Comparative efficacy of topical tetracaine solution versus lidocaine gel in cataract surgery

n/

Tagging the signatures of domestication in common bean (<i>Phaseolus vulgaris</i>) by means of pooled DNA samples

Background and Aims: The main aim of this study was to use an amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP)-based, large-scale screening of the whole genome of Phaseolus vulgaris to determine the effects of selection on the structure of the genetic diversity in wild and domesticated populations. Methods: Using pooled DNA samples, seven each of wild and domesticated populations of P. vulgaris were studied using 2506 AFLP markers (on average, one every 250 kb). About 10 % of the markers were also analysed on individual genotypes and were used to infer allelic frequencies empirically from bulk data. In both data sets, tests were made to determine the departure from neutral expectation for each marker using an FST-based method. Key Results: The most important outcome is that a large fraction of the genome of the common bean (16 %; P &lt;0·01) appears to have been subjected to effects of selection during domestication. Markers obtained in individual genotypes were also mapped and classified according to their proximities to known genes and quantitative trait loci (QTLs) of the domestication syndrome. Most of the markers that were found to be potentially under the effects of selection were located in the proximity of previously mapped genes and QTLs related to the domestication syndrome. Conclusions: Overall, the results indicate that in P. vulgaris a large portion of the genome appears to have been subjected to the effects of selection, probably because of linkage to the loci selected during domestication. As most of the markers that are under the effects of selection are linked to known loci related to the domestication syndrome, it is concluded that population genomics approaches are very efficient in detecting QTLs. A method based on bulk DNA samples is presented that is effective in pre-screening for a large number of markers to determine selection signatures

Inflammation management in ophthalmology: new evidences for cataract surgery and beyond

Inflammation represents the manifestation of the host's vascular and cellular response to tissue damage, hypersensitivity of the immune system or autoimmunity. As soon as the damage is detected, the mechanisms of localization and removal of foreign substances and damaged tissues are triggered. This response is amplified by the activation of inflammatory cells and by the production of chemical mediators derived from arachidonic acid, vasoactive substances and cytokines.At the ocular level, among the different responses implemented by various inflammation mediators, the action of prostaglandins is mainly expressed in three ways: i) change of intraocular pressure; ii) induction of miosis; iii) increase of protein concentration in the aqueous humor.Ocular inflammation may continue long after the cessation of the initial cause and may also lead to serious consequences, including permanent vision reduction. For this reason, it is essential to establish a correct and effective therapeutic strategy, which allows to control inflammation, the symptoms and the clinical signs associated with it.This article therefore deals with therapeutic strategies to control inflammation, with a particular focus on the role of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in cataract surgery

Investigation of Possible Factors Influencing the Neutralizing Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Titer after Six Months from the Second Vaccination Dose in a Sample of Italian Nursing Home Personnel

The titer of the anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies produced after vaccination shows a relevant decay over time, as demonstrated in several studies. However, less is known on the possible factors affecting the entity of this decay. The aim of this study is to analyze a group of individual factors which are possibly associated with anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody titer decay six months after the second vaccine dose. We report here the results of a follow-up serological analysis and a questionnaire-based evaluation of a sample of workers from an Italian nursing home, vaccinated with two doses of BNT162b2 vaccine in early 2021. The baseline data were collected one month after the vaccine, while in the present analysis we report the data collected six months later. Our data show a relevant decay of the neutralizing antibody titer, even if for all the workers a largely positive response was detected. Moreover, our results demonstrate a possible association between younger age and the absence of previous COVID-19 infection, and a higher decay rate of the anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies titer

Neutralizing Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Titer and Reported Adverse Effects, in a Sample of Italian Nursing Home Personnel after Two Doses of the BNT162b2 Vaccine Administered Four Weeks Apart

Background: The immunization of healthcare workers (HCWs) plays a recognized key role in prevention in the COVID-19 pandemic: in Italy, the vaccination campaign began at the end of December 2020. A better knowledge of the on-field immune response in HCWs, of adverse effects and of the main factors involved is fundamental. Methods: We performed a study on workers at a nursing home in Northern Italy, vaccinated in January–February 2021 with two doses of the BNT162b2 vaccine four weeks apart, instead of the three weeks provided for in the original manufacturer protocol. One month after the second dose, the serological titer of IgG-neutralizing anti-RBD antibodies of the subunit S1 of the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 was determined. The socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of the subjects and adverse effects of vaccination were collected by questionnaire. Results: In all of the workers, high antibody titer, ranging between 20 and 760 times the minimum protective level were observed. Titers were significantly higher in subjects with a previous COVID-19 diagnosis. Adverse effects after the vaccine were more frequent after the second dose, but no severe adverse effects were observed. Conclusions: The two doses of the BNT162b2 vaccine, even if administered four weeks apart, induced high titers of anti-SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing IgG in all the operators included in the study

Towards the Development, Maintenance, and Standardized Phenotypic Characterization of Single‐Seed‐Descent Genetic Resources for Common Bean

The optimal use of legume genetic resources represents a key prerequisite for coping with current agriculture-related societal challenges, including conservation of agrobiodiversity, agricultural sustainability, food security, and human health. Among legumes, the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) is the most economically important for human consumption, and its evolutionary trajectories as a species have been crucial to determining the structure and level of its present and available genetic diversity. Genomic advances are considerably enhancing the characterization and assessment of important genetic variants. For this purpose, the development and availability of, and access to, well-described and efficiently managed genetic resource collections that comprise pure lines derived by single-seed-descent cycles will be paramount for the use of the reservoir of common bean variability and for the advanced breeding of legume crops. This is one of the main aims of the new and challenging European project INCREASE, which is the implementation of Intelligent Collections with appropriate standardized protocols that must be characterized, maintained, and made available, along with the related data, to users such as breeders and researchers

CNS inflammatory demyelinating events after COVID-19 vaccines: A case series and systematic review

BackgroundVaccinations provided the most effective tool to fight the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. It is now well established that COVID-19 vaccines are safe for the general population; however, some cases of rare adverse events following immunization have been described, including CNS Inflammatory Demyelinating Events (CIDEs). Although observational studies are showing that these events are rare and vaccines' benefits highly outweigh the risks, collecting and characterizing post-COVID-19 vaccine CIDEs might be relevant to single out potential risk factors and suggest possible underlying mechanisms. MethodsHere we describe six CIDEs, including two acute transverse myelitis (ATM), three multiple sclerosis (MS), and one neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), occurring between 8 and 35 days from a COVID-19 vaccine. Moreover, we performed a systematic literature search of post-COVID-19 vaccines CIDEs, including ATM, ADEM, MS, and NMOSD/MOGAD, published worldwide between December 2020 and December 2021, during 1 year of the vaccination campaign. Clinical/MRI and CSF/serum characteristics were extracted from reviewed studies and pooled-analyzed. ResultsForty-nine studies were included in the systematic review, reporting a total amount of 85 CIDEs. Considering our additional six cases, 91 CIDEs were summarized, including 24 ATM, 11 ADEM, 47 MS, and nine NMOSD/MOGAD. Overall, CIDEs occurred after both mRNA (n = 46), adenoviral-vectored (n = 37), and inactivated vaccines (n = 8). Adenoviral-vectored vaccines accounted for the majority of ADEM (55%) and NMOSD/MOGAD (56%), while mRNA vaccines were more frequent in MS new diagnoses (87%) and relapses (56%). Age was heterogeneous (19-88) and the female sex was prevalent. Time from vaccine to symptoms onset was notably variable: ADEM and NMOSD/MOGAD had a longer median time of onset (12.5 and 10 days) compared to ATM and MS (6 and 7 days) and further timing differences were observed between events following different vaccine types, with ATM and MS after mRNA-vaccines occurring earlier than those following adenoviral-vectored ones. ConclusionBoth the prevalence of vaccine types for certain CIDEs and the heterogeneity in time of onset suggest that different mechanisms-with distinct dynamic/kinetic-might underly these events. While epidemiological studies have assessed the safety of COVID-19 vaccines, descriptions and pooled analyses of sporadic cases may still be valuable to gain insights into CIDE's pathophysiology

The Development of a European and Mediterranean Chickpea Association Panel (EMCAP)

Association panels represent a useful tool for quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping and pre-breeding. In this study, we report on the development of a European and Mediterranean chickpea association panel as a useful tool for gene discovery and breeding. Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is one of the most important food legumes worldwide and a key crop in the Mediterranean environments. The selection of genotypes followed criteria aimed to build a set of materials representative of the genetic diversity of chickpea germplasm focusing on the European and Mediterranean environments, which have largely been ignored to date. This tool can help breeders to develop novel varieties adapted to European and Mediterranean agro-ecosystems. Initially, 1931 chickpea accessions were phenotypically evaluated in a field trial in central Italy. From these, an association panel composed by 480 genotypes derived from single-seed descent was identified and phenotypically evaluated. Current and future phenotypic data combined with the genotypic characterization of the association panel will allow to dissect the genetic architecture of important adaptive and quality traits and accelerate breeding. This information can be used to predict phenotypes of unexploited chickpea genetic resources available in genebanks for breeding

Seroprevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in the Northern Italy population before the COVID-19 second wave

The COVID-19 pandemic is due to SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus infections. It swept across the world in the spring of 2020, and so far it has caused a huge number of hospitalizations and deaths. In the present study, the authors investigated serum anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody prevalence in the period of June 1-September 25, 2020, in 7561 subjects in Modena, Northern Italy