Modeling the Dietary Pesticide Exposures of Young Children

A stepped approach was used to assess the exposures of 1 1/2 – 4 1/2-year-old children in the United Kingdom to residues of pesticides (dithiocarbamates; phosmet; carbendazim) found in apples and pears. The theoretical possibility that the acute reference dose (ARD) was being exceeded for a particular pesticide/fruit was tested by applying a combination of maximal variability and maximum measured residue relative to an average-body-weight consumer. The actual risk was then quantified by stochastically modeling consumption, from dietary survey data, with individual body weights, against published residue results for 2000–2002 and the variability of residue distribution within batches. The results, expressed as numbers of children per day likely to ingest more than the ARD, were in the range of 10–226.6 children per day, depending upon the pesticide and year of sampling. The implications for regulatory action are discussed

Treatment of Low-flow Vascular Malformations by Ultrasound-guided Sclerotherapy with Polidocanol Foam: 24 Cases and Literature Review

AbstractObjectivesTreatment by sclerotherapy has been suggested as a first-line treatment of low-flow vascular malformations. This study reports our experience in treating low-flow vascular malformations by ultrasound-guided sclerosis with polidocanol foam at the Vascular Medicine Department in Grenoble, France.DesignRetrospective single-centre consecutive series.Materials and methodsBetween January 2006 and December 2009, we analysed the complete records of patients with symptomatic low-flow vascular malformations of venous, lymphatic or complex type (Klippel–Trenaunay syndrome, KTS) treated by ultrasound-guided sclerosis. The therapeutic indication was always validated by the Consultative Committee for vascular malformations of the University Hospital of Grenoble. All vascular malformations were classified according to the Hamburg Classification. The sclerosing agent was polidocanol used as foam.ResultsA total of 24 patients between 7 and 78 years were treated (19 venous malformations, three KTSs and two venous-lymphatic malformations). The concentrations of polidocanol used ranged from 0.25% to 3%. The average number of sessions was 2.3 (1–16). After a median follow-up at 5 months after the last session, 23 out of 24 patients reported a decrease in pain; in nine cases (37.5%), over 50% reduction in size was observed, and in 14 cases (58.3%), a reduction of less than 50% of the original size was obtained. Two minor side effects were reported.ConclusionsTreatment by ultrasound-guided sclerosis using polidocanol foam seems to be well tolerated and can improve the symptoms of low-flow malformations without the risks of more aggressive sclerosing agents, such as ethanol

Analysis of in Vivo Plant Stem Impedance Variations in Relation with External Conditions Daily Cycle

World population growth and desertification are the most severe issue to agricultural food production. Smart agriculture is a promising solution to ensure food security. The use of sensors to monitor crop production can help farmers improve the yield and reduce water consumption. Here we propose a study where the electrical impedance of green plants' stem is analyzed in vivo, along with environmental conditions. In particular, the variations associated with the daily cycle are highlighted. These analyses lead to the possibility of understanding plant status directly from stem impedance

Systematized reporter assays reveal ZIC protein regulatory abilities are Subclass-specific and dependent upon transcription factor binding site context

The ZIC proteins are a family of transcription regulators with a well-defined zinc finger DNA-binding domain and there is evidence that they elicit functional DNA binding at a ZIC DNA binding site. Little is known, however, regarding domains within ZIC proteins that confer trans-activation or -repression. To address this question, a new cell-based trans-activation assay system suitable for ZIC proteins in HEK293T cells was constructed. This identified two previously unannotated evolutionarily conserved regions of ZIC3 that are necessary for trans-activation. These domains are found in all Subclass A ZIC proteins, but not in the Subclass B proteins. Additionally, the Subclass B proteins fail to elicit functional binding at a multimerised ZIC DNA binding site. All ZIC proteins, however, exhibit functional binding when the ZIC DNA binding site is embedded in a multiple transcription factor locus derived from ZIC target genes in the mouse genome. This ability is due to several domains, some of which are found in all ZIC proteins, that exhibit context dependent trans-activation or -repression activity. This knowledge is valuable for assessing the likely pathogenicity of variant ZIC proteins associated with human disorders and for determining factors that influence functional transcription factor binding

The management of acute venous thromboembolism in clinical practice. Results from the European PREFER in VTE Registry

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in Europe. Data from real-world registries are necessary, as clinical trials do not represent the full spectrum of VTE patients seen in clinical practice. We aimed to document the epidemiology, management and outcomes of VTE using data from a large, observational database. PREFER in VTE was an international, non-interventional disease registry conducted between January 2013 and July 2015 in primary and secondary care across seven European countries. Consecutive patients with acute VTE were documented and followed up over 12 months. PREFER in VTE included 3,455 patients with a mean age of 60.8 ± 17.0 years. Overall, 53.0 % were male. The majority of patients were assessed in the hospital setting as inpatients or outpatients (78.5 %). The diagnosis was deep-vein thrombosis (DVT) in 59.5 % and pulmonary embolism (PE) in 40.5 %. The most common comorbidities were the various types of cardiovascular disease (excluding hypertension; 45.5 %), hypertension (42.3 %) and dyslipidaemia (21.1 %). Following the index VTE, a large proportion of patients received initial therapy with heparin (73.2 %), almost half received a vitamin K antagonist (48.7 %) and nearly a quarter received a DOAC (24.5 %). Almost a quarter of all presentations were for recurrent VTE, with >80 % of previous episodes having occurred more than 12 months prior to baseline. In conclusion, PREFER in VTE has provided contemporary insights into VTE patients and their real-world management, including their baseline characteristics, risk factors, disease history, symptoms and signs, initial therapy and outcomes