Correction to: Wnt3a induces exosome secretion from primary cultured rat microglia

Correction to: BMC Neuroscience 2012, 13:144 http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2202/13/14

High background rates of positive tuberculosis-specific interferon-? release assays in a low prevalence region of UK: a surveillance study

Background: Background rates of latent tuberculosis infection in low prevalence regions of Britain are unknown. These would be valuable data for interpreting positive IGRA results, and guiding cost-benefit analyses. The management of a large outbreak of tuberculosis occurring in a rural district hospital provided an opportunity to determine the background rates and epidemiology of IGRA-positivity amongst unselected hospital patients in a low-prevalence region of U.K.Methods: As part of a public health surveillance project we identified 445 individuals exposed to the index cases for clinical assessment and testing by a TB-specific interferon-? release assay (IGRA): T-Spot.TB. Uniquely, an additional comparator group of 191 age-matched individuals without specific recent exposure, but with a similar age distribution and demographic, were recruited from the same wards where exposure had previously occurred, to undergo assessment by questionnaire and IGRA. Results: Rates of IGRA positivity were 8.7% (95%CI, 4.2-13, n=149) amongst unexposed patients, 9.5%(3.0-22, n=21) amongst unexposed staff, 22%(14–29, n=130) amongst exposed patients, 11%(6.1-16, n=142) amongst exposed staff. Amongst the individuals without history of recent exposure to the outbreak, IGRA-positivity was associated with prior TB treatment (OR11, P.04) and corticosteroid use (OR5.9, P.02). Background age-specific prevalences of IGRA-positivity amongst unexposed individuals were: age <40 0%(N/A), age 40–59 15%(12–29), age 60–79 7.0%(1.1-13), age?80 10%(5.9-19).Conclusions: Background rates of IGRA-positivity remain high amongst unselected white-Caucasian hospital inpatients in U.K. These data will aid interpretation of future outbreak studies. As rates peak in the 5th and 6th decade, given an ageing population and increasing iatrogenic immunosuppression, reactivation of LTBI may be a persistent hazard in this population for several decades to come

Desempenho de sementes peletizadas de alface em função do material cimentante e da temperatura de secagem dos péletes

Sementes de alface da cultivar Grand Rapids Nacional foram peletizadas, utilizando-se como material de enchimento, a mistura de microcelulose e areia fina em volumes iguais e, como material cimentante, diferentes volumes de suspensão aquosa de bentonita e de acetato de polivinila, em cinco proporções (%): 100+0; 75+25; 50+50; 25+75; e 0+100. Os cimentantes foram aplicados em separado, sendo a bentonita aplicada na primeira camada de recobrimento das sementes. Após a peletização, as sementes foram submetidas à secagem sob temperaturas de 15 e 36°C, e avaliadas quanto à germinação e emergência das plântulas. As combinações de cimentantes utilizadas na peletização e a temperatura de secagem não afetaram significativamente a porcentagem final de germinação das sementes em gerbox. Na avaliação da emergência de plântulas em bandejas, apenas duas formulações de péletes apresentaram menor taxa em relação ao tratamento com desempenho máximo, indicando que as diferenças obtidas não foram devidas às diferenças na formulação do recobrimento e nem à temperatura de secagem. Independentemente da temperatura de secagem, todas as formulações utilizadas na peletização causaram redução na velocidade de germinação. Entretanto, quando semeadas em substrato orgânico e cultivadas em casa de vegetação, as sementes revestidas com várias formulações apresentaram índices de velocidade de emergência semelhantes aos das sementes não peletizadas. Neste ambiente, as plântulas oriundas de sementes peletizadas apresentaram crescimento normal, sem diferenças significativas com a testemunha, em relação à produção de matéria seca da parte aérea e das raízes, avaliadas aos 20 dias após a semeadura

Bringing Agriculture into the GATT: Negotiating a Framework for Action

International Relations/Trade,

Isolation, absolute configuration and cytotoxic activities of alkaloids from Hippeastrum goianum (Ravenna) Meerow (Amaryllidaceae)

The phytochemical study of Hippeastrum goianum led to the identification of 13 compounds by means of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Compounds 7-demethoxy-9-O-methylhostasine (1) and 7-deoxi-trans-dihydronarciclasine (2) had their absolute configurations determined by vibrational circular dichroism (VCD). This is the first time that compound 1 is described in the Amaryllidaceae family. The cytotoxicity of all isolated compounds was tested against colorectal carcinoma (HCT 116), breast carcinoma (MCF-7), and non-tumor human retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cell lines. The half-maximum inhibitory concentration (IC50) of compound 2 against each cell line was equivalent to the positive control (doxorubicin), indicating a considerable cytotoxic activity. Keywords: narciclasine; galasine; cytotoxic activity; absolute configuration; vibrational circular dichrois

In vitro Antiplasmodial Activities of Alkaloids Isolated from Roots of Worsleya procera (Lem.) Traub (Amaryllidaceae)

A combined phytochemical, crystallographic and biological study of Worsleya procera roots was performed. Fifteen alkaloids were identified by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and seven of them were isolated. The structures of the alkaloids were elucidated by spectroscopic methods, and a detailed crystallographic study of tazettine was carried out. The isolated alkaloids and the obtained extracts were tested in vitro against Plasmodium falciparum (3D7 and K1 strains) and human hepatocarcinoma cells (HepG2) to assess their antiplasmodial and cytotoxic effects, respectively. One of the isolated alkaloid derivatives, lycorine, exhibited antiplasmodial activity against both sensitive (3D7) and resistant (K1) parasite strains in the low micromolar range (half-maximal sample inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of 2.5 and 3.1 µM, respectively) and displayed a low cytotoxicity profile, with a selectivity index greater than 100. Our findings indicate that lycorine is a hit for antimalarial drug discovery. Keywords: isoquinolinic alkaloids; Amaryllidaceae; Plasmodium falciparum; lycorine; tazettin

Management of MDR-TB in HIV co-infected patients in Eastern Europe: Results from the TB:HIV study

Objectives Mortality among HIV patients with tuberculosis (TB) remains high in Eastern Europe (EE), but details of TB and HIV management remain scarce. Methods In this prospective study, we describe the TB treatment regimens of patients with multi-drug resistant (MDR) TB and use of antiretroviral therapy (ART). Results A total of 105 HIV-positive patients had MDR-TB (including 33 with extensive drug resistance) and 130 pan-susceptible TB. Adequate initial TB treatment was provided for 8% of patients with MDR-TB compared with 80% of those with pan-susceptible TB. By twelve months, an estimated 57.3% (95%CI 41.5\u201374.1) of MDR-TB patients had started adequate treatment. While 67% received ART, HIV-RNA suppression was demonstrated in only 23%. Conclusions Our results show that internationally recommended MDR-TB treatment regimens were infrequently used and that ART use and viral suppression was well below the target of 90%, reflecting the challenging patient population and the environment in which health care is provided. Urgent improvement of management of patients with TB/HIV in EE, in particular for those with MDR-TB, is needed and includes widespread access to rapid TB diagnostics, better access to and use of second-line TB drugs, timely ART initiation with viral load monitoring, and integration of TB/HIV care