Phage therapy efficacy: a review of the last 10 years of preclinical studies

Due to the rise of multidrug-resistant infections in humans, phage therapy is gaining renewed attention in Western medicine. Despite the increasing number of publications focussed on the isolation, characterization and in vitro performance of different phages, there is still a lack of concise pre-clinical information to guide the application of phage therapy in clinical practice. Nevertheless, over the last decade, efforts have been made to conduct more detailed studies of the in vivo efficacy of phages. Here, we review the most relevant in vivo studies performed in the last decade covering phage efficacy in both preclinical and clinical trials. We compare different routes of administration, dosage effect and different animal models of distinct types of infections. Moreover, insights into case studies and results from clinical trials are presented. Challenges and limitations of phage use as evidenced by the current state of research are also discussed in order to improve both the trustworthiness and success of the implementation of phage therapy.This study was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the scope of the strategic funding of UID/BIO/04469/2013 unit, COMPETE 2020 [POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006684] and Projects PTDC/SAU-PUB/29182/2017 [POCI-01-0145-FEDER-029182] and PTDC/CVTCVT/29628/2017 [POCI-01-0145-FEDER-029628]. This work was also supported by BioTecNorte operation [NORTE-01- 0145-FEDER-000004] funded by the European Regional Development Fund under the scope of Norte2020 - Programa Operacional Regional do Norte. DPP was supported by a FCT grant [SFRH/BPD/116187/2016]. KD is the recipient of the National Science Centre in Poland grant [UMO-2018/29/B/NZ6/01659]. The funding bodies had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, preparation of the manuscript, or the decision to publish.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Inter-basin transfers as a supply option: the end of an era?

International audienceThis chapter discusses the evolving role of interbasin transfers (IBT) in urban water management. After providing an historical overview of IBT development, the chapter describes how IBTs are challenged by a change in the technological and socio-economic context. The emergence of alternative technologies, such as desalination, wastewater reclamation and reuse, or managed artificial groundwater recharge is reducing the attractiveness of IBTs. Water utilities are also becoming increasingly aware that water conservation programs can save volumes of water at a much cheaper cost than IBT. Various international examples are used to show that IBTs trigger increasing concerns from communities involved or affected, in particular related to the environmental impact on donor and receiving river basins, the economic impact on donor regions, the impact on local cultures and livelihoods, how costs and benefits are distributed (social justice), and issues related to public participation. The chapter concludes by looking ahead at new and more efficient uses of existing IBTs. As conjunctive use management approaches gain support, IBTs will be operated in conjunction with aquifer storage and recovery schemes. They will probably also support the development of emerging water markets, in particular during drought years

Monitoring the biological aerosol

Aerobiological particles vary widely in size, and their deposition take place either by gravitational effect, molecular diffusion and impact on surface. This is important in studying and sampling aerosol, in cultural heritage. We describe the principal sampling equipment and the strategy of aerobiological sampling technique