Extension and Outreach: Not a Question of If, but How

In this article, the authors develop a conceptual framework for effective extension and outreach. Based on both our experiences and research and those of leading scholars and practitioners in the field, we offer the following ten ideas for thought, debate, discussion, and implementation. Effective extension systems must: be institutionalized, well-defined, and well-funded; address important/contemporary issues/problems; be sufficiently nimble and flexible in order to address emerging issues; be a credible and unbiased source for information/education and solutions/research; understand the needs of its customers; embrace participatory and integrated approaches; recognize that little happens in isolation and create regional/global sustainable partnership/linkages with governments, NGOs, researchers and educators; be excellent stewards of resources acquired; recognize that return on investment (ROI) from its research and outreach must be well-documented; and allow for decentralized decision-making and action when warranted

Напряженно-деформированное состояние материалов в области контакта с индентором Виккерса при дюрометрических испытаниях

Материалы XIX Междунар. науч.-техн. конф. студентов, аспирантов и молодых ученых, Гомель, 25–26 апр. 2019 г

Cataract progression after Nd:YAG laser iridotomy in primary angle-closure suspect eyes

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Prophylactic laser peripheral iridotomy (LPI) is performed in primary angle-closure suspect (PACS) eyes to prevent acute angle-closure attacks. However, accelerated cataractogenesis is a potential risk of the procedure that may result in decreased visual acuity. We aimed to assess the long-term impact of LPI on cataract formation in Chinese PACS. METHODS: In the Zhongshan Angle Closure Prevention Trial, eligible bilateral PACS participants received LPI in one randomly selected eye, while the fellow eye remained untreated. Cataract was graded using the Lens Opacity Classification System III, and progression was defined as an increase in grade by at least two units in any category or cataract surgery. RESULTS: In total, 889 participants were randomly assigned to LPI in one eye only (mean age 59±5 years, 83% female). At 72 months, treated eyes had slightly higher average nuclear grades (p<0.001). However, there were no differences between eyes for predefined cataract progression (cumulative probability at 72 months: 21.2% in LPI vs 19.4% in control, p=0.401) or cataract surgery (1% for both). While LPI-treated eyes had a 10% higher risk of progression over 6 years (HR=1.10 (95% CI 0.88 to 1.36)), this was not statistically significant. Visual acuity at 72 months was similar in treated and untreated eyes (p=0.43). CONCLUSION: Although lenses were graded on average as slightly more opaque in laser-treated eyes, prophylactic neodymium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet LPI did not cause significant cataract progression. Our results suggest that LPI treatment of asymptomatic narrow angles does not increase the risk of developing clinically meaningful cataract worsening over time. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ISRCTN45213099

Molecular Phenotypes Distinguish Patients with Relatively Stable from Progressive Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF)

BACKGROUND: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive, chronic interstitial lung disease that is unresponsive to current therapy and often leads to death. However, the rate of disease progression differs among patients. We hypothesized that comparing the gene expression profiles between patients with stable disease and those in which the disease progressed rapidly will lead to biomarker discovery and contribute to the understanding of disease pathogenesis. METHODOLOGY AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: To begin to address this hypothesis, we applied Serial Analysis of Gene Expression (SAGE) to generate lung expression profiles from diagnostic surgical lung biopsies in 6 individuals with relatively stable (or slowly progressive) IPF and 6 individuals with progressive IPF (based on changes in DLCO and FVC over 12 months). Our results indicate that this comprehensive lung IPF SAGE transcriptome is distinct from normal lung tissue and other chronic lung diseases. To identify candidate markers of disease progression, we compared the IPF SAGE profiles in stable and progressive disease, and identified a set of 102 transcripts that were at least 5-fold up regulated and a set of 89 transcripts that were at least 5-fold down regulated in the progressive group (P-value</=0.05). The over expressed genes included surfactant protein A1, two members of the MAPK-EGR-1-HSP70 pathway that regulate cigarette-smoke induced inflammation, and Plunc (palate, lung and nasal epithelium associated), a gene not previously implicated in IPF. Interestingly, 26 of the up regulated genes are also increased in lung adenocarcinomas and have low or no expression in normal lung tissue. More importantly, we defined a SAGE molecular expression signature of 134 transcripts that sufficiently distinguished relatively stable from progressive IPF. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that molecular signatures from lung parenchyma at the time of diagnosis could prove helpful in predicting the likelihood of disease progression or possibly understanding the biological activity of IPF

Analysis of the denitrification pathway and greenhouse gases emissions in Bradyrhizobium sp. strains used as biofertilizers in South America

Aims Greenhouse gases are considered potential atmospheric pollutants, with agriculture being one of the main emission sources. The practice of inoculating soybean seeds with Bradyrhizobium sp. might contribute to nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions. We analyzed this capacity in five of the most used strains of Bradyrhizobium sp. in South America. Methods and Results We analyzed the denitrification pathway and N2O production by B. japonicum E109 and CPAC15, B. diazoefficiens CPAC7, and B. elkanii SEMIA 587 and SEMIA 5019, both in free‐living conditions and symbiosis with soybean. The in silico analysis indicated the absence of nosZ genes in B. japonicum and the presence of all denitrification genes in B. diazoefficiens strains, as well as the absence of nirK, norC and nosZ genes in B. elkanii. The in planta analysis confirmed the N2O production under saprophytic conditions or symbiosis with soybean roots nodules. In the last case up to 26·1 and 18·4 times higher in plants inoculated with SEMIA5019 and E109 respectively, than in those inoculated with USDA110. Conclusions The strains E109, SEMIA 5019, CPAC15 and SEMIA 587 showed the highest N2O production both as free‐living cells and in symbiotic conditions in comparison with USDA110 and CPAC7, which do have the nosZ gene. Although norC and nosZ could not be identified in silico or in vitro in SEMIA 587 and SEMIA 5019, these strains showed capacity to produce N2O in our experimental conditions. Significance and Impact of Study This is the first report to analyze and confirm the incomplete denitrification capacity and N2O production in four of the five most used strains of Bradyrhizobium sp. for soybean inoculation in South America.Fil: Obando Castellanos, Dolly Melissa. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Fisicoquímicas y Naturales. Departamento de Ciencias Naturales. Laboratorio de Fisiología Vegetal y de la Interacción Planta-microorganismo; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Correa-Galeote, David. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas. Estación Experimental del Zaidín; EspañaFil: Castellano-Hinojosa, Antonio. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas. Estación Experimental del Zaidín; EspañaFil: Gualpa, José Luis. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Fisicoquímicas y Naturales. Departamento de Ciencias Naturales. Laboratorio de Fisiología Vegetal y de la Interacción Planta-microorganismo; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Hidalgo, Alba. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas. Estación Experimental del Zaidín; EspañaFil: de Dios Alché, Juan. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas. Estación Experimental del Zaidín; EspañaFil: Bedmar, Eulogio. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas. Estación Experimental del Zaidín; EspañaFil: Cassan, Fabricio Dario. Universidad Nacional de Rio Cuarto. Facultad de Cs.exactas Fisicoquimicas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Agrobiotecnologicas. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnologico Conicet - Cordoba. Instituto de Investigaciones Agrobiotecnologicas.; Argentin

Análisis bioinformático y predicción de genes en secuencias genómicas de clostridium sp. ibun22a

Este trabajo tuvo como propósito identificar secuencias de genes en clones obtenidos en una librería genómica de la cepa colombiana de Clostridium sp. IBUN 22A. Los insertos de nueve clones con tamaæos superiores a 500 pb fueron secuenciados y analizados por medio de bÅ“squedas de los insertos completos o de sus marcos abiertos de lectura (ORFs) traducidos en GenBank 141.0 y Uniprot 6.6 con BLAST 2.2.8. Se identificaron seis genes con alta similaridad a genes de metabolismo bÆsico (housekeeping) en diferentes especies de Clostridium. En el clon pBsIBUN22A-1 se localizó una secuencia de 851 pb con una identidad del 99.74% respecto al gen codificante de la enzima glicerol deshidratasa (DhaBl) de Clostridium butyricum (AY968605) involucrada en la producción de 1,3 Propanodiol (1,3-PD). La identifica­ción de genes presentes en la cepa nativa Clostridium IBUN 22A abre la puerta a la investigación básica y a la ingeniería metabólica para hacer más rentable el proceso de producción de 1,3-PD junto al conocimiento de los genes presentes en la cepa nativa. Palabras clave: análisis de secuencias, librería genómica, Clostridium, glicerol deshidratasa, 1,3-propanodiol.This work was aimed at identifying gene sequences in recombinant clones obtained from a genomic library from the Colombian Clostridium sp. IBUN 22A native strain. Nine clones greater than 500 bp were sequenced and analysed using BLAST 2.2.8 to search for complete inserts or their translated open reading frames (ORFs) in GenBank 141.0 and Uniprot 6.6. Seven genes having high similarity to housekeeping genes from different Clostridium species were identified. An 851 bp sequence was located in the pBsIBUN22A-1 clone, having 99.74% identity with the gene encoding the Clostridium butyricum enzyme glycerol dehydratase (DhaBl) which is involved in 1,3-propanediol (1,3-PD) production. Identifying genes in the native IBUN 22A strain formed the starting point for basic research and metabolic engineering aimed at making 1,3-PD production more profitable and increasing knowledge of genes present in the native strain. Key words: glycerol dehydratase, 1,3-propanediol, genomic library, Clostridium, sequence analysis

Ultra-rare mutations in SRCAP segregate in Caribbean Hispanic families with Alzheimer disease.

OBJECTIVE: To identify rare coding variants segregating with late-onset Alzheimer disease (LOAD) in Caribbean Hispanic families. METHODS: Whole-exome sequencing (WES) was completed in 110 individuals from 31 Caribbean Hispanic families without APOE ε4 homozygous carriers. Rare coding mutations segregating in families were subsequently genotyped in additional families and in an independent cohort of Caribbean Hispanic patients and controls. SRCAP messenger RNA (mRNA) expression was assessed in whole blood from mutation carriers with LOAD, noncarriers with LOAD, and healthy elderly controls, and also from autopsied brains in 2 clinical neuropathologic cohort studies of aging and dementia. RESULTS: Ten ultra-rare missense mutations in the Snf2-related CREBBP, activator protein (SRCAP), were found in 12 unrelated families. Compared with the frequency in Caribbean Hispanic controls and the Latino population in the Exome Aggregation Consortium, the frequency of SRCAP mutations among Caribbean Hispanic patients with LOAD was significantly enriched (p = 1.19e-16). mRNA expression of SRCAP in whole blood was significantly lower in mutation carriers with LOAD, while the expression in whole blood and in the brain was significantly higher in nonmutation carriers with LOAD. Brain expression also correlated with clinical and neuropathologic endophenotypes. CONCLUSIONS: WES in Caribbean Hispanic families with LOAD revealed ultra-rare missense mutations in SRCAP, a gene expressed in the brain and mutated in Floating-Harbor syndrome. SRCAP is a potent coactivator of the CREB-binding protein and a regulator of DNA damage response involving ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling. We hypothesize that increased expression in LOAD suggests a compensatory mechanism altered in mutation carriers

Epigenetic and genetic risk of Alzheimer disease from autopsied brains in two ethnic groups.

Genetic variants and epigenetic features&nbsp;both contribute to the risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD). We studied the AD association of CpG-related single nucleotide polymorphisms (CGS), which act as a hub of both the genetic and epigenetic effects, in Caribbean Hispanics (CH) and generalized the findings to Non-Hispanic Whites (NHW). First, we conducted a genome-wide, sliding-window-based association with AD, in 7,155 CH and 1,283 NHW&nbsp;participants. Next, using&nbsp;data from the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in 179 CH brains, we tested the cis- and trans-effects of AD-associated CGS on brain DNA methylation to mRNA expression. For the genes with significant cis- and trans-effects, we investigated their enriched pathways. We identified six genetic loci in CH with CGS dosage associated with AD at genome-wide significance levels: ADAM20 (Score = 55.19, P = 4.06 × 10-8), the intergenic region between VRTN and SYNDIG1L (Score = - 37.67, P = 2.25 × 10-9), SPG7 (16q24.3) (Score = 40.51, P = 2.23 × 10-8), PVRL2 (Score = 125.86, P = 1.64 × 10-9), TOMM40 (Score = - 18.58, P = 4.61 × 10-8), and APOE (Score = 75.12, P = 7.26 × 10-26). CGSes in PVRL2 and APOE were also significant in NHW. Except for ADAM20, CGSes in the other five loci were associated with CH brain methylation levels (mQTLs) and CGSes in SPG7, PVRL2, and APOE were also mQTLs in NHW. Except for SYNDIG1L (P = 0.08), brain methylation levels in the other five loci affected downstream mRNA expression in CH (P &lt; 0.05), and methylation at VRTN and TOMM40 were also associated with mRNA expression in NHW. Gene expression in these six loci were also regulated by CpG sites in genes that were enriched in the neuron projection and glutamatergic synapse pathways&nbsp;(FDR &lt; 0.05). DNA methylation at all six loci and mRNA expression of SYNDIG1 and TOMM40 were significantly associated with Braak Stage in CH. In summary,&nbsp;we identified six CpG-related genetic loci associated with AD in CH, harboring both genetic and epigenetic risks. However, their downstream effects on mRNA expression maybe ethnic specific and different from NHW

Longitudinal Assessment of an ELISPOT Test for Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection

Philip Hill and colleagues report that both ELISPOT conversion and reversion occur afterM. tuberculosis exposure in an endemic country and that the ELISPOT results agree poorly with results from the tuberculin skin test