Can platelet-rich plasma be an alternative to surgery for resistant chronic patellar tendinopathy in sportive people? Poor clinical results at 1-year follow-up

Introduction and purpose: Patellar tendinopathy is a disease affecting particularly athletes. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections have gained increasing interest for their potential benefits. Anyway, a tendon disease longer than 6 months should be considered as an indication for surgery. The aim of our study was to evaluate the efficacy of PRP in athletes with a severe chronic patellar tendinopathy longer than 6 months when surgery should be chosen. Methods: We enrolled 17 sport practitioners (19 patellar tendons) who did not want to undergo surgery and who are nonresponders to other conservative treatments. We treated them with PRP and calculated the results using the visual analog scale (VAS), the Victorian Institute of Sport Assessment-Patellar (VISA-P) score, and Tegner Activity Scale. Every test has been conducted at T0, T1 (4 months), and T2 (12 months). Results: We found a poor improvement at T1 and a clinical worsening at T2 through VAS. VISA-P showed a medium improvement both at T1 and T2. Tegner scale did not show improvements. Conclusions: Our study was not able to remove the doubts about the benefits of PRP in patellar tendinopathy, confirming ambiguous certainties. Further investigations are needed to assess its effectiveness

Insights into the mode of action of tannin-based feed additives in broiler chickens: looking for connections with the plasma metabolome and caecal microbiota

This study assessed the effects of three tannin-based feed additives on the productive performance, foot-pad conditions, plasma metabolome, and caecal microbiota of meat-type chickens. A total of 2,340 male broilers were divided into 4 treatments (9 replicates each) fed either a commercial basal diet (CON) or the basal diet supplemented with one of the three tested products (A, B, or C) up to 49 days. According to manufacturers\u2019 instructions, product A was added to the basal diet at 0.3% from 0 to 49 d, while B and C at 0.13% from 0 to 21 d and 0.12% from 22 to 49 d. Compared to CON, tannin-supplemented birds consumed less feed (6.59 vs. 6.37, 6.49, and 6.35 kg, for CON vs. A, B, and C, respectively; p <.001) and reached a lower slaughter weight (3,599 vs. 3,494, 3,546, and 3,472 g, for CON vs. A, B, and C, respectively; p <.05). Feed conversion ratio (FCR) was not affected by the tannin supplementations, except for the starter phase when CON exhibited lower FCR than the other groups (p <.01). The observed differences in the plasma metabolome between CON and treated groups might indicate an impaired energy metabolism of tannin-supplemented chickens. The significant reduction in the caecal microbial diversity and short-chain fatty acid producer bacteria can also be related to the depressed performance of tannin-fed chickens. In contrast to earlier findings, pododermatitis was unaffected by our treatments. Further dose-response studies can help better exploit tannin-based additives in broiler diets

Phosphorus supply affects zinc uptake in wheat plant

La contribución de los flujos unidireccionales de zinc (Zn) a la absorción neta de este catión divalente fue estudiada en plantas de trigo (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivadas en hidroponia con dos niveles de fósforo (0,05 y 5 mol P. m-3). Los resultados obtenidos muestran que, en niveles de P y Zn no limitantes del crecimiento, tanto la absorción como el transporte neto de Zn al vástago se incrementaron al aumentar la concentración externa de P. La mayor absorción neta de Zn en el suministro más alto de P fue atribuido al aumento del influjo, junto con un descenso del cociente eflujo:influjo. Estos resultados muestran que el nivel de suministro de P es capaz de modular ambos flujos unidireccionales de Zn. Por otro lado, el seguimiento del influjo de Zn, tras cambiar la concentración externa de P desde 5 a 0,05 mol m-3 de P, y viceversa, puso en evidencia un patrón consistente con la idea de que el flujo de entrada de Zn es modulado por el fósforo presente en las raíces. Se discute la posibilidad de que la fracción de P acumulada en el citoplasma radical sea la responsable de esta forma de regulación, en condiciones de suministro óptimo de ambos nutrientes.The effect of phosphorus (P) supply on net uptake and unidirectional zinc (Zn) fluxes was studied in 21 day old wheat plants (Triticum aestivum L.) grown in nutrient solution. The supply both P and Zn were in the range in which did not limit plant growth. The higher the level of P supply the higher both net Zn uptake and net Zn translocation to the shoot. The enhanced net uptake of Zn at 5 mol m-3 P relative to that measured at 0.05 mol m-3 P, was due to a higher Zn-influx added to a lower ratio between the efflux and influx of Zn. Thus, our results showed that the level of P supply modulats the long term regulation of both unidirectional Zn-fluxes. The short term response of Zn-influx when changing the external level of P supply from 5 to 0.05 mol. m-3, and vice versa, is consistent with the idea that an endogenous effect of P is involved in such a regulation. The possibility is discussed of P-concentration in root cytoplasm modulating Zn-influx in plants with supraoptimum P and Zn supplies.Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP) - Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales (FCAF

Application of different DNA extraction procedures, library preparation protocols and sequencing platforms: impact on sequencing results

In this study three DNA extraction procedures, two library preparation protocols and two sequencing platforms were applied to analyse six bacterial cultures and their corresponding DNA obtained as part of a proficiency test. The impact of each variable on sequencing results was assessed using the following parameters: reads quality, assembly and alignment statistics; number of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), detected applying assembly- and alignment-based strategies; antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs), identified on de novo assemblies of all sequenced genomes. The investigated nucleic acid extraction procedures, library preparation kits and sequencing platforms do not significantly affect de novo assembly statistics and number of SNPs and ARGs. The only exception was observed for two duplicates, which were associated to one PCR-based library preparation kit. Results from this comparative study can support researchers in the choice toward the available pre-sequencing and sequencing options, and might suggest further comparisons to be performed

Phosphorus supply affects zinc uptake in wheat plant

La contribución de los flujos unidireccionales de zinc (Zn) a la absorción neta de este catión divalente fue estudiada en plantas de trigo (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivadas en hidroponia con dos niveles de fósforo (0,05 y 5 mol P. m-3). Los resultados obtenidos muestran que, en niveles de P y Zn no limitantes del crecimiento, tanto la absorción como el transporte neto de Zn al vástago se incrementaron al aumentar la concentración externa de P. La mayor absorción neta de Zn en el suministro más alto de P fue atribuido al aumento del influjo, junto con un descenso del cociente eflujo:influjo. Estos resultados muestran que el nivel de suministro de P es capaz de modular ambos flujos unidireccionales de Zn. Por otro lado, el seguimiento del influjo de Zn, tras cambiar la concentración externa de P desde 5 a 0,05 mol m-3 de P, y viceversa, puso en evidencia un patrón consistente con la idea de que el flujo de entrada de Zn es modulado por el fósforo presente en las raíces. Se discute la posibilidad de que la fracción de P acumulada en el citoplasma radical sea la responsable de esta forma de regulación, en condiciones de suministro óptimo de ambos nutrientes.The effect of phosphorus (P) supply on net uptake and unidirectional zinc (Zn) fluxes was studied in 21 day old wheat plants (Triticum aestivum L.) grown in nutrient solution. The supply both P and Zn were in the range in which did not limit plant growth. The higher the level of P supply the higher both net Zn uptake and net Zn translocation to the shoot. The enhanced net uptake of Zn at 5 mol m-3 P relative to that measured at 0.05 mol m-3 P, was due to a higher Zn-influx added to a lower ratio between the efflux and influx of Zn. Thus, our results showed that the level of P supply modulats the long term regulation of both unidirectional Zn-fluxes. The short term response of Zn-influx when changing the external level of P supply from 5 to 0.05 mol. m-3, and vice versa, is consistent with the idea that an endogenous effect of P is involved in such a regulation. The possibility is discussed of P-concentration in root cytoplasm modulating Zn-influx in plants with supraoptimum P and Zn supplies.Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP) - Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales (FCAF

An Evaluation of Image Velocimetry Techniques under Low Flow Conditions and High Seeding Densities Using Unmanned Aerial Systems

Image velocimetry has proven to be a promising technique for monitoring river flows using remotely operated platforms such as Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS). However, the application of various image velocimetry algorithms has not been extensively assessed. Therefore, a sensitivity analysis has been conducted on five different image velocimetry algorithms including Large Scale Particle Image Velocimetry (LSPIV), Large-Scale Particle Tracking Velocimetry (LSPTV), Kanade−Lucas Tomasi Image Velocimetry (KLT-IV or KLT), Optical Tracking Velocimetry (OTV) and Surface Structure Image Velocimetry (SSIV), during low river flow conditions (average surface velocities of 0.12−0.14 m s - 1 , Q60) on the River Kolubara, Central Serbia. A DJI Phantom 4 Pro UAS was used to collect two 30-second videos of the surface flow. Artificial seeding material was distributed homogeneously across the rivers surface, to enhance the conditions for image velocimetry techniques. The sensitivity analysis was performed on comparable parameters between the different algorithms, including the particle identification area parameters (such as Interrogation Area (LSPIV, LSPTV and SSIV), Block Size (KLT-IV) and Trajectory Length (OTV)) and the feature extraction rate. Results highlighted that KLT and SSIV were sensitive to changing the feature extraction rate; however, changing the particle identification area did not affect the surface velocity results significantly. OTV and LSPTV, on the other hand, highlighted that changing the particle identification area presented higher variability in the results, while changing the feature extraction rate did not affect the surface velocity outputs. LSPIV proved to be sensitive to changing both the feature extraction rate and the particle identification area. This analysis has led to the conclusions that for surface velocities of approximately 0.12 m s - 1 image velocimetry techniques can provide results comparable to traditional techniques such as ADCPs. However, LSPIV, LSPTV and OTV require additional effort for calibration and selecting the appropriate parameters when compared to KLT-IV and SSIV. Despite the varying levels of sensitivity of each algorithm to changing parameters, all configuration image velocimetry algorithms provided results that were within 0.05 m s - 1 of the ADCP measurements, on average

System for detecting and estimating concentrations of gas or liquid analytes

A sensor system for detecting and estimating concentrations of various gas or liquid analytes. In an embodiment, the resistances of a set of sensors are measured to provide a set of responses over time where the resistances are indicative of gas or liquid sorption, depending upon the sensors. A concentration vector for the analytes is estimated by satisfying a criterion of goodness using the set of responses. Other embodiments are described and claimed

Multiwavelength Evidence for Quasi-periodic Modulation in the Gamma-ray Blazar PG 1553+113

We report for the first time a gamma-ray and multi-wavelength nearly-periodic oscillation in an active galactic nucleus. Using the Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) we have discovered an apparent quasi-periodicity in the gamma-ray flux (E >100 MeV) from the GeV/TeV BL Lac object PG 1553+113. The marginal significance of the 2.18 +/-0.08 year-period gamma-ray cycle is strengthened by correlated oscillations observed in radio and optical fluxes, through data collected in the OVRO, Tuorla, KAIT, and CSS monitoring programs and Swift UVOT. The optical cycle appearing in ~10 years of data has a similar period, while the 15 GHz oscillation is less regular than seen in the other bands. Further long-term multi-wavelength monitoring of this blazar may discriminate among the possible explanations for this quasi-periodicity.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures. Accepted to The Astrophysical Journal Letters. Corresponding authors: S. Ciprini (ASDC/INFN), S. Cutini (ASDC/INFN), S. Larsson (Stockholm Univ/KTH), A. Stamerra (INAF/SNS), D. J. Thompson (NASA GSFC

Search for extended gamma-ray emission from the Virgo galaxy cluster with Fermi-LAT

Galaxy clusters are one of the prime sites to search for dark matter (DM) annihilation signals. Depending on the substructure of the DM halo of a galaxy cluster and the cross sections for DM annihilation channels, these signals might be detectable by the latest generation of $\gamma$-ray telescopes. Here we use three years of Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) data, which are the most suitable for searching for very extended emission in the vicinity of nearby Virgo galaxy cluster. Our analysis reveals statistically significant extended emission which can be well characterized by a uniformly emitting disk profile with a radius of 3\deg that moreover is offset from the cluster center. We demonstrate that the significance of this extended emission strongly depends on the adopted interstellar emission model (IEM) and is most likely an artifact of our incomplete description of the IEM in this region. We also search for and find new point source candidates in the region. We then derive conservative upper limits on the velocity-averaged DM pair annihilation cross section from Virgo. We take into account the potential $\gamma$-ray flux enhancement due to DM sub-halos and its complex morphology as a merging cluster. For DM annihilating into $b\overline{b}$, assuming a conservative sub-halo model setup, we find limits that are between 1 and 1.5 orders of magnitude above the expectation from the thermal cross section for $m_{\mathrm{DM}}\lesssim100\,\mathrm{GeV}$. In a more optimistic scenario, we exclude $\langle \sigma v \rangle\sim3\times10^{-26}\,\mathrm{cm^{3}\,s^{-1}}$ for $m_{\mathrm{DM}}\lesssim40\,\mathrm{GeV}$ for the same channel. Finally, we derive upper limits on the $\gamma$-ray-flux produced by hadronic cosmic-ray interactions in the inter cluster medium. We find that the volume-averaged cosmic-ray-to-thermal pressure ratio is less than $\sim6\%$.Comment: 15 pages, 11 figures, 4 tables, accepted for publication in ApJ; corresponding authors: T. Jogler, S. Zimmer & A. Pinzk