Optic Nerve Head Gene Transcription Sequelae to a Single Elevated IOP Exposure Provides Insights Into Known Responses to Chronically Elevated IOP

Purpose: To clarify the optic nerve head (ONH) gene expression responses associated with a single, axon-damaging exposure to elevated IOP in relation to the composite cellular events previously identified in models of chronically elevated IOP. Methods: Anesthetized rats were exposed unilaterally to an 8-hour pulse-train controlled elevation of IOP (PT-CEI) at 60 mm Hg, while others received normotensive CEI at 20 mm Hg. ONH RNA was harvested at 0 hours and 1, 2, 3, 7, and 10 days after either CEI and from naïve animals. RNA sequencing was performed to analyze ONH gene expression. DAVID Bioinformatics tools were used to identify significant functional annotation clusters. Gene function was compared between PT-CEI and two models of chronic ocular hypertension from the literature. Results: The number of significantly changed genes peaked immediately (n = 1354) after PT-CEI (0 hours). This was followed by a lull (point) at 1 and 2 days after PT-CEI. Gene activity increased again at 3 days (136 genes) and persisted at 7 (78 genes) and 10 (339 genes) days. Significant gene functional categories included an immediate upregulation of Defense Response at 0 hours, followed by upregulation in Cell Cycle, a reduction in Axonal-related genes at 3 to 10 days, and upregulation of Immune Response–related genes at 10 days following PT-CEI. The most commonly upregulated gene expression across our PT-CEI study and two chronic models of ocular hypertension were cell cycle related. Conclusions: The PT-CEI model places in sequence ONH gene expression responses previously reported in models with chronically elevated IOP and may provide insights into their role in optic nerve damage

A comparison of five DNA extraction methods from degraded human skeletal remains

Extracting DNA from degraded human remains poses a challenge for any forensic genetics laboratory, as it requires efficient high-throughput methods. While little research has compared different techniques, silica in suspension has been identified in the literature as the best method for recovering small fragments, which are often present in these types of samples. In this study, we tested five DNA extraction protocols on 25 different degraded skeletal remains. Including the humerus, ulna, tibia, femur, and petrous bone. The five protocols were organic extraction by phenol/chloroform/isoamyl alcohol, silica in suspension, High Pure Nucleic Acid Large Volume silica columns (Roche), InnoXtract™ Bone (InnoGenomics), and PrepFiler™ BTA with AutoMate™ Express robot (ThermoFisher). We analysed five DNA quantification parameters (small human target quantity, large human target quantity, human male target quantity, degradation index, and internal PCR control threshold), and five DNA profile parameters (number of alleles with peak height higher than analytic and stochastic threshold, average relative fluorescence units (RFU), heterozygous balance, and number of reportable loci) were analysed. Our results suggest that organic extraction by phenol/chloroform/ isoamyl alcohol was the best performing method in terms of both quantification and DNA profile results. However, Roche silica columns were found to be the most efficient method

Acidentes de trabalho em minas subterrâneas e eficácia das medidas de controlo: Análise numa mina de ouro na Colômbia

La minería subterránea es catalogada como una actividad de alto riesgo,que causa mundialmente cerca del 8% de los accidentes laborales mortales. Por tanto, seevaluó la efectividad de las medidas de control establecidas dentro de las investigacionesde los accidentes ocurridos en una mina aurífera subterránea mediante la comparaciónde dos periodos de tiempo (segundo semestre 2018 y primer semestre de 2019), además seevaluó la sostenibilidad en el tiempo de éstas medidas de control establecidas en el primerperiodo de observación. Para ello, se llevó a cabo un estudio cuantitativo longitudinalambispectivo, de carácter observacional; a partir de la información recogida mediante losformatos Formulario Único de Reporte de Accidente de Trabajo y Formato de investigaciónde incidentes y accidentes de trabajo. Durante los periodos analizados, se reportaron 181eventos, 55,8% ocurrieron en el túnel, 40% afectaron las extremidades superiores y 40,9%se ocasionaron por golpe o contusión. Luego de 6 meses de implementación de medidasde control, las cuales principalmente fueron capacitaciones, la tasa de accidentalidaddisminuyó en 3,8 accidentes por cada mil trabajadores con una tendencia mensual a labaja. Como conclusiones, la permanencia de las medidas de control puede contribuir enla reducción de la accidentalidad tanto de nuevos eventos como en su reincidencia.La minería subterránea es catalogada como una actividad de alto riesgo, que causa mundialmente cerca del 8% de los accidentes laborales mortales. Por tanto, se evaluó la efectividad de las medidas de control establecidas dentro de las investigaciones de los accidentes ocurridos en una mina aurífera subterránea mediante la comparación de dos periodos de tiempo (segundo semestre 2018 y primer semestre de 2019), además se evaluó la sostenibilidad en el tiempo de estas medidas de control establecidas en el primer periodo de observación. Para ello, se llevó a cabo un estudio cuantitativo longitudinal ambispectivo, de carácter observacional; a partir de la información recogida mediante los formatos Formulario Único de Reporte de Accidente de Trabajo y Formato de investigación de incidentes y accidentes de trabajo. Durante los periodos analizados, se reportaron 181 eventos, 55,8% ocurrieron en el túnel, 40% afectaron las extremidades superiores y 40,9% se ocasionaron por golpe o contusión. Luego de 6 meses de implementación de medidas de control, las cuales principalmente fueron capacitaciones, la tasa de accidentalidad disminuyó en 3,8 accidentes por cada mil trabajadores con una tendencia mensual a la baja. Como conclusiones, la permanencia de las medidas de control puede contribuir en la reducción de la accidentalidad tanto de nuevos eventos como en su reincidencia.A exploração mineira subterrânea é classificada como uma actividadede alto risco, que causa globalmente cerca de 8% dos acidentes de trabalho fatais.Por conseguinte, a eficácia das medidas de controlo estabelecidas no âmbito dasinvestigações de acidentes ocorridos numa mina de ouro subterrânea foi avaliadacomparando dois períodos de tempo (segunda metade de 2018 e primeira metade deIngenio Magno, ISSN Impresa 2145-9282, ISSN en linea 2422-2399, Enero - Agosto, 2022, Vol. 13, No. 12019), e a sustentabilidade ao longo do tempo destas medidas de controlo estabelecidasno primeiro período de observação foi também avaliada. Para este efeito, foi realizadoum estudo quantitativo longitudinal ambispectivo, de carácter observacional, baseado nainformação recolhida através do Formulário Único de Relatório de Acidentes de Trabalhoe do Formulário de Investigação de Acidentes de Trabalho e Incidentes de Trabalho.Durante os períodos analisados, foram notificados 181 eventos, 55,8% ocorreram no túnel,40% afectaram os membros superiores e 40,9% foram causados por golpes ou contusões.Após 6 meses de implementação de medidas de controlo, que consistiram principalmenteem formação, a taxa de acidentes diminuiu 3,8 acidentes por mil trabalhadores, com umatendência mensal para a diminuição. Como conclusões, a permanência das medidas decontrolo pode contribuir para a redução da taxa de acidentes, tanto em novos eventoscomo na sua recorrência

Prospective space model for San Francisco de Sales by 2036

13 páginas : mapasAnte la constante influencia espacial que ejerce la ciudad de Bogotá, capital de Colombia, en los municipios periféricos dentro del departamento de Cundinamarca, se evidencia, principalmente, por factores como su proximidad espacial a la capital y sus condiciones climáticas atractivas a los residentes citadinos para culminar su vejez, que las dinámicas del sistema urbano-rural tradicional están cambiando en el municipio de San Francisco de Sales. Por su localización estratégica provincial y al ser territorio de potencialidades sobre todo a nivel ambiental y para la despensa de alimentos, en este estudio se plantea un modelo prospectivo de ordenamiento territorial al año 2036 con el fin de contrarrestar los efectos perjudiciales del fenómeno desde la perspectiva de la nueva ruralidad.Given the constant spatial influence exerted by the city of Bogotá, capital of Colombia, in the peripheral municipalities within the department of Cundinamarca, it is evidenced, mainly, by factors such as its spatial proximity to the capital and its attractive climatic conditions for city residents to culminate its old age, that the dynamics of the traditional urban-rural system are changing in the municipality of San Francisco de Sales. Due to its provincial strategic location and being a territory of potentialities, especially at the environmental level and for the food pantry, this study proposes a prospective model of territorial planning to the year 2036 in order to counteract the harmful effects of the phenomenon from the perspective of the new rurality

Disparities in Non-invasive Traditional and Advanced Testing for Coronary Artery Disease: Findings from the INCAPS-COVID 2 Study

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted delivery of cardiovascular care including non-invasive testing protocols and test selection for evaluation of coronary artery disease (CAD). Trends in test selection among traditional versus advanced noninvasive tests for CAD during the pandemic and among countries of varying income status have not been well studied. The International Atomic Energy Agency conducted a global survey to assess pandemic-related changes in the practice of cardiovascular diagnostic testing. Site procedural volumes for noninvasive tests to evaluate CAD from March 2019 (pre-pandemic), April 2020 (onset), and April 2021 (initial recovery) were collected. We considered traditional testing modalities exercise electrocardiography (ECG), stress echocardiography, and stress single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), and advanced testing modalities stress cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR), coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA), and stress positron emission tomography (PET). Survey data were obtained from 669 centers in 107 countries, reporting the performance of 367,933 studies for CAD during the study period. Compared to 2019, traditional tests were performed 14% less frequently (recovery rate 82%) in 2021 versus advanced tests which were performed 15% more frequently (128% recovery rate). CCTA, stress CMR and stress PET showed 14%, 25%, and 25% increases in volumes from 2019 to 2021, respectively. The increase in advanced testing was isolated to high- and upper-middle-income countries, with 132% recovery in advanced tests by 2021 as compared to 55% in lower-income nations. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated economic disparities in CAD testing practice between wealthy and poorer countries. Greater recovery rates and even new growth was observed for advanced imaging modalities but this growth was restricted to wealthy countries. Efforts to reduce practice variations in CAD testing due to economic status are warranted.<br/

An international laboratory comparison of dissolved organic matter composition by high resolution mass spectrometry: Are we getting the same answer?

High-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) has become a vital tool for dissolved organic matter (DOM) characterization. The upward trend in HRMS analysis of DOM presents challenges in data comparison and interpretation among laboratories operating instruments with differing performance and user operating conditions. It is therefore essential that the community establishes metric ranges and compositional trends for data comparison with reference samples so that data can be robustly compared among research groups. To this end, four identically prepared DOM samples were each measured by 16 laboratories, using 17 commercially purchased instruments, using positive-ion and negative-ion mode electrospray ionization (ESI) HRMS analyses. The instruments identified ~1000 common ions in both negative- and positive-ion modes over a wide range of m/z values and chemical space, as determined by van Krevelen diagrams. Calculated metrics of abundance-weighted average indices (H/C, O/C, aromaticity, and m/z) of the commonly detected ions showed that hydrogen saturation and aromaticity were consistent for each reference sample across the instruments, while average mass and oxygenation were more affected by differences in instrument type and settings. In this paper we present 32 metric values for future benchmarking. The metric values were obtained for the four different parameters from four samples in two ionization modes and can be used in future work to evaluate the performance of HRMS instruments

Caracterización biológica de Paz de Ariporo. Identificación de especies claves para establecer límites de humedales.

Se exponen los resultados y evaluaciones en campo de la ventana piloto de humedales de Paz de Ariporo- Hato Corozal en el marco del convenio 005 (13-014) entre el Instituto Humboldt y el Fondo Adaptación.BogotáSubdirección de Servicios Científicos y Proyectos Especiale

Controlo químico de infestantes

Uma planta é considerada infestante quando nasce espontaneamente num local e momento indesejados, podendo interferir negativamente com a cultura instalada. As infestantes competem com as culturas para o espaço, a luz, água e nutrientes, podendo atrasar e prejudicar as operações de colheita, depreciar o produto final e assegurarem a reinfestação nas culturas seguintes. Dado o modo de propagação diferenciado das diversas espécies de infestantes, com as anuais a propagarem-se por semente e as perenes ou vivazes a assegurarem a sua propagação através de órgãos vegetativos (rizomas, bolbos, tubérculos, etc.), assim, também o seu controlo quer químico, quer mecânico terá que ser diferenciado, ou seja, para controlar infestantes anuais será suficiente destruir a sua parte aérea, enquanto para controlar infestantes perenes teremos que destruir os seus órgãos reprodutivos. O controlo de infestantes poderá ser químico, através da utilização de herbicidas, ou mecânico pela utilização de alfaias agrícolas, tais como a charrua de aivecas, a charrua de discos, a grade de discos, o escarificador e a fresa. Quando a técnica utilizada na instalação das culturas é a sementeira directa, o controlo das infestantes terá que ser obrigatoriamente químico, enquanto se o recurso à mobilização do solo for a técnica mais utilizada (sistema de mobilização tradicional ou sistema de mobilização reduzida), o controlo das infestantes tanto poderá ser químico como mecânico. Neste trabalho iremos abordar apenas, o controlo químico de infestantes

Identificación y caracterización de grupos biológicos (comunidades hidrobiológicas, macroinvertebrados, plantas acuáticas, peces, anfibios, plantas terrestres, reptiles, aves y mamíferos), en el complejo ventana piloto de humedales de Paz de Ariporo-Hato Corozal

Este documento es resultado de la ejecución del Contrato 14-13-014-237PS entre el Instituto Humboldt y la Fundación Omacha, firmado en el marco del Convenio 005 (13-014) entre el Instituto Humboldt y el Fondo Adaptación. Contiene la propuesta para la identificación del límite funcional de la ventana piloto de humedales Paz de Ariporo-Hato Corozal, donde se estudiaron en los principales tipos de humedales naturales asociados a las cuencas de los ríos Ariporo y Chire (caños, cañadas, bosques de rebalse, matorrales inundables y cuerpos lénticos como esteros, lagunas de rebalse, bajos y madreviejas) la composición, estructura y uso del hábitat de los grupos biológicos asociados, tanto a los cuerpos de aguas como en las zonas transicionales acuático terrestres.BogotáSubdirección de Servicios Científicos y Proyectos Especiale

Caracterización del uso de los recursos hidrobiológicos y pesqueros, carne de monte, productos maderables y no maderables en el complejo ventana piloto de humedales Paz de Ariporo-Hato Corozal

Este documento es resultado de la ejecución del Contrato 14-13-014-237PS entre el Instituto Humboldt y la Fundación Omacha, firmado en el marco del Convenio 005 (13-014) entre el Instituto Humboldt y el Fondo Adaptación. Contiene la caracterización del uso de los recursos hidrobiológicos y pesqueros, carne de monte, productos maderables y no maderables en el Complejo de Humedales de Paz de Ariporo-Hato Corozal.BogotáSubdirección de Servicios Científicos y Proyectos Especiale