Increased concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls, hexachlorobenzene, and chlordanes in mothers of men with testicular cancer.

An increasing incidence of testicular cancer has been reported from several countries in the Western world during the last decades. According to current hypothesis, testicular cancer is initiated during the fetal period, and exposure to endocrine disruptors, i.e., xenoestrogens, has been of concern. In this investigation we studied the concentrations of the sum of 38 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), p,p'-dichlorodiphenyl-dichloroethylene, hexachlorobenzene (HCB), and chlordanes, in 61 cases with testicular cancer and 58 age-matched controls. Furthermore, case and control mothers were also asked to participate, and 44 case mothers and 45 control mothers agreed. They were of similar age. In cases only the concentration on lipid basis of cis-nonachlordane was significantly increased, whereas case mothers showed significantly increased concentrations of the sum of PCBs, HCB, trans- and cis-nonachlordane, and the sum of chlordanes. Among case mothers the sum of PCBs yielded an odds ratio (OR) of 3.8; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.4-10 was calculated using the median concentration for the control mothers as cutoff value. For HCB, OR = 4.4 (95% CI, 1.7-12); for trans-nonachlordane, OR = 4.1 (95% CI, 1.5-11); for cis-nonachlordane, OR = 3.1 (95% CI, 1.2-7.8); and for sum of chlordanes, OR = 1.9 (95% CI, 0.7-5.0). No consistent different risk pattern was found for seminoma or nonseminoma testicular cancer

Use of a T cell interferon gamma release assay in the investigation for suspected active tuberculosis in a low prevalence area

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In settings with low background prevalence of tuberculosis (TB) infection, interferon-γ release assays (IGRA) could be useful for diagnosing active TB. This study aims to evaluate the performance of QuantiFERON^®-TB Gold (QFT-G) in the investigation for suspected active TB, with particular attention to patients originating in high-incidence countries. Furthermore, factors associated with QFT-G results in patients with active TB were assessed.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>From patients investigated for clinically suspected active TB, blood was obtained for QFT-G testing, in addition to routine investigations. Positive (PPV) and negative (NPV) predictive values for QFT-G were calculated, comparing patients with confirmed TB and those with other final diagnoses. QFT-G results in TB patients originating from countries with intermediate or high TB incidence were compared with QFT-G results from a control group of recently arrived asymptomatic immigrants from high-incidence countries. Factors associated with QFT-G outcome in patients with confirmed TB were assessed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Among 141 patients, 41/70 (58.6%) with confirmed TB had a positive QFT-G test, compared to 16/71 (22.6%) patients with other final diagnoses, resulting in overall PPV of 71.9% and NPV of 67.6%. For patients with pulmonary disease, PPV and NPV were 61.1% and 67.7%, respectively, and 90.5% and 66.7% for subjects with extrapulmonary manifestations. Comparing patients from high-incidence countries with controls yielded a PPV for active TB of 76.7%, and a NPV of 82.7%. Patients with confirmed TB and positive QFT-G results were characterized by a lower median peripheral white blood cell count (5.9 × 10⁹/L vs. 8.8 × 10⁹/L; <it>P </it>< 0.001) and a higher median body mass index (22.7 vs. 20.7; <it>P </it>= 0.043) as compared to QFT-G-negative TB patients.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The overall PPV and NPV of QFT-G for identifying active TB were unsatisfactory, especially for pulmonary disease. Thus, the usefulness of QFT-G for this purpose is questionable. However, a high PPV was observed for extrapulmonary TB and QFT-G might be considered in the diagnostic process in this situation. The PPV and NPV for identifying active TB among persons originating from regions with high-and intermediate TB incidence was similar to that observed in subjects originating in the low-incidence region.</p

The European Reference Genome Atlas: piloting a decentralised approach to equitable biodiversity genomics.

ABSTRACT: A global genome database of all of Earth’s species diversity could be a treasure trove of scientific discoveries. However, regardless of the major advances in genome sequencing technologies, only a tiny fraction of species have genomic information available. To contribute to a more complete planetary genomic database, scientists and institutions across the world have united under the Earth BioGenome Project (EBP), which plans to sequence and assemble high-quality reference genomes for all ∼1.5 million recognized eukaryotic species through a stepwise phased approach. As the initiative transitions into Phase II, where 150,000 species are to be sequenced in just four years, worldwide participation in the project will be fundamental to success. As the European node of the EBP, the European Reference Genome Atlas (ERGA) seeks to implement a new decentralised, accessible, equitable and inclusive model for producing high-quality reference genomes, which will inform EBP as it scales. To embark on this mission, ERGA launched a Pilot Project to establish a network across Europe to develop and test the first infrastructure of its kind for the coordinated and distributed reference genome production on 98 European eukaryotic species from sample providers across 33 European countries. Here we outline the process and challenges faced during the development of a pilot infrastructure for the production of reference genome resources, and explore the effectiveness of this approach in terms of high-quality reference genome production, considering also equity and inclusion. The outcomes and lessons learned during this pilot provide a solid foundation for ERGA while offering key learnings to other transnational and national genomic resource projects.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Effective economic management in public health care : a case study at the clinical department of Habilitation - and study rehabilitation at the hospital of Blekinge

The purpose with our study is to investigate in which way a public field of action has succeeded to make the economic management more effective and also find out which factors/activities that have contributed to get the result of the budget in balance. We also want to find out in which degree the balanced scorecard (BSC) has contributed to the positive result of the budget. Method: We had started out from the qualitative method theory which is based on the hermeneutic theory, because we will interpret and understand. With this starting point we have chosen to use a case study with semi-standardised interviews supplemented with information from different documents, and to get the theoretic connection we have studied literature in the subject field. The analyse and even the theoretic connection have then started from, for this study, a special analyse model. Results: Througt systematic and target-concentrated management and through cooperated factors, with stress on a leadership that is both professional, visionary and un-combined, and there the staff´s is seen as a important resource, and there it is a clear strategy and objective to keep the cost of the activity within assigned budgetframe, has a public field of action, as the clinic of hab./rehab. been able to get an effective management of economy. Important condition is however a reasonable budgetframe in relation to a clear ande realistic commission, and an appropriate organising with &quot;good&quot; co-workers. Other studied factors also have sense, and have importance for the effective management of economy, and can furthermore sees as indicators at which degree the leadership and the condition for the activity, promote the effective management of economy.Syftet med studien är att undersöka på vilket sätt en offentlig verksamhet har kunnat effektivisera ekonomistyrningen och ta reda på vilka de faktorer/aktiviteter är som har medverkat till att få budgetutfallet i balans. Vi vill också ta reda på i vilken grad det balanserade styrkortet (BSC) har medverkat till det positiva budgetutfallet. Metod. Vi har utgått från den kvalitativa metodteorin, som i sin tur har den hermeneutiska vetenskapsteorin som sin grund eftersom vi vill tolka och förstå. Med denna utgångspunkten har vi valt att använda oss av fallstudie med semistandardiserade ostrukturerade intervjuer kompletterat med data från olika dokument och för att få den teoretiska kopplingen har vi studerat litteratur inom ämnesområdet. Analysen och även teorikopplingen har sedan skett utifrån en för studien speciellt framtagen analysmodell. Resultat: Genom systematisk och målinriktad styrning och genom samverkade faktorer, med tonvikt på ett ledarskap som både är professionellt, visionärt och okombinerat, där personalen ses som en viktig resurs och där det finns en klar strategi och målsättning att hålla verksamhetens kostnader inom anvisad budgetram har en offentlig verksamhet som hab./rehab.kliniken, kunnat få en effektiv ekonomistyrning. Viktiga förutsättningar är dock en rimlig budgetram i förhållande till ett tydligt och realistiskt uppdrag, samt en ändamålsenlig organisering med ”bra” medarbetare. Övriga studerande faktorer har också haft betydelser och krävs för att få en effektiv ekonomistyrning och kan dessutom ses som indikatorer på i vilken grad ledarskapet och förutsättningarna för verksamheten främjar den effektiva ekonomistyrningen

Young students’ treatment of synthetic voicing as an interactional resource in digital writing

This multimodal conversation analysis study is part of a larger video ethnographic project that explores the media literacy practices that children develop as they use digital and mobile technologies. The study investigates how Swedish students in grades 3–4 make use of text to speech (TTS) technology as an interactional resource during collaborative writing on iPads in the classroom. The results show that students routinely make use of synthetic voicings to display and claim knowledge about the voiced written units and negotiate writing roles with differing epistemic rights and obligations to assess voicings and practice repair.

Identifying newborns with umbilical cord blood metabolic acidosis by intrapartum cardiotography combined with fetal ECG ST analysis (STAN) : comparison of the new and old FIGO systems to classify cardiotocograms

Introduction: The intrapartum cardiotocography (CTG) classification system by FIGO in 2015 (FIGO2015) was introduced to simplify CTG interpretation, but it is not harmonized with the fetal ECG ST analysis (STAN) algorithm from 2007 (STAN2007), which is based on the FIGO CTG system from 1987. The study aimed to determine time courses and sensitivity between the systems in classifying CTG + ST events to indicate metabolic acidosis at birth. Material and methods: Forty-four cases with umbilical cord artery metabolic acidosis were retrieved from a European multicenter database. CTG patterns and timing of the first occurring significant ST events were evaluated post hoc in consensus by an expert panel and sensitivity statistics were performed. Wilcoxon’s matched-pairs signed-ranks test and McNemar’s test were used with a two-tailed p <.05 regarded significant. Results: STAN2007 had a higher sensitivity (73 versus 43%, p =.0002) and alarmed for metabolic acidosis in mean 34 min earlier than the FIGO2015 system did (p =.002). In every fourth case, the time difference was ≥20 min. Conclusions: In this simulation study, surveillance with STAN2007 combined with fetal ECG ST analysis had a significantly higher sensitivity and would have alarmed for metabolic acidosis significantly earlier than the new FIGO system would have

FHR patterns that become significant in connection with ST waveform changes and metabolic acidosis at birth

<p><b>Introduction:</b> Recent developments have produced new CTG classification systems and the question is to what extent these may affect the model of FHR + ST interpretation? The two new systems (FIGO2015 and SSOG2017) classify FHR + ST events differently from the current CTG classification system used in the STAN interpretation algorithm (STAN2007).</p> <p><b>Aim:</b> Identify the predominant FHR patterns in connection with ST events in cases of cord artery metabolic acidosis missed by the different CTG classification systems. Indicate to what extent STAN clinical guidelines could be modified enhancing the sensitivity. Provide a pathophysiological rationale.</p> <p><b>Material and methods:</b> Forty-four cases with umbilical cord artery metabolic acidosis were retrieved from a European multicenter database. Significant FHR + ST events were evaluated <i>post hoc</i> in consensus by an expert panel.</p> <p><b>Results:</b> Eighteen cases were not identified as in need of intervention and regarded as negative in the sensitivity analysis. In 12 cases, ST changes occurred but the CTG was regarded as reassuring. Visual analysis of the FHR + ST tracings revealed specific FHR patterns:</p> <p><b>Conclusion:</b> These findings indicate FHR + ST analysis may be undertaken regardless of CTG classification system provided there is a more physiologically oriented approach to FHR assessment in connection with an ST event.</p

Strategisk musselodling för att skapa kretslopp och balans i ekosystemet - kunskapsöversikt och förslag till åtgärder : Rekryteringsmiljöer för kustbestånd av abborre, gädda och gös

Strategisk musselodling för att skapa kretslopp och balans i ekosystemet - kunskapsöversikt och förslag till åtgärder Sustainable Coastal Zone Management (SUCOZOMA) är ett projekt som syftar till att kritiskt granska pågående verksamheter i kustzonen samt undersöka möjligheter för en hållbar utveckling med nya verksamheter. Musselodling är en näring som lever upp till kraven för hållbar utveckling och därför studerar vi förutsättningarna för en utökad odling. Flera forskningsrapporter från skilda håll i världen visar också hur eutrofieringens negativa effekter hämmas av musslornas filtrering av stora volymer kustvatten (Cloern 1982, Kautsky 1982, Meeuwig m fl1998), och hur biodiversiteten ökar, då musselodlingar etableras (Thulin 1998, Loo &amp; Rosenberg 1983 och Roman &amp; Peres 1989). Näringen utvecklades i Sverige under början av sjuttiotalet (Haamer 1975), men trots goda fysiska förutsättningar och stor framtidstro, stannade expansionen av i början av åttiotalet, framfor allt beroende på att algtoxiner periodvis gör musslorna otjänliga som mat (Edebo m fl1988, Haamer m fl 1990) vilket vållar odlarna stora ekonomiska förluster. En annan bidragande orsak till stagnationen har varit oförmåga att organisera och finansiera den kommersiella verksamheten (Haamer 1997, Kollberg 1999). Legala eller byråkratiska hinder finns inte idag för en expansion men restriktioner kan förmodligen komma om näringen växer kraftigt och börjar ta plats (Ellegård 1998). Grundförutsättningarna för en positiv långsiktig utveckling är att den åtföljs av forskning och en strikt kontroll, framför allt av algtoxiner men också av miljögifter, bakterier och virus (Kollberg 1999). Blåmusslan är en filtrerande organism, som lever av att filtrera bort växtplankton och annat organiskt material ur vattnet och omvandla detta till animaliska proteiner användbara till mat eller foder. Kunskapsöversikten belyser musslornas roll i ekosystemet och hur odling kan användas till att utöka musslornas gynnsamma påverkan på miljön. Ett ökat näringsuttag från svenska övergödda kustvatten är önskvärt och möjligt med hjälp av musselodling. Med strategiskt lokaliserade odlingar skulle eutrofieringens negativa effekter, såsom grumligt vatten (stor planktonbiomassa) och döda bottnar (stor nettoproduktion) kunna reduceras i områden med begränsat vattenutbyte (Haamer 1996, Meeuwig m fl1998). Delar av näringsflödet till havet skulle på ett naturligt sätt kunna återfö­ras till land med musselodlingen, och man kan skapa ett nytt agro-aqua kretslopp för närings- och livsmedelsproduktion i linje med riksdagens planer för kretslopp och hållbar utveckling.Rekryteringsmiljöer för kustbestånd av abborre, gädda och gös Längs med vår Östersjökust är salthalten tillräckligt låg för att sötvattenarter skall kunna ha stor utbredning. Bland dessa hör abborre (Perca fluviatilis L.), gädda (Esox lucius L.) och gös (Stizostedion lucioperca L.) till de vanligaste rovfiskarna och är viktiga för både yrkes och fritidsfisket. De är varmvattenarter och kräver relativt höga temperaturer i lek- och uppväxtområdena (s k rekryteringsområden) för en rik yngelproduktion. Tillgången på sådana grunda och skyddade miljöer är emellertid begränsad. De mest högkvalitativa finner vi i skärgårdar, fjärdar 0ch vikar samt sötvattnen. Tyvärr förekommer i just dessa miljöer ofta starkt negativt mänskligt inflytande i form av fysiska störningar, industriutsläpp och alltför stark belastning av näringsämnen. För att kunna identifiera dessa miljöer och upprätta bevarande- och åtgärdsplaner finns ett starkt behov av information om de olika arternas krav på uppväxtmiljön. Denna rapport utgör en sammanfattning av dagens kunskap inom området och ger exempel på olika miljöers yngelproduktionskapacitet. Miljöstörningars effekter tas också upp och slutligen föreslås hur man skulle kunna gå tillväga vid inventeringar som bakgrund till bevarande och åtgärdsplaner.Rapporten består av två olika rapporter.</p

Combined clarification and affinity capture using magnetic resin enables efficient separation of rAAV5 from cell lysate

Recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) vectors have displayed enormous potential as a platform for delivery of gene therapies. Purification of rAAV at industrial scale involves a series of elaborate, material, and time-consuming midstream steps, such as clarification by depth filtration and concentration/buffer exchange by tangential flow filtration. In this study, we developed a filter-less flow capture method for purification of rAAV serotype 5, using a high-gradient magnetic separator and magnetic Mag Sepharose beads coupled to an AVB affinity ligand. In under 2 h, we captured and eluted rAAV5 directly from ∼5 L of cell lysate with a recovery yield of 63% (±5%, n = 3). Compared to cell lysate, the eluate showed a 3-log reduction of host cell DNA and host cell proteins. The process developed eliminates the need for filtration and column chromatography in the early steps of industrial rAAV purification. This will be of high value for industrial-scale manufacturing of rAAVs by reducing time and material in the purification process, without compromising product recovery and purity