Expression of the glycolytic enzymes enolase and lactate dehydrogenase during the early phase of Toxoplasma differentiation is regulated by an intron retention mechanism

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/111944/1/mmi12999.pd

The germline of the malaria mosquito produces abundant miRNAs, endo-siRNAs, piRNAs and 29-nt small RNA

BACKGROUND Small RNAs include different classes essential for endogenous gene regulation and cellular defence against genomic parasites. However, a comprehensive analysis of the small RNA pathways in the germline of the mosquito Anopheles gambiae has never been performed despite their potential relevance to reproductive capacity in this malaria vector. RESULTS We performed small RNA deep sequencing during larval and adult gonadogenesis and find that they predominantly express four classes of regulatory small RNAs. We identified 45 novel miRNA precursors some of which were sex-biased and gonad-enriched , nearly doubling the number of previously known miRNA loci. We also determine multiple genomic clusters of 24-30 nt Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) that map to transposable elements (TEs) and 3'UTR of protein coding genes. Unusually, many TEs and the 3'UTR of some endogenous genes produce an abundant peak of 29-nt small RNAs with piRNA-like characteristics. Moreover, both sense and antisense piRNAs from TEs in both Anopheles gambiae and Drosophila melanogaster reveal novel features of piRNA sequence bias. We also discovered endogenous small interfering RNAs (endo-siRNAs) that map to overlapping transcripts and TEs. CONCLUSIONS This is the first description of the germline miRNome in a mosquito species and should prove a valuable resource for understanding gene regulation that underlies gametogenesis and reproductive capacity. We also provide the first evidence of a piRNA pathway that is active against transposons in the germline and our findings suggest novel piRNA sequence bias. The contribution of small RNA pathways to germline TE regulation and genome defence in general is an important finding for approaches aimed at manipulating mosquito populations through the use of selfish genetic elements

Metodologia - O Sector Informal em Moçambique: Resultados do Primeiro Inquérito Nacional (2005)

The Republic of Mozambique is experiencing a significant social and economic change and needs an updated informative base to allow policy-makers to found their decision on reliable and comparable data. The fast development of the Non Observed Economy (NOE) was one of the most important consequences of the transformation of the Mozambican economy. The Italian support Programme to the Mozambique National Statistical System , started in 2004, provided technical assistance for improving the quality of statistics for the Mozambican government according to best practices and international standards. One of the most interesting component of the project was the definition of a methodology for the analysis of the NOE and the provision of a first estimate of the phenomenon through a survey carried out at national level. Within the consortium, led by ICstat, Istat was responsible for the component, with the technical support of experts from INE Mozambique and INE Portugal . The NOE, as defined in the OECD Handbook for Measuring the Non Observed Economy, is one of the most relevant issues to be tackled in order to guarantee a correct comparison of the National Accounts variables and the exhaustiveness of National Accounts estimates, according to the System of National Accounts defined by the UN Handbook (SNA93), nowadays adopted by the majority of countries, that allows the correct comparison of their economic results. At international level there has been considerable progress towards the harmonization of statistical concepts and methods, through the adoption by international organizations of common standards and recommendations: 15th International Conference of Labour Statistics – Recommendation on employment statistics in the informal sector (1993); 3rd Revision of the United Nation’s System of National Accounts, which indicated how the informal sector should be treated in the accounts; the OECD Handbook, which also draws on the SNA93 for the terms used in the definition of NOE. Statistical information about the informal sector and small enterprises in Mozambique is still very sketchy in spite of their major economic significance: the informal sector is in fact directly linked to the main objectives of development (increased production, job creation, combating poverty). Therefore, strong attention has been paid to this component and in particular to the implementation of a specific survey for gathering the information necessary for the assessment of the methodology and the estimation of the sector. In this sense, the main commitment of the project was to strengthen INE Mozambique’s statistical capacity, in order both to approach the NOE sector according to international standards and to carry out, for the first time, a survey based on sound and exhaustive methodology. The aim of this handbook is twofold: • To focus on the experience derived from the project’s component, describing the strategies adopted and the steps implemented to define an ad-hoc methodology within the social and economic contextual factors which takes into account the national statistical environment and the international statistical framework (international standards, assessment of the Informal Sector in Mozambique, questionnaire, survey techniques and final estimations). The methods and techniques presented for approaching the informal sector study could represent a reference for future analysis on this phenomenon and for repeating similar surveys. • To present the results of the survey with the main information on the sector and a first analysis of it. Although the Mozambique reality represents a peculiar case, the value added of the project’s component lies in the fact that the experiences gained and the good practices adopted can be a reference model for those countries that are currently experiencing a development phase with socio-economic features comparable with those of the Mozambican economy. The results of the survey are useful for more exhaustive estimations for National Accounts and, at the same time, represent a benchmark of social evaluation for planning poverty reduction strategies (PARPA). Moreover, with this survey INE Mozambique has analysed the agricultural production (in most cases represented by “production for auto-consumption”), often coming from secondary activities of households which are located in the urban area and that, as main activity, conduct extra-agricultural activities

Validation of the 3-variable prognostic score (3-PS) in mCRPC patients treated with 223 Radium-dichloride: a national multicenter study

Objective: Radium-223 (223Ra) has been approved for treatment in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostatic cancer (mCRPC) and bone metastasis. This α-emitting radionuclide has a beneficial effect on pain and is also capable to increase overall survival (OS). Several studies evaluated the prognostic value of different biomarkers at baseline, such as serum values, imaging parameters or pain. To date, however, clinicians lack a validated and simple system to assess which patients will most likely benefit from 223Ra treatment. The 3-variable prognostic score (3-PS), proposed in a single-center study in 2017 classifies patients in five prognostic groups with a specific OS. This study aims to validate the 3-PS in a larger multicenter population. Methods: Four hundred and thirty mCRPC patients treated with 223Ra from six different centers were analyzed. The 3-PS score consists of the collection of baseline hemoglobin, prostatic specific antigen and Eastern cooperative oncology group performance status and was initially applied to the whole population (total group). The score was then validated on the 338 patient's subgroup (clean group) obtained by subtracting the 92 patients enrolled for the original study of the 3-PS score. This purified group served as further validation evidence. Results: Statistical analysis showed that the 3-PS score was valid on the total group as well as in the clean group as the AUC estimated (0.74) falls within the CI of the AUC calculated on the validation sample (95% CI 0.66-0.82). Conclusion: This study confirms the validity of the 3-PS score for mCRPC patients. This score is simple, noninvasive and affordable and can be easily used to select patients that will most probably complete 223Ra treatment. In addition, this tool provides an exact estimate of life expectancy in terms of OS

Metodologia - O Sector Informal em Moçambique: Resultados do Primeiro Inquérito Nacional (2005)

The Republic of Mozambique is experiencing a significant social and economic change and needs an updated informative base to allow policy-makers to found their decision on reliable and comparable data. The fast development of the Non Observed Economy (NOE) was one of the most important consequences of the transformation of the Mozambican economy. The Italian support Programme to the Mozambique National Statistical System , started in 2004, provided technical assistance for improving the quality of statistics for the Mozambican government according to best practices and international standards. One of the most interesting component of the project was the definition of a methodology for the analysis of the NOE and the provision of a first estimate of the phenomenon through a survey carried out at national level. Within the consortium, led by ICstat, Istat was responsible for the component, with the technical support of experts from INE Mozambique and INE Portugal . The NOE, as defined in the OECD Handbook for Measuring the Non Observed Economy, is one of the most relevant issues to be tackled in order to guarantee a correct comparison of the National Accounts variables and the exhaustiveness of National Accounts estimates, according to the System of National Accounts defined by the UN Handbook (SNA93), nowadays adopted by the majority of countries, that allows the correct comparison of their economic results. At international level there has been considerable progress towards the harmonization of statistical concepts and methods, through the adoption by international organizations of common standards and recommendations: 15th International Conference of Labour Statistics – Recommendation on employment statistics in the informal sector (1993); 3rd Revision of the United Nation’s System of National Accounts, which indicated how the informal sector should be treated in the accounts; the OECD Handbook, which also draws on the SNA93 for the terms used in the definition of NOE. Statistical information about the informal sector and small enterprises in Mozambique is still very sketchy in spite of their major economic significance: the informal sector is in fact directly linked to the main objectives of development (increased production, job creation, combating poverty). Therefore, strong attention has been paid to this component and in particular to the implementation of a specific survey for gathering the information necessary for the assessment of the methodology and the estimation of the sector. In this sense, the main commitment of the project was to strengthen INE Mozambique’s statistical capacity, in order both to approach the NOE sector according to international standards and to carry out, for the first time, a survey based on sound and exhaustive methodology. The aim of this handbook is twofold: • To focus on the experience derived from the project’s component, describing the strategies adopted and the steps implemented to define an ad-hoc methodology within the social and economic contextual factors which takes into account the national statistical environment and the international statistical framework (international standards, assessment of the Informal Sector in Mozambique, questionnaire, survey techniques and final estimations). The methods and techniques presented for approaching the informal sector study could represent a reference for future analysis on this phenomenon and for repeating similar surveys. • To present the results of the survey with the main information on the sector and a first analysis of it. Although the Mozambique reality represents a peculiar case, the value added of the project’s component lies in the fact that the experiences gained and the good practices adopted can be a reference model for those countries that are currently experiencing a development phase with socio-economic features comparable with those of the Mozambican economy. The results of the survey are useful for more exhaustive estimations for National Accounts and, at the same time, represent a benchmark of social evaluation for planning poverty reduction strategies (PARPA). Moreover, with this survey INE Mozambique has analysed the agricultural production (in most cases represented by “production for auto-consumption”), often coming from secondary activities of households which are located in the urban area and that, as main activity, conduct extra-agricultural activities

Guidelines for the use and interpretation of diagnostic methods in adult food allergy

Food allergy has an increasing prevalence in the general population and in Italy concerns 8 % of people with allergies. The spectrum of its clinical manifestations ranges from mild symptoms up to potentially fatal anaphylactic shock. A number of patients can be diagnosed easily by the use of first- and second-level procedures (history, skin tests and allergen specific IgE). Patients with complex presentation, such as multiple sensitizations and pollen-food syndromes, frequently require a third-level approach including molecular diagnostics, which enables the design of a component-resolved sensitization profile for each patient. The use of such techniques involves specialists' and experts' skills on the issue to appropriately meet the diagnostic and therapeutic needs of patients. Particularly, educational programs for allergists on the use and interpretation of molecular diagnostics are needed

SANI-Severe Asthma Network in Italy: a way forward to monitor severe asthma

Even if severe asthma (SA) accounts for 5-10% of all cases of the disease, it is currently a crucial unmet need, owing its difficult clinical management and its high social costs. For this reason several networks, focused on SA have been organized in some countries, in order to select these patients, to recognize their clinical features, to evaluate their adherence, to classify their biological/clinical phenotypes, to identify their eligibility to the new biologic therapies and to quantify the costs of the disease. Aim of the present paper is to describe the ongoing Italian Severe Asthma Network (SANI). Up today 49 centres have been selected, widespread on the national territory. Sharing the same diagnostic protocol, data regarding patients with SA will be collected and processed in a web platform. After their recruitment, SA patients will be followed in the long term in order to investigate the natural history of the disease. Besides clinical data, the cost/benefit evaluation of the new biologics will be verified as well as the search of peculiar biomarker(s) of the disease

Azimuthal anisotropy of charged jet production in root s(NN)=2.76 TeV Pb-Pb collisions

We present measurements of the azimuthal dependence of charged jet production in central and semi-central root s(NN) = 2.76 TeV Pb-Pb collisions with respect to the second harmonic event plane, quantified as nu(ch)(2) (jet). Jet finding is performed employing the anti-k(T) algorithm with a resolution parameter R = 0.2 using charged tracks from the ALICE tracking system. The contribution of the azimuthal anisotropy of the underlying event is taken into account event-by-event. The remaining (statistical) region-to-region fluctuations are removed on an ensemble basis by unfolding the jet spectra for different event plane orientations independently. Significant non-zero nu(ch)(2) (jet) is observed in semi-central collisions (30-50% centrality) for 20 <p(T)(ch) (jet) <90 GeV/c. The azimuthal dependence of the charged jet production is similar to the dependence observed for jets comprising both charged and neutral fragments, and compatible with measurements of the nu(2) of single charged particles at high p(T). Good agreement between the data and predictions from JEWEL, an event generator simulating parton shower evolution in the presence of a dense QCD medium, is found in semi-central collisions. (C) 2015 CERN for the benefit of the ALICE Collaboration. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).Peer reviewe

Forward-central two-particle correlations in p-Pb collisions at root s(NN)=5.02 TeV

Two-particle angular correlations between trigger particles in the forward pseudorapidity range (2.5 2GeV/c. (C) 2015 CERN for the benefit of the ALICE Collaboration. Published by Elsevier B. V.Peer reviewe