Toward the Legalization of Markets in Used Human Body Parts

The legalization of markets in human organs would save lives. Human lives matter. Therefore, weshould promote economic freedom and end the prohibition of commercial transactions in thissector of the economy

Antibody detection against bovine viral diarrhea virus in cattle of the province of Anta, Cusco, Peru

El objetivo del presente estudio fue determinar anticuerpos contra el virus de la diarrea viral (VDVB) en bovinos, según raza y edad, de cinco distritos de la provincia de Anta, Cusco. Se tomaron muestras de suero de bovinos hembras (n=1135) y machos (n=57) de 262 pequeños ganaderos y una comunidad ganadera. Las muestras se analizaron mediante la prueba de ELISA indirecta. El 50.8% de las hembras y 43.9% de los machos tuvieron anticuerpos contra el VDVB. Los porcentajes de bovinos hembras seropositivos en los distritos de Ancahuasi, Zurite, Anta, Cachimayo y Huarocondo fueron de 58.6, 45.5, 63.9, 31.5 y 80%, respectivamente. Todos los ganaderos tuvieron al menos un animal seropositivo. Los anticuerpos contra el VDVB fueron más prevalentes en animales mayores a tres años. Los coeficientes m/p de las muestras seropositivas variaron entre 1. Se concluye que el VDVB está ampliamente difundido en bovinos de los cinco distritos de la provincia de Anta y las variaciones del coeficiente m/p de las muestras indican que la infección por el VDVB es activa en los animales de la zona.The aim of this study was to determine antibodies against bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) in cattle, according to breed and age, in five districts of Anta province, Cusco. Serum samples were taken from females (n=1135) and males (n=57) from 262 small farmers and one farmer community. The samples were analyzed by indirect ELISA test. Results showed that 50.8% of the females and 43.9% of the males had antibodies against the BVDV. The percentages of seropositive female bovines in the districts of Ancahuasi, Zurite, Anta, Cachimayo and Huarocondo were 58.6, 45.5, 63.9, 31.5 and 80%, respectively. All farmers had at least one seropositive animal. Antibodies against BVDV were more prevalent in animals older than three years. The s/p coefficients of the seropositive samples varied between <0.2 and >1. It is concluded that the BVDV is widely spread in cattle of the five districts of the province of Anta and the variations of the s/p coefficient of the samples indicate that the infection by the BVDV is active in the animals of the area of study

Tropical forests post-logging are a persistent net carbon source to the atmosphere

Acknowledgments This study was part of the SAFE Project, the Global Ecosystems Monitoring network (gem.tropicalforests.ox.ac.uk) and Imperial College's Grand Challenges in Ecosystems and the Environment Initiative. We acknowledge funding from the Sime Darby Foundation, the Biodiversity And Land-use Impacts on tropical ecosystem function (BALI) Project (NE/K016377/1) within the Natural Environment Research Council Human-Modified Tropical Forests Programme, the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB), and Centre for Tropical Forest Science (CTFS) in collaboration with HSBC Climate Partnership. The 52-ha Long-Term Ecological Research Project in Lambir is a collaborative project of the Forest Department of Sarawak, Malaysia, the Center for Tropical Forest Science of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, USA (NSF awards DEB- 9107247 and DEB- 9629601), and Osaka City, Ehime & Kyoto Universities, Japan (Monbusho grants 06041094, 08NP0901 and 09NP0901). M.B.M. was supported by NERC studentship awarded through the Central England NERC Training Alliance (CENTA; grant referenceNE/S007350/1) and the University of Leicester, Y.M. was supported by the Jackson Foundation and European Research Council Advanced Investigator Grant, GEM-TRAIT (321131), Y.M., RME, and T.R. by NERC grant NE/P002218/1, and R.M.E. is supported by the NOMIS Foundation. TR also acknowledges support from the European Research Council under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement No 865403). Maliau Basin and Danum Valley Management Committees, Royal Society South East Asia Rainforest Research Partnership (SEARRP), Sabah Foundation, Benta Wawasan, the State Secretary, Sabah Chief Minister’s Departments, Sabah Forestry Department, Sabah Biodiversity Council, and the Economic Planning Unit are acknowledged for their support and access to the sites in Sabah. Rostin Jantan, Rohid Kailoh, Suhaini Patik, Ampat Siliwong, Yehezekiel Jahuri, Robecca Siwaring, Jeffry Amin, Sarah Watson, Ryan Gray, Johnny Larenus, Unding Jami, Toby Marthews, Alexander Karolus, the Danum 50 ha plot team, Sylvester Tan, Xyxtus Tan, Nasir Muhi and Abilano Deres helped with the data collection. We thank Susan Page, Juan Carlos Berrio, Jörg Kaduk and Katie O’Brien for their constructive comments.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Identification of persistently infected cattle and genotype of bovine viral diarrhea virus in cattle of Anta, Cusco, Peru

El objetivo del presente estudio fue identificar bovinos persistentemente infectados (PI) y el genotipo del virus de la diarrea viral (VDVB) en bovinos de pequeños ganaderos de cinco distritos de la provincia de Anta, Cusco, que resultaron negativos a anticuerpos contra el VDVB (n=558) en un estudio previo. La identificación de los animales PI se realizó en las 558 muestras de suero de bovinos Holstein, Brown Swiss y criollos hembras de varias edades, mediante la prueba de ELISA de captura. La identificación del genotipo viral fue realizada en cuatro muestras de bovinos PI mediante la prueba de RT-PCR en tiempo real. El 7.2% (40/558) de los bovinos resultaron positivos a antígeno viral en un primer análisis, donde el antígeno fue detectado en animales mayores a 6 meses hasta los 5 años en las tres razas. En el segundo análisis, realizado 30 días después, en los 40 positivos, 30% (12/40) continuaron siendo positivos a antígeno viral indicando que eran animales PI entre mayores a 6 meses y 4 años de cuatro de los cinco distritos de Anta. La prevalencia de los animales PI en la población bovina muestreada de la provincia de Anta fue de 2.2% (12/558). La prueba RT-PCR en tiempo real mostró la amplificación de un producto específico correspondiente al genotipo 1 (VDVB-1). No hubo amplificación de la secuencia objetivo del genotipo 2.The aim of this study was to identify persistently infected cattle (PI) and to identify the viral diarrhea virus genotype (BVDV) in cattle of small farmers in five districts of the province of Anta, Cusco, which were negative for antibodies against BVDV (n=558) in a previous study. The identification of the PI animals was carried out in the 558 serum samples of female bovine Holstein, Brown Swiss and Creoles of various ages, by the capture ELISA test. The identification of the viral genotype was carried out in four samples of PI cattle through the RT-PCR real-time. The results showed that 7.2% (40/558) of the cattle were positive for viral antigen in a first analysis, where the antigen was detected in animals older than 6 months up to 5 years in the three breeds. In the second analysis carried out 30 day after in the 40 positives, 30% (12/40) continued to be positive for viral antigen indicating that they were PI animals between 6 months and 4 years in four of the five Anta districts. The prevalence of PI animals in the bovine population sampled in province of Anta was 2.2% (12/558). Real-time RT-PCR showed the amplification of a specific product corresponding to genotype 1 (VDVB-1). There was no amplification of the target sequence of genotype 2

A consensus statement for trauma surgery capacity building in Latin America

Background Trauma is a significant public health problem in Latin America (LA), contributing to substantial death and disability in the region. Several LA countries have implemented trauma registries and injury surveillance systems. However, the region lacks an integrated trauma system. The consensus conference’s goal was to integrate existing LA trauma data collection efforts into a regional trauma program and encourage the use of the data to inform health policy. Methods We created a consensus group of 25 experts in trauma and emergency care with previous data collection and injury surveillance experience in the LA. region. Experts participated in a consensus conference to discuss the state of trauma data collection in LA. We utilized the Delphi method to build consensus around strategic steps for trauma data management in the region. Consensus was defined as the agreement of ≥ 70% among the expert panel. Results The consensus conference determined that action was necessary from academic bodies, scientific societies, and ministries of health to encourage a culture of collection and use of health data in trauma. The panel developed a set of recommendations for these groups to encourage the development and use of robust trauma information systems in LA. Consensus was achieved in one Delphi round. Conclusions The expert group successfully reached a consensus on recommendations to key stakeholders in trauma information systems in LA. These recommendations may be used to encourage capacity building in trauma research and trauma health policy in the region

Identification of brain transcriptional variation reproduced in peripheral blood: an approach for mapping brain expression traits

Genome-wide gene expression studies may provide substantial insight into gene activities and biological pathways differing between tissues and individuals. We investigated such gene expression variation by analyzing expression profiles in brain tissues derived from eight different brain regions and from blood in 12 monkeys from a biomedically important non-human primate model, the vervet (Chlorocebus aethiops sabaeus). We characterized brain regional differences in gene expression, focusing on transcripts for which inter-individual variation of expression in brain correlates well with variation in blood from the same individuals. Using stringent criteria, we identified 29 transcripts whose expression is measurable, stable, replicable, variable between individuals, relevant to brain function and heritable. Polymorphisms identified in probe regions could, in a minority of transcripts, confound the interpretation of the observed inter-individual variation. The high heritability of levels of these transcripts in a large vervet pedigree validated our approach of focusing on transcripts that showed higher inter-individual compared with intra-individual variation. These selected transcripts are candidate expression Quantitative Trait Loci, differentially regulating transcript levels in the brain among individuals. Given the high degree of conservation of tissue expression profiles between vervets and humans, our findings may facilitate the understanding of regional and individual transcriptional variation and its genetic mechanisms in humans. The approach employed here—utilizing higher quality tissue and more precise dissection of brain regions than is usually possible in humans—may therefore provide a powerful means to investigate variation in gene expression relevant to complex brain related traits, including human neuropsychiatric diseases

Follicle Stimulating Hormone is an accurate predictor of azoospermia in childhood cancer survivors

Funding: RTM is supported by a Wellcome Trust Intermediate Clinical Fellowship (grant no: 098522), https://wellcome.ac.uk/what-we-do/directories/intermediate-clinical-fellowships-people-funded. TWK is supported by Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council grant EP/P015638/1, http://gow.epsrc.ac.uk/NGBOViewGrant.aspx?GrantRef=EP/P015638/1.The accuracy of Follicle Stimulating Hormone as a predictor of azoospermia in adult survivors of childhood cancer is unclear, with conflicting results in the published literature. A systematic review and post hoc analysis of combined data (n = 367) were performed on all published studies containing extractable data on both serum Follicle Stimulating Hormone concentration and semen concentration in survivors of childhood cancer. PubMed and Medline databases were searched up to March 2017 by two blind investigators. Articles were included if they contained both serum FSH concentration and semen concentration, used World Health Organisation certified methods for semen analysis, and the study participants were all childhood cancer survivors. There was no evidence for either publication bias or heterogeneity for the five studies. For the combined data (n = 367) the optimal Follicle Stimulating Hormone threshold was 10.4 IU/L with specificity 81% (95% CI 76%–86%) and sensitivity 83% (95% CI 76%–89%). The AUC was 0.89 (95%CI 0.86–0.93). A range of threshold FSH values for the diagnosis of azoospermia with their associated sensitivities and specificities were calculated. This study provides strong supporting evidence for the use of serum Follicle Stimulating Hormone as a surrogate biomarker for azoospermia in adult males who have been treated for childhood cancer.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

The Metabolic Consequences of Hepatic AMP-Kinase Phosphorylation in Rainbow Trout

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a phylogenetically conserved serine/threonine protein kinase, is proposed to function as a “fuel gauge” to monitor cellular energy status in response to nutritional environmental variations. However, in fish, few studies have addressed the metabolic consequences related to the activation of this kinase. This study demonstrates that the rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) possesses paralogs of the three known AMPK subunits that co-diversified, that the AMPK protein is present in the liver and in isolated hepatocytes, and it does change in response to physiological (fasting-re-feeding cycle) and pharmacological (AICAR and metformin administration and incubations) manipulations. Moreover, the phosphorylation of AMPK results in the phosphorylation of acetyl-CoA carboxylase, a main downstream target of AMPK in mammals. Other findings include changes in hepatic glycogen levels and several molecular actors involved in hepatic glucose and lipid metabolism, including mRNA transcript levels for glucokinase, glucose-6-phosphatase and fatty acid synthase both in vivo and in vitro. The fact that most results presented in this study are consistent with the recognized role of AMPK as a master regulator of energy homeostasis in living organisms supports the idea that these functions are conserved in this piscine model

Antimicrobial resistance among migrants in Europe: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Rates of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are rising globally and there is concern that increased migration is contributing to the burden of antibiotic resistance in Europe. However, the effect of migration on the burden of AMR in Europe has not yet been comprehensively examined. Therefore, we did a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify and synthesise data for AMR carriage or infection in migrants to Europe to examine differences in patterns of AMR across migrant groups and in different settings. METHODS: For this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed, and Scopus with no language restrictions from Jan 1, 2000, to Jan 18, 2017, for primary data from observational studies reporting antibacterial resistance in common bacterial pathogens among migrants to 21 European Union-15 and European Economic Area countries. To be eligible for inclusion, studies had to report data on carriage or infection with laboratory-confirmed antibiotic-resistant organisms in migrant populations. We extracted data from eligible studies and assessed quality using piloted, standardised forms. We did not examine drug resistance in tuberculosis and excluded articles solely reporting on this parameter. We also excluded articles in which migrant status was determined by ethnicity, country of birth of participants' parents, or was not defined, and articles in which data were not disaggregated by migrant status. Outcomes were carriage of or infection with antibiotic-resistant organisms. We used random-effects models to calculate the pooled prevalence of each outcome. The study protocol is registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42016043681. FINDINGS: We identified 2274 articles, of which 23 observational studies reporting on antibiotic resistance in 2319 migrants were included. The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or AMR infection in migrants was 25·4% (95% CI 19·1-31·8; I2 =98%), including meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (7·8%, 4·8-10·7; I2 =92%) and antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (27·2%, 17·6-36·8; I2 =94%). The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or infection was higher in refugees and asylum seekers (33·0%, 18·3-47·6; I2 =98%) than in other migrant groups (6·6%, 1·8-11·3; I2 =92%). The pooled prevalence of antibiotic-resistant organisms was slightly higher in high-migrant community settings (33·1%, 11·1-55·1; I2 =96%) than in migrants in hospitals (24·3%, 16·1-32·6; I2 =98%). We did not find evidence of high rates of transmission of AMR from migrant to host populations. INTERPRETATION: Migrants are exposed to conditions favouring the emergence of drug resistance during transit and in host countries in Europe. Increased antibiotic resistance among refugees and asylum seekers and in high-migrant community settings (such as refugee camps and detention facilities) highlights the need for improved living conditions, access to health care, and initiatives to facilitate detection of and appropriate high-quality treatment for antibiotic-resistant infections during transit and in host countries. Protocols for the prevention and control of infection and for antibiotic surveillance need to be integrated in all aspects of health care, which should be accessible for all migrant groups, and should target determinants of AMR before, during, and after migration. FUNDING: UK National Institute for Health Research Imperial Biomedical Research Centre, Imperial College Healthcare Charity, the Wellcome Trust, and UK National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit in Healthcare-associated Infections and Antimictobial Resistance at Imperial College London