USAID TARGET project on fertilizer micro-dosing for the prosperity of small-scale farmers in the Sahel: Training Workshop on Large-scale Transfer (scaling-up) of Fertilizer Micro-dosing Technology, 20-24 January 2004, Ouahigouya, Burkina Faso

The USAID TARGET project on fertilizer micro-dosing for the prosperity of small-scale farmers in the Sahel was launched in three countries of West Africa, namely Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. The goal of the project is to double the crop production and increase the farm incomes through the uptake of fertilizer micro-dosing technology and better farmer-based cooperative organizations. In all the three countries where the technology is being promoted, yields of sorghum and millet increased twofold in most cases, and the farmers have reported increase in incomes. To achieve the overall objective of the project, proven fertilizer micro-dosing technologies together with the "warrafitage " or inventory credit system should be transferred to a large number of end users in areas targeted by the project. It is essential to build the capacity of project partners. In this context, a workshop on "large-scale transfer of fertilizer micro-dosing technologies" was organized in Ouahigouya, Burkina Faso, from 20 to 23 January 2004. The training workshop provided the participants with tools that will enable them develop action plans for scaling up existing gains. A total of 19 participants from the national agricultural research systems, NGOs, IFDC and ICRISAT attended the workshop

The Correlation of In Vivo MR Spectroscopy and Ex Vivo 2-Hydroxyglutarate Concentration for the Prediction of Isocitrate Dehydrogenase Mutation Status in Diffuse Glioma

Isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) mutation status is an important biomarker in the glioma-defining subtype and corresponding prognosis. This study proposes a straightforward method for 2-hydroxyglutarate (2-HG) quantification by MR spectroscopy for IDH mutation status detection and directly compares in vivo 2-HG MR spectroscopy with ex vivo 2-HG concentration measured in resected tumor tissue. Eleven patients with suspected lower-grade glioma (ten IDH1; one IDHwt) were prospectively included. Preoperatively, 3T point-resolved spectroscopy (PRESS) was acquired; 2-HG was measured as the percentage elevation of Glx3 (the sum of 2-HG and Glx) compared to Glx4. IDH mutation status was assessed by immunochemistry or direct sequencing. The ex vivo 2-HG concentration was determined in surgically obtained tissue specimens using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Pearson correlation was used for assessing the correlation between in vivo MR spectroscopy and ex vivo 2-HG concentration. MR spectroscopy was positive for 2-HG in eight patients, all of whom had IDH1 tumors. A strong correlation (r = 0.80, p = 0.003) between 2-HG MR spectroscopy and the ex vivo 2-HG concentration was found. This study shows in vivo 2-HG MR spectroscopy can non-invasively determine IDH status in glioma and demonstrates a strong correlation with ex vivo 2-HG concentration in patients with lower-grade glioma. </p

The Correlation of In Vivo MR Spectroscopy and Ex Vivo 2-Hydroxyglutarate Concentration for the Prediction of Isocitrate Dehydrogenase Mutation Status in Diffuse Glioma

Isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) mutation status is an important biomarker in the glioma-defining subtype and corresponding prognosis. This study proposes a straightforward method for 2-hydroxyglutarate (2-HG) quantification by MR spectroscopy for IDH mutation status detection and directly compares in vivo 2-HG MR spectroscopy with ex vivo 2-HG concentration measured in resected tumor tissue. Eleven patients with suspected lower-grade glioma (ten IDH1; one IDHwt) were prospectively included. Preoperatively, 3T point-resolved spectroscopy (PRESS) was acquired; 2-HG was measured as the percentage elevation of Glx3 (the sum of 2-HG and Glx) compared to Glx4. IDH mutation status was assessed by immunochemistry or direct sequencing. The ex vivo 2-HG concentration was determined in surgically obtained tissue specimens using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Pearson correlation was used for assessing the correlation between in vivo MR spectroscopy and ex vivo 2-HG concentration. MR spectroscopy was positive for 2-HG in eight patients, all of whom had IDH1 tumors. A strong correlation (r = 0.80, p = 0.003) between 2-HG MR spectroscopy and the ex vivo 2-HG concentration was found. This study shows in vivo 2-HG MR spectroscopy can non-invasively determine IDH status in glioma and demonstrates a strong correlation with ex vivo 2-HG concentration in patients with lower-grade glioma. </p

Correlations between plasma strontium concentration, components of calcium and phosphate metabolism and renal function in type 2 diabetes mellitus

BACKGROUND: Renal function decline in diabetic kidney disease is accompanied by calcium and phosphate metabolism alterations. Whereas Strontium (Sr2+ ) has many similarities with calcium, little is known about Sr2+ in this respect. We studied the association of plasma Sr2+ concentration and parameters associated with an altered calcium and phosphate metabolism in diabetic kidney disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Plasma Sr2+ concentration was measured in 450 patients included in the DIAbetes and LifEstyle Cohort Twente-1. Patients were classified based on chronic kidney disease (CKD) stages: stages 1-2, stage 3 and stages 4-5 (estimated glomerular filtration rate of ≥60 mL·min-1 ·1.73m-2 , 30-59 mL·min-1 ·1.73m-2 and ≤29 mL·min-1 ·1.73m-2 , respectively). The associations between log-transformed plasma Sr2+ concentration and parameters of calcium and phosphate metabolism were studied using multivariate linear regression analysis. RESULTS: Overall, median plasma Sr2+ concentration was in normal range, 269 nmol/L, but was progressively higher in patients with lower renal function, i.e. 246 nmol/L (CKD 1-2), 347 nmol/L (CKD 3) and 419 nmol/L (CKD 4-5). In multivariate analysis, independent associations were found between plasma Sr2+ concentration and both eGFR (β=-0.401, p<0.001) and plasma fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) concentration (β=0.087, p=0.04). CONCLUSIONS: We found an independent inverse association between eGFR and plasma Sr2+ concentration and an independent association between plasma Sr2+ concentration and plasma FGF23 concentration, a marker of deranged calcium and phosphate metabolism. Further research is needed to determine the mechanisms behind these associations and the impact of an elevation in plasma Sr2+ concentration on bone mineralization and calcification. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved

Venous thromboembolism in critically ill COVID-19 patients receiving prophylactic or therapeutic anticoagulation: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Many aspects of care such as management of hypercoagulable state in COVID-19 patients, especially those admitted to intensive care units is challenging in the rapidly evolving pandemic of novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We seek to systematically review the available evidence regarding the anticoagulation approach to prevent venous thromboembolism (VTE) among COVID-19 patients admitted to intensive care units. Electronic databases were searched for studies reporting venous thromboembolic events in patients admitted to the intensive care unit receiving any type of anticoagulation (prophylactic or therapeutic). The pooled prevalence (and 95% confidence interval [CI]) of VTE among patients receiving anticoagulant were calculated using the random-effects model. Subgroup pooled analyses were performed with studies reported prophylactic anticoagulation alone and with studies reported mixed prophylactic and therapeutic anticoagulation. We included twelve studies (8 Europe; 2 UK; 1 each from the US and China) in our systematic review and meta-analysis. All studies utilized LMWH or unfractionated heparin as their pharmacologic thromboprophylaxis, either prophylactic doses or therapeutic doses. Seven studies reported on the proportion of patients with the previous history of VTE (range 0–10%). The pooled prevalence of VTE among ICU patients receiving prophylactic or therapeutic anticoagulation across all studies was 31% (95% CI 20–43%). Subgroup pooled analysis limited to studies reported prophylactic anticoagulation alone and mixed (therapeutic and prophylactic anticoagulation) reported pooled prevalences of VTE of 38% (95% CI 10–70%) and 27% (95% CI 17–40%) respectively. With a high prevalence of thromboprophylaxis failure among COVID-19 patients admitted to intensive care units, individualised rather than protocolised VTE thromboprophylaxis would appear prudent at interim