A new modification of the chiron ACS assay for total prostate-specific antigen achieves equimolar response characteristics and improves the detection of prostate cancer

Nonequimolar-response assays for prostate-specific antigen (PSA) are criticized for overestimating total PSA in some men without prostate cancer (PCA), and underestimating total PSA in some men with PCA. We recently studied three nonequimolar-response PSA assays that had undergone modifications. While two of the studied assays achieved equimolar-response characteristics with improved areas under receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves (AUC), the modification of the Chiron ACS PSA assay (ACS PSA2, Chiron) failed to achieve this. Recently, the ACS assay underwent another modification (ACS PSA, Bayer), which we investigated. Sera from 305 men (155 without and 150 with PCA, PSA greater than or equal to2 and less than or equal to30 mug/l, TandemE) were measured using both modifications of the ACS assay and equimolar-response reference methods (TandemR free and Tandem E, Hybritech). Molar response relative to the reference method and clinical performance (comparison of AUCs) between the previous and new ACS assay modifications were studied. The new modification of the ACS assay (ACS PSA, Bayer) achieved equimolar-response characteristics but reported lower values (average 10%) than the Tandem E assay. Compared to the previous modification (ACS PSA2, Chiron), a 3% improvement in AUC (p=0.01) was found. Using results of the redesigned equimolar-response assay (ACS PSA, Bayer), we calculated that 6 of 155 men without PCA in this sample set could be spared unnecessary biopsy compared with the previous nonequimolar-response assay (ACS PSA2, Chiron) without missing additional PCA (90% sensitivity). These data provide additional evidence for clinical advantages of equimolar-response over nonequimolar-response PSA assay formats

Comportamiento productivo de diferentes combinaciones cultivar portainjerto de peral en el Alto Valle de Río Negro y Neuquén

Con el objetivo de evaluar el comportamiento vegetativo y productivo de diferentes combinaciones cultivar-portainjerto de peral en la zona del Alto Valle de Río Negro y Neuquén se planteó un ensayo con cinco portainjertos: Franco, BA29, BP1, MC y Sydo. Los cultivares utilizadas fueron Pyrus communis cv Williams, Abate Fetel y Beurrè D´Anjou. Los árboles fueron plantados en el 2001 con un marco de plantación de 4 x 2m y conducidos en eje central. Los parámetros vegetativos y productivos evaluados fueron: Área seccional transversal de tronco (ASTT; cm2); Longitud de la copa en el sentido de la hilera (LCH, m); Crecimiento de los brotes del año (CBA, m); Producción acumulada por planta (PA, kg pl-1); Producción estimada por hectárea (PE, t ha-1); Eficiencia productiva acumulada (EPA, kg cm-2); Distribución de calibres (DC); Síntomas de incompatibilidad en la zona de unión y Mortandad de plantas. En todos los cultivares evaluados, el portainjerto Franco fue el que presentó mejor comportamiento productivo y vegetativo (mayores ASTT, LCH, CBA, PA,PE y EPA). Las combinaciones con los portainjertos de membrillero presentaron síntomas de incompatibilidad de leves a moderados en la zona de unión en todos los cultivares estudiados y fueron las que tuvieron mayor mortandad de plantas. La productividad de las combinaciones con membrillero fue baja en todos los cultivares, probablemente debido a la incompatibilidad observada a nivel de la zona de unión. Este hecho posiblemente se haya visto agravado por las condiciones climáticas de la zona caracterizadas por altas temperaturas, fuertes vientos y baja humedad relativa que acrecientan los problemas existentes de trasporte entre la raíz y la parte aérea afectando, consecuentemente, el normal desarrollo y crecimiento de las plantas.In order to evaluate the vegetative and reproductive behavior of different pear rootstocks in the Alto Valle de Río Negro y Neuquén region, a trial was designed with four rootstocks: seedling, BA29, BP1, MC and Sydo. The pear cultivars were: Pyrus communis cv Williams, Abate Fetel and Beurre D’ Anjou. Trees were planted in 2001, spaced at 4 x 2 m and trained with a central axis. The vegetative and reproductive parameters evaluated were: Trunk cross-sectional area (TCSA; cm2); Canopy in the file (CF, m); Annual shoot growth (ASG,m); cumulative yield (CY, kg pl -1); Estimated production per hectare (EPH , t ha-1); Cumulative yield efficiency (CYE, kg cm -2); Fruit size distribution (FSD); Incompatibility symptoms in the graft union and plant mortality. In all tested cultivars, the seedling had the highest vegetative and reproductive performance (highests TCSA, CF,ASG, CY, EPH and CYE). In all the studied cultivars the quince rootstocks showed mild to moderate symptoms of incompatibility in the graft union and the highest plant mortality. The low productivity of the combinations with quince rootstocks probably was associated to the incompatibility observed at the graft union. This fact had possibly been exacerbated by the climatic conditions of the area, which is characterized by high temperatures, strong winds and low relative humidity, increasing the existing problems of transportation between the root and the canopy and, consequently, affecting the normal development of plantsEEA Alto ValleFil: De Angelis, Veronica. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Alto Valle; ArgentinaFil: Calvo, Gabriela. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Alto Valle; ArgentinaFil: Raffo Benegas, Maria Dolores. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Alto Valle; ArgentinaFil: Menni, María Fernanda. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Alto Valle; Argentin

ECHOPvir. A mixture of echinacea and hop extracts endowed with cytoprotective, immunomodulatory and antiviral properties

Respiratory viral infections continue to pose significant challenges, particularly for more susceptible and immunocompromised individuals. Nutraceutical strategies have been proposed as promising strategies to mitigate their impact and improve public health. In the present study, we developed a mixture of two hydroalcoholic extracts from the aerial parts of Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench (ECP) and the cones of Humulus lupulus L. (HOP) that can be harnessed in the prevention and treatment of viral respiratory diseases. The ECP/HOP mixture (named ECHOPvir) was characterized for the antioxidant and cytoprotective properties in airway cells. Moreover, the immunomodulating properties of the mixture in murine macrophages against antioxidant and inflammatory stimuli and its antiviral efficacy against the PR8/H1N1 influenza virus were assayed. The modulation of the Nrf2 was also investigated as a mechanistic hypothesis. The ECP/HOP mixture showed a promising multitarget bioactivity profile, with combined cytoprotective, antioxidant, immunomodulating and antiviral activities, likely due to the peculiar phytocomplexes of both ECP and HOP, and often potentiated the effect of the single extracts. The Nrf2 activation seemed to trigger these cytoprotective properties and suggest a possible usefulness in counteracting the damage caused by different stressors, including viral infection. Further studies may strengthen the interest in this product and underpin its future nutraceutical applications

The Strategic Role of Lean– A Discussion

Operations strategy and its development have received a lot of attention in the operations management literature. However, literature related to benefits of improvement programs, such as lean production, is often contradictory to operations strategy principles. There is a large body of work arguing that lean can bring substantial performance improvements, indicating that operations strategy formalization might be unnecessary when certain operational processes improvements are applied. However, some literature emphasize the importance of operations strategy, stating that its formulation leads to superior competitiveness when lean techniques are properly related to competitive dimensions and to decision areas. In this study, a comprehensive literature review has been carried out to reveal insights on both streams of study and it is used to conceive a framework and a research interview protocol based on that. Hence, this study compares experts’ view of the strategic role of lean. Such a comparison is done through a range of interviews. The results support the notion that lean can generate a strong advantage in many competitive dimensions; even so, a formal strategy approach is still necessary to focus lean model implementation

The genetic architecture of type 2 diabetes

The genetic architecture of common traits, including the number, frequency, and effect sizes of inherited variants that contribute to individual risk, has been long debated. Genome-wide association studies have identified scores of common variants associated with type 2 diabetes, but in aggregate, these explain only a fraction of heritability. To test the hypothesis that lower-frequency variants explain much of the remainder, the GoT2D and T2D-GENES consortia performed whole genome sequencing in 2,657 Europeans with and without diabetes, and exome sequencing in a total of 12,940 subjects from five ancestral groups. To increase statistical power, we expanded sample size via genotyping and imputation in a further 111,548 subjects. Variants associated with type 2 diabetes after sequencing were overwhelmingly common and most fell within regions previously identified by genome-wide association studies. Comprehensive enumeration of sequence variation is necessary to identify functional alleles that provide important clues to disease pathophysiology, but large-scale sequencing does not support a major role for lower-frequency variants in predisposition to type 2 diabetes

Genomic epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 in a UK university identifies dynamics of transmission

AbstractUnderstanding SARS-CoV-2 transmission in higher education settings is important to limit spread between students, and into at-risk populations. In this study, we sequenced 482 SARS-CoV-2 isolates from the University of Cambridge from 5 October to 6 December 2020. We perform a detailed phylogenetic comparison with 972 isolates from the surrounding community, complemented with epidemiological and contact tracing data, to determine transmission dynamics. We observe limited viral introductions into the university; the majority of student cases were linked to a single genetic cluster, likely following social gatherings at a venue outside the university. We identify considerable onward transmission associated with student accommodation and courses; this was effectively contained using local infection control measures and following a national lockdown. Transmission clusters were largely segregated within the university or the community. Our study highlights key determinants of SARS-CoV-2 transmission and effective interventions in a higher education setting that will inform public health policy during pandemics.</jats:p

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Estudo de comunidades de foraminíferos em manguezal do Rio Itapanhaú, Bertioga-SP, aplicado à reconstrução paleoambiental

Foraminifera scientific studies became, historically, of your apply in relative dating of rocks, stratigraphic correlations and paleoenvironmental reconstruction. In the last decades, they have been applied on the studies of modern ecosystems, with or without antrhopic influence. Both aspects are interest of petroleum industry. Among other approaches, foraminífera are used as good indicators of the fluctuation of relative sea level. This study aimed to survey and taxonomic study of the community structure of foraminifera in surface samples of a core, 60 cm, collected in mangrove located in Itapanhaú river in Bertioga (SP).It also aims to contribute to the discussion about typical patterns of community structure of mangrove margins and provide elements for discussion on the relative sea level behavior in this area in almost modern times. It was been collected 6 samples along the core of 60 cm of length, each one 10 cm depth. They were made in laboratory and in each sample sought to find at least 100 foraminifera per ml. The species identification was made with reference specified material and collection available on IGCE-UNESPetro, Rio Claro. The community structure was studied in terms of richness, diversity and species composition and was made the results comparison from similar areas to interpret the depositional environment. Were found 21 species within them 13 calcareous and 8 binders, being the most abundant and frequent species Ammonia tepida, Ammonia parkinsoniana e Elphidium spp. Essentially there wasn’t change in the community structure within the period covered by the core which reflects an environment of outer margin of mangrove without noticeable change in relative sea level at the respective time of deposition of muddy sediments. The community structure here recognized its similar to estuarine environment well maintained which indicates a low human impact in the area over the time interval. The agreement of the results...Estudos científicos sobre foraminíferos decorrem, historicamente, de sua aplicação para datação relativa de rochas, correlações estratigráficas e reconstruções paleoambientais. Nas últimas décadas, vêm sendo amplamente aplicados aos estudos de ecossistemas modernos, com ou sem influência antrópica. Ambos os aspectos interessam à indústria do petróleo. Dentre outros enfoques, os foraminíferos são usados como bons indicadores de flutuação do nível relativo do mar. O presente estudo teve por objetivo realizar o levantamento taxonômico e o estudo da estrutura de comunidades de foraminíferos em amostras de um testemunho superficial, de 60 cm, coletado em manguezal localizado no Rio Itapanhaú, em Bertioga (SP). Objetiva ainda contribuir para a discussão sobre padrões típicos da estrutura de comunidades em margens de manguezal e oferecer elementos para discussões sobre o comportamento do nível relativo do mar nesta área em tempos quase modernos. Foram coletadas 6 amostras ao longo de um testemunho de 60 cm de comprimento, uma a cada 10 cm de profundidade. Estas foram preparadas em laboratório e em cada amostra buscou-se encontrar ao menos 100 tecas por 1 ml. A identificação das espécies foi feita com material de referência específico e coleção disponível no IGCE-UNESPetro, Rio Claro. A estrutura das comunidades foi estudada em termos de riqueza, diversidade e composição das espécies, sendo feita uma comparação dos resultados obtidos com os de áreas similares para interpretação do ambiente deposicional. Foram encontradas 21 espécies, dentre elas 13 calcárias e 8 aglutinantes, sendo Ammonia tepida, Ammonia parkinsoniana e Elphidium spp. as espécies mais abundantes e frequentes. Essencialmente, não houve alteração da estrutura das comunidades ao longo do intervalo coberto pelo testemunho, o qual reflete um ambiente de margem externa de manguezal sem alteração perceptível do nível relativo do mar..

Tablets as an educational tool for enhancing preschool science

Information communication technologies (ICT) is increasingly being introduced in the preschool level, but questions have been raised regarding its potential to develop content knowledge or specific skills. This quasi-experimental study looked into the impact that hand-held tablets can have on science learning outcomes in five-year-olds. Four classes from two preschool institutions in Buenos Aires, Argentina, were selected for a six-week intervention. All four classes received training and an inquiry-based science teaching sequence, with one group from each institution also receiving tablets and specific guidance on how to incorporate them into their science lessons. Post-intervention test results showed significant improvements in science outcomes for all students, but no significant difference between the tablet-enhanced classrooms and those taught without ICT. Challenges and opportunities are discussed with regard to including tablets for teaching science at the preschool level.Fil: Furman, Melina Gabriela. Universidad de San Andrés; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: De Angelis, Susan. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Filosofía y Letras. Instituto de Ciencias de la Educación; ArgentinaFil: Dominguez Prost, Enzo. Universidad de San Andrés; ArgentinaFil: Taylor, Inés. Universidad de San Andrés; Argentin

Emerging Allergens in Goji Berry Superfruit: The Identification of New IgE Binding Proteins towards Allergic Patients’ Sera

The goji berry (Lycium barbarum L.) (GB) is gaining increasing attention with high consumption worldwide due to its exceptional nutritional value and medicinal benefits displayed in humans. Beyond their beneficial properties, GBs contain renowned allergenic proteins, and therefore deserve inclusion among the allergenic foods capable of inducing allergic reactions in sensitive consumers. GB allergy has been frequently linked to the panallergen lipid transfer protein (LTP), especially across the population of the Mediterranean area. Methods: In this study, we investigated the protein profile of GBs focusing on the most reactive proteins against immunoglobulins E (IgE) of allergic patients&rsquo; sera, as ascertained by immunoblot experiments. The protein spots displaying a clear reaction were excised, in-gel digested, and analyzed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) followed by data searching against a restricted database for a reliable protein identification. Results: According to our data, three main spots were identified in GB extract as IgE binding proteins after immunoblot analysis. Some major proteins were identified and the three proteins that provided the highest reactivity were putatively attributed to vicilin and legumin proteins followed by a protein matching with 11S globulin belonging to the cupin superfamily. Finally, the whole GB protein extract was also submitted to bottom-up proteomics followed by a software-based database (DB) screening and a more exhaustive list of GB proteins was compiled