principal main instrument for detecting risks that may arise at all stages of the process of awarding and executing public contracts, It’s a tool of paramount importance for guaranteeing the integrity, transparency and protection of public funds. This study is based on the content analysis of the annual reports published by the Court of Accounts in which it gives its appreciation of the management; including that in public procurement, in State services, local authorities; public establishments and every organisation working under its control by the law. The results of this study show that these reports are a good opportunity to learn about the risks that hinder the management of public procurement and to take corrective actions to remedy them.   Keywords: Jurisdictional control, management control, annual report of the Court of Accounts, public procurement, judgment of accounts, budgetary and financial discipline. JEL Classification: M42, H83 Paper type: Theoretical Research Le contrôle juridictionnel de la Cour des comptes sur les dépenses publiques, particulièrement sur la commande publique, est un instrument principal de détection des risques qui peuvent survenir dans toutes les étapes du processus de passation et d’exécution de la commande publique. C’est un outil d’une importance capitale permettant de garantir l’intégrité, la transparence et la protection des deniers publics tout en luttant contre toutes formes des actes de malveillance ou de pratiques malsaines entraînant la dilapidation de l’argent public. Cette étude repose sur l’analyse du contenu des rapports annuels publiés par la Cour des comptes dans lesquels figure son appréciation de la gestion, y compris celle de la commande publique, des services de l’État, des collectivités territoriales, des établissements publics ainsi que tout organisme soumis à son contrôle en vertu de la loi. Les résultats de l’étude témoignent que ces rapports constituent une occasion propice pour se renseigner sur les risques qui entravent la gestion de la commande publique et mettre en conséquence des actions correctives pour y remédier.   Mots clés : Contrôle juridictionnel, contrôle de la gestion, rapport annuel de la Cour des comptes, commande publique, jugement des comptes, discipline budgétaire et financière. JEL Classification :M42, H83 Type de l’article : Article théorique &nbsp

International Marketing in Morocco: Illustrative Case

The article analyses various aspects pertaining to international marketing. In this regard the potential market entry in Morocco of a UK based electronics appliance manufacturer is analysed. The article further provides analysis of marketing planning tools such as PESTEL to identify the focal company’s potential and opportunity that lies in the market. In addition, the research explored whether the electronic manufacturer should consider direct entry method such as equity investment

Brain Penetrating Bifunctional Erythropoietin-Transferrin Receptor Antibody Fusion Protein for Alzheimer\u27s Disease

Erythropoietin (EPO), a glycoprotein cytokine essential to hematopoiesis, has neuroprotective effects in rodent models of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, high therapeutic doses or invasive routes of administration of EPO are required to achieve effective brain concentrations due to low blood–brain barrier (BBB) penetrability, and high EPO doses result in hematopoietic side effects. These obstacles can be overcome by engineering a BBB-penetrable analog of EPO, which is rapidly cleared from the blood, by fusing EPO to a chimeric monoclonal antibody targeting the transferrin receptor (cTfRMAb), which acts as a molecular Trojan horse to ferry the EPO into the brain via the transvascular route. In the current study, we investigated the effects of the BBB-penetrable analog of EPO on AD pathology in a double transgenic mouse model of AD. Five and a half month old male APPswe/PSEN1dE9 (APP/PS1) transgenic mice were treated with saline (n = 10) or the BBB-penetrable EPO (n = 10) 3 days/week intraperitoneally for 8 weeks, compared to same-aged C57BL/6J wild-type mice treated with saline (n = 8) with identical regiment. At 9 weeks following treatment initiation, exploration and spatial memory were assessed with the open-field and Y-maze test, mice were sacrificed, and brains were evaluated for Aβ peptide load, synaptic loss, BBB disruption, microglial activation, and microhemorrhages. APP/PS1 mice treated with the BBB-penetrable cTfRMAb-EPO fusion protein had significantly lower cortical and hippocampal Aβ peptide number (p \u3c 0.05) and immune-positive area (p \u3c 0.05), a decrease in hippocampal synaptic loss (p \u3c 0.05) and cortical microglial activation (p \u3c 0.001), and improved spatial memory (p \u3c 0.05) compared with APP/PS1 saline controls. BBB-penetrating EPO was not associated with microhemorrhage development. The cTfRMAb-EPO fusion protein offers therapeutic benefits by targeting multiple targets of AD pathogenesis and progression (Aβ load, synaptic loss, microglial activation) and improving spatial memory in the APP/PS1 mouse model of AD

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