Leucoreduction of blood components. an effective way to increase blood safety?

Over the past 30 years, it has been demonstrated that removal of white blood cells from blood components is effective in preventing some adverse reactions such as febrile non-haemolytic transfusion reactions, immunisation against human leucocyte antigens and human platelet antigens, and transmission of cytomegalovirus. In this review we discuss indications for leucoreduction and classify them into three categories: evidence-based indications for which the clinical efficacy is proven, indications based on the analysis of observational clinical studies with very consistent results and indications for which the clinical efficacy is partial or unproven

Compaction in soils of the center and north of Santa Fe

Los suelos de la provincia de Santa Fe presentan diversos estados de compactación, que varían segúnel tipo de suelo y el sistema de manejo aplicado. En este capítulo se presentan las causas genéticas yantrópicas de compactación más comunes con ejemplos zonales. Luego se abordan diversos trabajosrealizados para recuperar la calidad física de los suelos en sistemas agrícolas y ganaderos. Por últimose presentan dos trabajos realizados en los suelos más productivos de toda la provincia de Santa Feque describen los cambios ocurridos en diversas propiedades físicas a través de indicadores, a saber:porosidad total, macroporosidad, capacidad de aeración, índice de inestabilidad, índice de compresión,presión de preconsolidación, densidad crítica para el crecimiento de las plantas.Fil: Imhoff, Silvia del Carmen. Universidad Nacional del Litoral; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Pilatti, M.. Universidad Nacional del Litoral; ArgentinaFil: Carrizo, Maria Eugenia. Universidad Nacional del Litoral; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Masola, María Josefina. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Cs.agrarias. Departamento de Ciencias del Ambiente; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Marano, R.. Universidad Nacional del Litoral; ArgentinaFil: Felli, O.. Universidad Nacional del Litoral; Argentin

Polyglutamine expansion affects huntingtin conformation in multiple Huntington's disease models

Conformational changes in disease-associated or mutant proteins represent a key pathological aspect of Huntington's disease (HD) and other protein misfolding diseases. Using immunoassays and biophysical approaches, we and others have recently reported that polyglutamine expansion in purified or recombinantly expressed huntingtin (HTT) proteins affects their conformational properties in a manner dependent on both polyglutamine repeat length and temperature but independent of HTT protein fragment length. These findings are consistent with the HD mutation affecting structural aspects of the amino-terminal region of the protein, and support the concept that modulating mutant HTT conformation might provide novel therapeutic and diagnostic opportunities. We now report that the same conformational TR-FRET based immunoassay detects polyglutamine-and temperaturedependent changes on the endogenously expressed HTT protein in peripheral tissues and post-mortem HD brain tissue, as well as in tissues from HD animal models. We also find that these temperatureand polyglutamine-dependent conformational changes are sensitive to bona-fide phosphorylation on S13 and S16 within the N17 domain of HTT. These findings provide key clinical and preclinical relevance to the conformational immunoassay, and provide supportive evidence for its application in the development of therapeutics aimed at correcting the conformation of polyglutamine-expanded proteins as well as the pharmacodynamics readouts to monitor their efficacy in preclinical models and in HD patients

The Walnuts and Healthy Aging study (WAHA): Protocol for a Nutritional Intervention Trial with Walnuts on Brain Aging

Introduction: An unwanted consequence of population aging is the growing number of elderly at risk of neurodegenerative disorders, including dementia and macular degeneration. As nutritional and behavioral changes can delay disease progression, we designed the Walnuts and Healthy Aging (WAHA) study, a two-center, randomized, 2-year clinical trial conducted in free-living, cognitively healthy elderly men and women. Our interest in exploring the role of walnuts in maintaining cognitive and retinal health is based on extensive evidence supporting their cardio-protective and vascular health effects, which are linked to bioactive components, such as n-3 fatty acids and polyphenols. Methods: The primary aim of WAHA is to examine the effects of ingesting walnuts daily for 2 years on cognitive function and retinal health, assessed with a battery of neuropsychological tests and optical coherence tomography, respectively. All participants followed their habitual diet, adding walnuts at 15% of energy (≈30-60 g/day) (walnut group) or abstaining from walnuts (control group). Secondary outcomes include changes in adiposity, blood pressure, and serum and urinary biomarkers in all participants and brain magnetic resonance imaging in a subset. Results: From May 2012 to May 2014, 708 participants (mean age 69 years, 68% women) were randomized. The study ended in May 2016 with a 90% retention rate. Discussion: The results of WAHA might provide high-level evidence of the benefit of regular walnut consumption in delaying the onset of age-related cognitive impairment and retinal pathology. The findings should translate into public health policy and sound recommendations to the general population

Health Status of Visitors and Temporary Residents, United States

Education, policy, and interventions to promote visitor health are needed

Searching for a Stochastic Background of Gravitational Waves with LIGO

The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) has performed the fourth science run, S4, with significantly improved interferometer sensitivities with respect to previous runs. Using data acquired during this science run, we place a limit on the amplitude of a stochastic background of gravitational waves. For a frequency independent spectrum, the new limit is $\Omega_{\rm GW} < 6.5 \times 10^{-5}$. This is currently the most sensitive result in the frequency range 51-150 Hz, with a factor of 13 improvement over the previous LIGO result. We discuss complementarity of the new result with other constraints on a stochastic background of gravitational waves, and we investigate implications of the new result for different models of this background.Comment: 37 pages, 16 figure

The Tight Junction Associated Signalling Proteins ZO-1 and ZONAB Regulate Retinal Pigment Epithelium Homeostasis in Mice

Cell-cell adhesion regulates the development and function of epithelia by providing mechanical support and by guiding cell proliferation and differentiation. The tight junction (TJ) protein zonula occludens (ZO)-1 regulates cell proliferation and gene expression by inhibiting the activity of the Y-box transcription factor ZONAB in cultured epithelial cells. We investigated the role of this TJ-associated signalling pathway in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) in vivo by lentivirally-mediated overexpression of ZONAB, and knockdown of its cellular inhibitor ZO-1. Both overexpression of ZONAB or knockdown of ZO-1 resulted in increased RPE proliferation, and induced ultrastructural changes of an epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-like phenotype. Electron microscopy analysis revealed that transduced RPE monolayers were disorganised with increased pyknosis and monolayer breaks, correlating with increased expression of several EMT markers. Moreover, fluorescein angiography analysis demonstrated that the increased proliferation and EMT-like phenotype induced by overexpression of ZONAB or downregulation of ZO-1 resulted in RPE dysfunction. These findings demonstrate that ZO-1 and ZONAB are critical for differentiation and homeostasis of the RPE monolayer and may be involved in RPE disorders such as proliferative vitroretinopathy and atrophic age-related macular degeneration

Zoonotic Viruses Associated with Illegally Imported Wildlife Products

The global trade in wildlife has historically contributed to the emergence and spread of infectious diseases. The United States is the world's largest importer of wildlife and wildlife products, yet minimal pathogen surveillance has precluded assessment of the health risks posed by this practice. This report details the findings of a pilot project to establish surveillance methodology for zoonotic agents in confiscated wildlife products. Initial findings from samples collected at several international airports identified parts originating from nonhuman primate (NHP) and rodent species, including baboon, chimpanzee, mangabey, guenon, green monkey, cane rat and rat. Pathogen screening identified retroviruses (simian foamy virus) and/or herpesviruses (cytomegalovirus and lymphocryptovirus) in the NHP samples. These results are the first demonstration that illegal bushmeat importation into the United States could act as a conduit for pathogen spread, and suggest that implementation of disease surveillance of the wildlife trade will help facilitate prevention of disease emergence