Evidence-Based Practice Self-Study Education Program for Staff Nurses on Genomics

Nurses routinely obtain genomic data when collecting family health histories. However, they report low confidence in their knowledge and understanding of genomics and the genetically engineered medications prescribed for their patients. The purpose of this project was the development and implementation of an evidence-based online education program about genetics and genomics to increase the nurses\u27 understanding and ability to provide competent care for their patients receiving treatments based on the science of genomics. Knowles\u27s principles of adult learning theory guided the development and delivery of the online education project to 12 medical-surgical registered nurses employed in a hospital in the northeastern United States. The Johns Hopkins nursing evidence-based practice model provided a guideline for organizing and evaluating the level and quality of evidence. A 2-tailed paired t test showed that the nurses\u27 knowledge and understanding about genetics and genomics increased after participating in the evidence-based education program. The increase in nurses\u27 knowledge on genomics has the potential to provide nurses with the competence and confidence to collaborate with physicians and pharmacists regarding treatment plans incorporating genomics, resulting in effective team collaboration and a positive social change that could improve patient outcomes

Waste auditing and its applications in improving the dyeing industry environment

A case study on the application of cleaner production opportunities for waste minimization in dyeing industry is discussed in this paper which was conduced by Carl Duisberg Gesellschaft (CDG) South East Asia Program Office in collaboration with several Thai institutions. A waste audit was conducted as a first step in a dyeing factory, which leads to propose water reuse and waste segregation in order to implement cleaner production for waste minimization. Further more lab-scale experiments were conducted to find optimum treatment methods for the waste streams.<br /

A case study on waste auditing in an ice cream factory

The management of the ice cream factory concerned in this study strongly felt the importance of undertaking a waste audit of its biggest waste generator, the ice cream plant. Ice cream wastewater constitutes as much as 74% of the total volume of wastewater discharged by the company to the central treatment plant of the Industrial Estate in which the factory is situated. Generation of ice cream wastes is attributed to the high consumptive use of water in the plant for washing and cleaning operations. As a result of waste auditing, methods were proposed to save water and to segregate the waste, and to modify the existing wastewater treatment system of the ice cream plant for better treatment efficiency.<br /

Potential use of untreated wastewater for assessing COVID-19 trends in southern Italy

As a complement to clinical disease surveillance, the monitoring of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in wastewater can be used as an early warning system for impending epidemics. This study investigated the dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 in untreated wastew-ater with respect to the trend of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) prevalence in Southern Italy. A total of 210 wastewater samples were collected between May and November 2020 from 15 Apulian wastewater treatment plants (WWTP). The samples were concentrated in accordance with the stan-dard of World Health Organization (WHO, Geneva, Switzerland) procedure for Poliovirus sewage surveillance, and molecular analysis was undertaken with real-time reverse-transcription quantitative PCR (RT-(q) PCR). Viral ribonucleic acid (RNA) was found in 12.4% (26/210) of the samples. The virus concentration in the positive samples ranged from 8.8 × 102 to 6.5 × 104 genome copies/L. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve modeling showed that at least 11 cases/100,000 inhabitants would occur after a wastewater sample was found to be positive for SARS-CoV-2 (sensi-tivity = 80%, specificity = 80.9%). To our knowledge, this is the first study in Italy that has applied wastewater-based epidemiology to predict COVID-19 prevalence. Further studies regarding methods that include all variables (meteorological phenomena, characteristics of the WWTP, etc.) affecting this type of wastewater surveillance data would be useful to improve data interpretation

The transmembrane serine protease (TMPRSS3) mutated in deafness DFNB8/10 activates the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) in vitro

TMPRSS3 encodes a transmembrane serine protease that contains both LDLRA and SRCR domains and is mutated in non-syndromic autosomal recessive deafness (DFNB8/10). To study its function, we cloned the mouse ortholog which maps to Mmu17, which is structurally similar to the human gene and encodes a polypeptide with 88% identity to the human protein. RT-PCR and RNA in situ hybridization on rat and mouse cochlea revealed that Tmprss3 is expressed in the spiral ganglion, the cells supporting the organ of Corti and the stria vascularis. RT-PCR on mouse tissues showed expression in the thymus, stomach, testis and E19 embryos. Transient expression of wild-type or tagged TMPRSS3 protein showed a primary localization in the endoplasmic reticulum. The epithelial amiloride-sensitive sodium channel (ENaC), which is expressed in many sodium-reabsorbing tissues including the inner ear and is regulated by membrane-bound channel activating serine proteases (CAPs), is a potential substrate of TMPRSS3. In the Xenopus oocyte expression system, proteolytic processing of TMPRSS3 was associated with increased ENaC mediated currents. In contrast, 6 TMPRSS3 mutants (D103G, R109W, C194F, W251C, P404L, C407R) causing deafness and a mutant in the catalytic triad of TMPRSS3 (S401A), failed to undergo proteolytic cleavage and activate ENaC. These data indicate that important signaling pathways in the inner ear are controlled by proteolytic cleavage and suggest: (i) the existence of an auto-catalytic processing by which TMPRSS3 would become active, and (ii) that ENaC could be a substrate of TMPRSS3 in the inner ea

Novel regulators of human gonadal development

The production of viable germ cells during human embryonic development determines adult reproductive success. This is particularly true for females, as development of germ cells (GCs) into primordial follicles before birth is imperative for future fertility. During fetal development GCs migrate to the genital ridge to form the gonad, after which several tightly regulated events, including proliferation, differentiation, and association with somatic cells, must occur to form a functional gonad. In the ovary these processes also include the initiation and subsequent arrest of meiosis. These developmental processes are orchestrated by local autocrine and paracrine factors, many of which remain to be identified in the human. In order to decipher further the pathways by which the gonad and GCs develop, potential regulators including prostaglandin (PG) E2, the interleukin (IL)6-type cytokines, and the prokinetecins (PROKs), were examined in the human fetal ovary and PROKs in the human fetal testis. Patterns of gene expression, protein localisation, function, and interaction of the potential mediators throughout human development (8-20 weeks gestation) were determined. Primary fetal tissue was investigated, in addition to immortalized GCs (T-Cam2 cells) and a murine model of fetal ovarian development. PGE2 interacts with known regulators of GC development in non-reproductive organs. It was postulated PGE2 may regulate GC progression by modulating these factors. Examination of PGE2 receptors and precursor enzymes in the fetal ovary revealed that all were present and some were developmentally regulated, with mRNA expression increasing with gestation. These developmentally regulated components were localised to the GCs. The PGE2 receptors were among those differentially expressed, with one localised solely to mature GCs. Culture of human fetal ovary confirmed that PGE2 regulates known regulators of GC development, increasing expression of survival and anti-apoptotic factors. To test the hypothesis that PGE2 is necessary for female GC development, paracetamol, an inhibitor of PGE2 precursor enzymes, was utilised in a murine model of fetal exposure. Fetal ovaries from this experiment displayed disruption of normal development. The IL6-type cytokines are also postulated to be involved in early gonad development, and are known to regulate proliferation and differentiation of mouse embryonic stem and GCs in vitro. A significant increase in transcript levels of the shared receptor components was determined in second trimester human ovaries, as well as developmental increases of several of the IL6-type ligands. Both common receptor components were located specifically in the GCs identifying them as the target of IL6 action in the human fetal ovary. The PROKs regulate cell migration, proliferation and differentiation, and modulate secretion of PGE2 and expression of some IL6-type cytokines. To-date, PROKs have not been examined in the human fetal gonad. Transcript levels were higher in the fetal testis compared to the ovary, with receptor and ligand components increasing with gestation. Most components also increased with gestation in the ovary. However, location of PROK components was strikingly different between the two tissues, with GCs being the primary target of PROK action in the fetal ovary, and Leydig and interstitial cells being the target in the testis. PROKs interaction with other regulators of gonad development was examined utilising a GC line in the case of the ovary and primary interstitial cell cultures in the case of the testis. These studies have identified new factors involved in human fetal gonad development, and how they interact with known regulatory pathways of development

Selective autophagy degrades DICER and AGO2 and regulates miRNA activity.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) form a class of short RNAs (∼ 21 nucleotides) that post-transcriptionally regulate partially complementary messenger RNAs. Each miRNA may target tens to hundreds of transcripts to control key biological processes. Although the biochemical reactions underpinning miRNA biogenesis and activity are relatively well defined and the importance of their homeostasis is increasingly evident, the processes underlying regulation of the miRNA pathway in vivo are still largely elusive. Autophagy, a degradative process in which cytoplasmic material is targeted into double-membrane vacuoles, is recognized to critically contribute to cellular homeostasis. Here, we show that the miRNA-processing enzyme, DICER (also known as DICER1), and the main miRNA effector, AGO2 (also known as eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2C, 2 (EIF2C2)), are targeted for degradation as miRNA-free entities by the selective autophagy receptor NDP52 (also known as calcium binding and coiled-coil domain 2 (CALCOCO2)). Autophagy establishes a checkpoint required for continued loading of miRNA into AGO2; accordingly, NDP52 and autophagy are required for homeostasis and activity of the tested miRNAs. Autophagy also engages post-transcriptional regulation of the DICER mRNA, underscoring the importance of fine-tuned regulation of the miRNA pathway. These findings have implications for human diseases linked to misregulated autophagy, DICER- and miRNA-levels, including cancer

Growth factors, auditory neurones and cochlear implants: a review

Publisher’s permission requested and denied.The total number and the integrity of the auditory neurones available for stimulation govern the benefits that patients can derive from cochlear implants. Although electrical stimulation of the cochlea has been reported to promote auditory neuronal survival, this trophic effect is insufficient to regenerate de novo fibres. Hence, any agent that can maximize the number of, or regenerate functional auditory neurones would be of great benefit. Several studies have identified various growth factors crucial to the normal development of auditory neurones. In addition, in vitro studies have demonstrated that several growth factors are important for the maintenance, rescue and repair of adult auditory neurones. In vivo studies confirm the in vitro findings, reporting that specific growth factors are able to support auditory neuronal survival following injury or trauma, and in lower species growth factors have been associated with regenerating auditory neurones. In addition to their trophic actions, several growth factors have also been reported to affect ion channels thus the electrical response of neuronal fibres. Indeed, growth factors have been reported to enhance neuronal excitation and to improve the efficacy of synaptic transmission. Taken in concert, these effects suggest that exogenous growth factors delivered to the cochlea may improve the transmission of the electrical stimuli from the implanted electrode to the auditory pathway. Further studies are warranted to investigate how the adjunct delivery of growth factors with the cochlear implant may constitute a better treatment for hearing-impaired individuals