Aplication of clean technologies in postharvest of pear fruit (Opuntia ficus indica)

[SPA] indica), siendo una alternativa para la explotación de tierras en zonas semiáridas de baja fertilidad. Entre los principales problemas que presentan estos frutos destacan su rápido deterioro, las infecciones por microorganismos alterantes y su susceptibilidad al daño por frío a temperatura inferior a 12°C, limitando su conservación. El objetivo de este trabajo fue diseñar un proceso de conservación poscosecha de frutos de la variedad ¨amarilla sin espinas¨ mediante la aplicación de tecnologías sostenibles a fin de prolongar su vida útil. Se estudió el efecto del lavado (25ºC, 5min) con: agua clorada (200ppm); b- ácido acético al 1% e hipoclorito de sodio (150ppm); c- sorbato de potasio (1500ppm). Se aplicaron tratamientos térmicos con agua a 50°, 53° y 55°C durante 3, 5 y 10 min y luz UVc (1-4 kJm-2). Los frutos se envasaron en bandejas de cloruro de polivinilo (PVC) que se recubrieron con distintos films: PVC (20 μm), polietileno de baja densidad (PEBD, 30 μm), un film de Grace (PD961, 30μm) y se almacenaron a 3 y 8°C. Los frutos testigos se conservaron a 20, 3 y 8ºC. Los tratamientos se aplicaron solos y combinados. Semanalmente se determinó: pérdida de peso, aspecto general, presencia de podredumbres, daño por frío, desarrollo fúngico, intensidad respiratoria, ácido ascórbico, sólidos solubles, acidez y pH. Los tratamientos térmicos más efectivos para retardar el desarrollo fúngico y el daño por frío fueron: 53°C-3min. y 55°C- 5min. La temperatura de conservación mas adecuada fue de 3°C y el film que permitió mantener mejor las características iniciales fue el PVC. Como principal conclusión, la combinación que se recomienda es el lavado con hipoclorito de sodio (200ppm-5min) seguido de inmersión en agua a 53°C-3min con sorbato de potasio (1500ppm), el recubrimiento con PVC y almacenamiento a 3°C, para lograr una vida comercial de 35 días. El tratamiento con UV-C no aportó beneficios adicionales. [ENG] In north of Argentina pear fruit (Opuntia ficus indica) grow with exit and its an alternative for semiarid land with low fertility. Between the firths problems that present those fruits are quick damage, infections because alternates microorganisms and its susceptibility at chilling injury at temperatures inferior of 12ºC, limiting its conservation. The objective of this work was to design a process of post-harvest conservation of fruits of ¨yellow without spine¨ variety using sustainable technologies to extend its shelf life. Effect of washing (25ºC, 5 min) with: chlorinated water (200ppm); b- 1% acetic acid and 150 ppm of sodium hypochlorite; c-1500 ppm of potassium sorbate was studied. Thermal treatments with water at 50°, 53° y 55°C during 3, 5 y 10 min and light UV-C (1-4 kJm-2) was applied. Fruits was packaged in polyvinyl chloride trays and covered with different films: PVC (20 μm), Low density polyethylene (PEBD, 30 μm), a Grace film’s (PD961, 30μm) and was stored at 3 y 8°C. Witness fruits were conserved at 20, 3 y 8ºC. All treatment was applied alone and combined. Weekly, loss weigh, general appearance, decay, chilling injury, development of fungus, respiratory intensity, ascorbic acid, soluble solids, acidity and pH, was determined. The thermal treatments more effective to delay development of fungus and chilling injury were 53°C-3min. y 55°C-5min. Temperature of conservation more suitable was 3ºC and the film that permitted maintain initial characteristics was PVC. The combination recommended is washing with sodium hypochlorite (200ppm-10min) follow of immersion in water at 53ºC- 3min with potassium sorbate (1500ppm), recover with PVC and storage at 3ºC to get a marketable life of 35 days was the first conclusion. Treatment with UV-C didn’t contribute additional benefits.AL CICYT-UNSE Y AL FONCYT POR EL FINANCIAMIENTO A TRAVÉS DEL PROYECTO PICTR2002- 00126

Community engagement interventions for communicable disease control in low- and lower- middle-income countries : evidence from a review of systematic reviews

BACKGROUND: Community engagement (CE) interventions include a range of approaches to involve communities in the improvement of their health and wellbeing. Working with communities defined by location or some other shared interest, these interventions may be important in assisting equity and reach of communicable disease control (CDC) in low and lower-middle income countries (LLMIC). We conducted an umbrella review to identify approaches to CE in communicable disease control, effectiveness of these approaches, mechanisms and factors influencing success. METHODS: We included systematic reviews that: i) focussed on CE interventions; ii) involved adult community members; iii) included outcomes relevant to communicable diseases in LLMIC; iv) were written in English. Quantitative results were extracted and synthesised narratively. A qualitative synthesis process enabled identification of mechanisms of effect and influencing factors. We followed guidance from the Joanna Briggs Institute, assessed quality with the DARE tool and reported according to standard systematic review methodology. RESULTS: Thirteen systematic reviews of medium-to-high quality were identified between June and July 2017. Reviews covered the following outcomes: HIV and STIs (6); malaria (2); TB (1); child and maternal health (3) and mixed (1). Approaches included: CE through peer education and community health workers, community empowerment interventions and more general community participation or mobilisation. Techniques included sensitisation with the community and involvement in the identification of resources, intervention development and delivery. Evidence of effectiveness of CE on health outcomes was mixed and quality of primary studies variable. We found: i) significantly reduced neonatal mortality following women's participatory learning and action groups; ii) significant reductions in HIV and other STIs with empowerment and mobilisation interventions with marginalised groups; iii) significant reductions in malaria incidence or prevalence in a small number of primary studies; iv) significant reductions in infant diarrhoea following community health worker interventions. Mechanisms of impact commonly occurred through social and behavioural processes, particularly: changing social norms, increasing social cohesion and social capacity. Factors influencing effectiveness of CE interventions included extent of population coverage, shared leadership and community control over outcomes. CONCLUSION: Community engagement interventions may be effective in supporting CDC in LLMIC. Careful design of CE interventions appropriate to context, disease and community is vital

Methylated DNA recognition during the reversal of epigenetic silencing is regulated by cysteine and cerine residues in the Epstein-Barr Virus lytic switch protein

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) causes infectious mononucleosis and is associated with various malignancies, including Burkitt's lymphoma and nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Like all herpesviruses, the EBV life cycle alternates between latency and lytic replication. During latency, the viral genome is largely silenced by host-driven methylation of CpG motifs and, in the switch to the lytic cycle, this epigenetic silencing is overturned. A key event is the activation of the viral BRLF1 gene by the immediate-early protein Zta. Zta is a bZIP transcription factor that preferentially binds to specific response elements (ZREs) in the BRLF1 promoter (Rp) when these elements are methylated. Zta's ability to trigger lytic cycle activation is severely compromised when a cysteine residue in its bZIP domain is mutated to serine (C189S), but the molecular basis for this effect is unknown. Here we show that the C189S mutant is defective for activating Rp in a Burkitt's lymphoma cell line. The mutant is compromised both in vitro and in vivo for binding two methylated ZREs in Rp (ZRE2 and ZRE3), although the effect is striking only for ZRE3. Molecular modeling of Zta bound to methylated ZRE3, together with biochemical data, indicate that C189 directly contacts one of the two methyl cytosines within a specific CpG motif. The motif's second methyl cytosine (on the complementary DNA strand) is predicted to contact S186, a residue known to regulate methyl-ZRE recognition. Our results suggest that C189 regulates the enhanced interaction of Zta with methylated DNA in overturning the epigenetic control of viral latency. As C189 is conserved in many bZIP proteins, the selectivity of Zta for methylated DNA may be a paradigm for a more general phenomenon

Human embryonic stem cells and derived contractile embryoid bodies are susceptible to Coxsakievirus B infection and respond to interferon Iβ treatment

AbstractWe studied the susceptibility of human embryonic stem cells and derived contractile embryoid bodies from WAO9, HUES-5 and HUES-16 cell lines to Coxsackievirus B infection. After validating stem cell-like properties and cardiac phenotype, Coxsackievirus B receptors CAR and DAF, as well as type I interferon receptors were detected in all cell lines and differentiation stages studied. Real-time PCR analysis showed that CAR mRNA levels were 3.4-fold higher in undifferentiated cells, while DAF transcript levels were 2.78-fold more abundant in differentiated cultures (P<0.05). All cell lines were susceptible to Coxsackievirus serotypes B1-5 infection as shown by RT-PCR detection of viral RNA, immunofluorescence detection of viral protein and infectivity titration of cell culture supernatants resulting in cell death. Supernatants infectivity titers 24-48h post-infection ranged from 105-106 plaque forming units (PFU)/ml, the highest titers were detected in undifferentiated cells. Cell viability detected by a colorimetric assay, showed inverse correlation with infectivity titers of cell culture supernatants. Treatment with 100 U of interferon Iβ significantly reduced viral replication and associated cell death during a 24–48 h observation period, as detected by reduced infectivity titers in the supernatants and increased cell viability by a colorimetric assay, respectively. We propose human embryonic stem cell and derived contractile embryoid bodies as a valid model to study cardiac Coxsackievirus B infection

Extracellular vesicles from pluripotent stem cell-derived mesenchymal stem cells acquire a stromal modulatory proteomic pattern during differentiation

Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) obtained from pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) constitute an interesting alternative to classical MSCs in regenerative medicine. Among their many mechanisms of action, MSC extracellular vesicles (EVs) are a potential suitable substitute for MSCs in future cell-free-based therapeutic approaches. Unlike cells, EVs do not elicit acute immune rejection, and they can be produced in large quantities and stored until ready to use. Although the therapeutic potential of MSC EVs has already been proven, a thorough characterization of MSC EVs is lacking. In this work, we used a label-free liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry proteomic approach to identify the most abundant proteins in EVs that are secreted from MSCs derived from PSCs (PD-MSCs) and from their parental induced PSCs (iPSCs). Next, we compared both datasets and found that while iPSC EVs enclose proteins that modulate RNA and microRNA stability and protein sorting, PD-MSC EVs are rich in proteins that organize extracellular matrix, regulate locomotion, and influence cell–substrate adhesion. Moreover, compared to their respective cells, iPSCs and iPSC EVs share a greater proportion of proteins, while the PD-MSC proteome appears to be more specific. Correlation and principal component analysis consistently aggregate iPSCs and iPSC EVs but segregate PD-MSC and their EVs. Altogether, these findings suggest that during differentiation, compared with their parental iPSC EVs, PD-MSC EVs acquire a more specific set of proteins; arguably, this difference might confer their therapeutic properties.Fil: la Greca, Alejandro Damián. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Solari, Claudia María. Ministerio de Ciencia. Tecnología e Innovación Productiva. Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; ArgentinaFil: Furmento, Verónica Alejandra. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Lombardi, Antonella. Universidad de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Biani, María Celeste. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Aban, Cyntia Estefania. Ministerio de Ciencia. Tecnología e Innovación Productiva. Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica; ArgentinaFil: Moro, Lucía Natalia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: García, Marcela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Guberman, Alejandra Sonia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; ArgentinaFil: Sevlever, Gustavo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Miriuka, Santiago Gabriel. Universidad Nacional de La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Luzzani, Carlos Daniel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

A prospective prostate cancer screening programme for men with pathogenic variants in mismatch repair genes (IMPACT): initial results from an international prospective study.

Funder: Victorian Cancer AgencyFunder: NIHR Manchester Biomedical Research CentreFunder: Cancer Research UKFunder: Cancer Council TasmaniaFunder: Instituto de Salud Carlos IIIFunder: Cancer AustraliaFunder: NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research CentreFunder: Fundación Científica de la Asociación Española Contra el CáncerFunder: Cancer Council South AustraliaFunder: Swedish Cancer SocietyFunder: NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research CentreFunder: Institut Català de la SalutFunder: Cancer Council VictoriaFunder: Prostate Cancer Foundation of AustraliaFunder: National Institutes of HealthBACKGROUND: Lynch syndrome is a rare familial cancer syndrome caused by pathogenic variants in the mismatch repair genes MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, or PMS2, that cause predisposition to various cancers, predominantly colorectal and endometrial cancer. Data are emerging that pathogenic variants in mismatch repair genes increase the risk of early-onset aggressive prostate cancer. The IMPACT study is prospectively assessing prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening in men with germline mismatch repair pathogenic variants. Here, we report the usefulness of PSA screening, prostate cancer incidence, and tumour characteristics after the first screening round in men with and without these germline pathogenic variants. METHODS: The IMPACT study is an international, prospective study. Men aged 40-69 years without a previous prostate cancer diagnosis and with a known germline pathogenic variant in the MLH1, MSH2, or MSH6 gene, and age-matched male controls who tested negative for a familial pathogenic variant in these genes were recruited from 34 genetic and urology clinics in eight countries, and underwent a baseline PSA screening. Men who had a PSA level higher than 3·0 ng/mL were offered a transrectal, ultrasound-guided, prostate biopsy and a histopathological analysis was done. All participants are undergoing a minimum of 5 years' annual screening. The primary endpoint was to determine the incidence, stage, and pathology of screening-detected prostate cancer in carriers of pathogenic variants compared with non-carrier controls. We used Fisher's exact test to compare the number of cases, cancer incidence, and positive predictive values of the PSA cutoff and biopsy between carriers and non-carriers and the differences between disease types (ie, cancer vs no cancer, clinically significant cancer vs no cancer). We assessed screening outcomes and tumour characteristics by pathogenic variant status. Here we present results from the first round of PSA screening in the IMPACT study. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT00261456, and is now closed to accrual. FINDINGS: Between Sept 28, 2012, and March 1, 2020, 828 men were recruited (644 carriers of mismatch repair pathogenic variants [204 carriers of MLH1, 305 carriers of MSH2, and 135 carriers of MSH6] and 184 non-carrier controls [65 non-carriers of MLH1, 76 non-carriers of MSH2, and 43 non-carriers of MSH6]), and in order to boost the sample size for the non-carrier control groups, we randomly selected 134 non-carriers from the BRCA1 and BRCA2 cohort of the IMPACT study, who were included in all three non-carrier cohorts. Men were predominantly of European ancestry (899 [93%] of 953 with available data), with a mean age of 52·8 years (SD 8·3). Within the first screening round, 56 (6%) men had a PSA concentration of more than 3·0 ng/mL and 35 (4%) biopsies were done. The overall incidence of prostate cancer was 1·9% (18 of 962; 95% CI 1·1-2·9). The incidence among MSH2 carriers was 4·3% (13 of 305; 95% CI 2·3-7·2), MSH2 non-carrier controls was 0·5% (one of 210; 0·0-2·6), MSH6 carriers was 3·0% (four of 135; 0·8-7·4), and none were detected among the MLH1 carriers, MLH1 non-carrier controls, and MSH6 non-carrier controls. Prostate cancer incidence, using a PSA threshold of higher than 3·0 ng/mL, was higher in MSH2 carriers than in MSH2 non-carrier controls (4·3% vs 0·5%; p=0·011) and MSH6 carriers than MSH6 non-carrier controls (3·0% vs 0%; p=0·034). The overall positive predictive value of biopsy using a PSA threshold of 3·0 ng/mL was 51·4% (95% CI 34·0-68·6), and the overall positive predictive value of a PSA threshold of 3·0 ng/mL was 32·1% (20·3-46·0). INTERPRETATION: After the first screening round, carriers of MSH2 and MSH6 pathogenic variants had a higher incidence of prostate cancer compared with age-matched non-carrier controls. These findings support the use of targeted PSA screening in these men to identify those with clinically significant prostate cancer. Further annual screening rounds will need to confirm these findings. FUNDING: Cancer Research UK, The Ronald and Rita McAulay Foundation, the National Institute for Health Research support to Biomedical Research Centres (The Institute of Cancer Research and Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust; Oxford; Manchester and the Cambridge Clinical Research Centre), Mr and Mrs Jack Baker, the Cancer Council of Tasmania, Cancer Australia, Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia, Cancer Council of Victoria, Cancer Council of South Australia, the Victorian Cancer Agency, Cancer Australia, Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia, Asociación Española Contra el Cáncer (AECC), the Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER), the Institut Català de la Salut, Autonomous Government of Catalonia, Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, National Institutes of Health National Cancer Institute, Swedish Cancer Society, General Hospital in Malmö Foundation for Combating Cancer

Potential of reutilization of commercial dairy farms residues for forages fertilization

Dairy production systems produce surpluses of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) that are excreted in urine and feces, which increase the risk of contamination of soil and water. The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential of the reuse of nutrients present in excreta produced in dairy farms facilities as organic fertilizers by the calculation of (N) and (P) balances and to determine which feed component has a major influence in its variability. During 2006/2007, samples from all feed components of the milking cows (MC) were collected and analyzed in two grazing dairy farms (Castelli, Buenos Aires), with 241 (T1) and 91 (T2) MC, respectively. Nutrient balances were calculated by the difference between inputs (feeds) and outputs (milk) for each mineral. Daily permanence of MC was considered, in order to establish the balance excess that is transferred to the milking area. Nutrients deposited in dairy facilities by MC were between 1.47 to 2.61 kg N/MC/month and 0.22 to 0.45 kg P/MC/month and 5,420 kg N/year and 883 kg P/year (T1) and 2,126 kg N/year and 362 kg P/year (T2). Models estimated by simple linear regression showed that more than 79 % of the variability was explained by forage.\nFil: Burón Alfano, V. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Departamento de Producción Animal. Área Bases Agrícolas. Buenos Aires, ArgentinaFil: Questa, G. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Departamento de Producción Animal. Área Bases Agrícolas. Buenos Aires, ArgentinaFil: Herrero, M.A. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Departamento de Producción Animal. Área Bases Agrícolas. Buenos Aires, ArgentinaFil: Orlando, A.A. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Departamento de Producción Animal. Área Bases Agrícolas. Buenos Aires, ArgentinaFil: Flores, M. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Área de Bioestadística. Buenos Aires, ArgentinaFil: Charlón, V. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria (EEA) Rafaela. Agroindustria Calidad de Leche. Santa Fe, ArgentinaLos sistemas de producción de leche originan excedentes de nitrógeno (N) y fósforo (P) vía heces y orina que incrementan el riesgo de contaminación de suelos y aguas. El objetivo fue evaluar el potencial de reutilización de nutrientes en excretas depositadas en instalaciones de ordeño como fertilizantes orgánicos, mediante el cálculo de los balances de (N) y (P), determinándose el alimento que tiene mayor influencia en su variabilidad. En dos tambos de base pastoril (Castelli, Buenos Aires), con 241 (T1) y 91 (T2) vacas en ordeño (VO), respectivamente, se recolectaron y analizaron, durante 2006/2007, muestras de alimentos componentes de la ración de VO. Los balances se calcularon por diferencias entre ingresos (alimento) y egresos (leche) para cada mineral. Para establecer la transferencia de nutrientes, se consideró el tiempo de permanenecia diario de los animales en el ordeño. Los nutrientes depositados en la instalación de ordeño fueron de 1,47 a 2,61 kg N/VO/mes y de 0,22 a 0,45 kg P/VO/mes y de 5.420 kg N/año y 883 kg P/año (T1); y 2.126 kg N/año y 362 kg P/año (T2). Los modelos estimados por regresión lineal simple mostraron que más del 79% de la variabilidad queda explicada por el forraje