Social and productive characteristics of small and medium – sized swine farms in Caseros Department, Santa Fe Province, Argentina

This is an exploratory study of the social and productive characteristics of the small and medium sized swine production enterprises of Argentina. Sampling took place in the Department of Caseros, which is representative of the swine industry in the country as a whole due to the importance of its production and to the prevailing type of system (complete cycle outdoors). Only three of the 328 swine farms included use total confinement; 69% possess fewer than 51 breeding sows, and 74.6% complete the full cycle (farrowing to finishing). One hundred and six farms, representative of each stratum of producers defined by the number of breeding sows), were chosen at random. These producers were interviewed during May to August, 2000, and the data were updated in May, 2005. The interviews showed that these enterprises employ three times as many people as large-scale production units. These, who are largely both agricultural and swine producers, make a living from their farms. The production data reveal low performance levels, of both finishing animals and breeding sows on these farms. Characterization of these small and medium-sized producers that began with this study will facilitate implementation of any program destined to promote this activity. The description achieved in the present effort will also enable prioritizing variables to be measured in future studies (Sp)

Fortalecimiento de gestiones a través del Centro de Información de Actividades Porcinas (CIAP) para el desarrollo sustentable de pequeños y medianos productores porcinos familiares de la zona de influencia de la Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias de la Universidad Nacional de Rosario

Fortalecimiento de gestiones a través del Centro de Información de Actividades Porcinas (CIAP) para el desarrollo sustentable de pequeños y medianos productores porcinos familiares de la zona de influencia de la Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias de la Universidad Nacional de RosarioFil: Silva, Patricia. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; Argentin

Circulating microRNAs in sera correlate with soluble biomarkers of immune activation but do not predict mortality in ART treated individuals with HIV-1 infection: A case control study

Introduction: The use of anti-retroviral therapy (ART) has dramatically reduced HIV-1 associated morbidity and mortality. However, HIV-1 infected individuals have increased rates of morbidity and mortality compared to the non-HIV-1 infected population and this appears to be related to end-organ diseases collectively referred to as Serious Non-AIDS Events (SNAEs). Circulating miRNAs are reported as promising biomarkers for a number of human disease conditions including those that constitute SNAEs. Our study sought to investigate the potential of selected miRNAs in predicting mortality in HIV-1 infected ART treated individuals. Materials and Methods: A set of miRNAs was chosen based on published associations with human disease conditions that constitute SNAEs. This case: control study compared 126 cases (individuals who died whilst on therapy), and 247 matched controls (individuals who remained alive). Cases and controls were ART treated participants of two pivotal HIV-1 trials. The relative abundance of each miRNA in serum was measured, by RTqPCR. Associations with mortality (all-cause, cardiovascular and malignancy) were assessed by logistic regression analysis. Correlations between miRNAs and CD4+ T cell count, hs-CRP, IL-6 and D-dimer were also assessed. Results: None of the selected miRNAs was associated with all-cause, cardiovascular or malignancy mortality. The levels of three miRNAs (miRs -21, -122 and -200a) correlated with IL-6 while miR-21 also correlated with D-dimer. Additionally, the abundance of miRs -31, -150 and -223, correlated with baseline CD4+ T cell count while the same three miRNAs plus miR- 145 correlated with nadir CD4+ T cell count. Discussion: No associations with mortality were found with any circulating miRNA studied. These results cast doubt onto the effectiveness of circulating miRNA as early predictors of mortality or the major underlying diseases that contribute to mortality in participants treated for HIV-1 infection

Development and Validation of a Risk Score for Chronic Kidney Disease in HIV Infection Using Prospective Cohort Data from the D:A:D Study

Ristola M. on työryhmien DAD Study Grp ; Royal Free Hosp Clin Cohort ; INSIGHT Study Grp ; SMART Study Grp ; ESPRIT Study Grp jäsen.Background Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major health issue for HIV-positive individuals, associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Development and implementation of a risk score model for CKD would allow comparison of the risks and benefits of adding potentially nephrotoxic antiretrovirals to a treatment regimen and would identify those at greatest risk of CKD. The aims of this study were to develop a simple, externally validated, and widely applicable long-term risk score model for CKD in HIV-positive individuals that can guide decision making in clinical practice. Methods and Findings A total of 17,954 HIV-positive individuals from the Data Collection on Adverse Events of Anti-HIV Drugs (D:A:D) study with >= 3 estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) values after 1 January 2004 were included. Baseline was defined as the first eGFR > 60 ml/min/1.73 m2 after 1 January 2004; individuals with exposure to tenofovir, atazanavir, atazanavir/ritonavir, lopinavir/ritonavir, other boosted protease inhibitors before baseline were excluded. CKD was defined as confirmed (>3 mo apart) eGFR In the D:A:D study, 641 individuals developed CKD during 103,185 person-years of follow-up (PYFU; incidence 6.2/1,000 PYFU, 95% CI 5.7-6.7; median follow-up 6.1 y, range 0.3-9.1 y). Older age, intravenous drug use, hepatitis C coinfection, lower baseline eGFR, female gender, lower CD4 count nadir, hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease (CVD) predicted CKD. The adjusted incidence rate ratios of these nine categorical variables were scaled and summed to create the risk score. The median risk score at baseline was -2 (interquartile range -4 to 2). There was a 1: 393 chance of developing CKD in the next 5 y in the low risk group (risk score = 5, 505 events), respectively. Number needed to harm (NNTH) at 5 y when starting unboosted atazanavir or lopinavir/ritonavir among those with a low risk score was 1,702 (95% CI 1,166-3,367); NNTH was 202 (95% CI 159-278) and 21 (95% CI 19-23), respectively, for those with a medium and high risk score. NNTH was 739 (95% CI 506-1462), 88 (95% CI 69-121), and 9 (95% CI 8-10) for those with a low, medium, and high risk score, respectively, starting tenofovir, atazanavir/ritonavir, or another boosted protease inhibitor. The Royal Free Hospital Clinic Cohort included 2,548 individuals, of whom 94 individuals developed CKD (3.7%) during 18,376 PYFU (median follow-up 7.4 y, range 0.3-12.7 y). Of 2,013 individuals included from the SMART/ESPRIT control arms, 32 individuals developed CKD (1.6%) during 8,452 PYFU (median follow-up 4.1 y, range 0.6-8.1 y). External validation showed that the risk score predicted well in these cohorts. Limitations of this study included limited data on race and no information on proteinuria. Conclusions Both traditional and HIV-related risk factors were predictive of CKD. These factors were used to develop a risk score for CKD in HIV infection, externally validated, that has direct clinical relevance for patients and clinicians to weigh the benefits of certain antiretrovirals against the risk of CKD and to identify those at greatest risk of CKD.Peer reviewe

Características sociales y productivas de las pequeñas y medianas empresasporcícolas del Departamento Caseros - Santa Fe- Argentina.

This is an exploratory study of the social and productive characteristics of the small and medium sized swine production enterprises of Argentina. Sampling took place in the Department of Caseros, which is representative of the swine industry in the country as a whole due to the importance of its production and to the prevailing type of system (complete cycle outdoors). Only three of the 328 swine farms included use total confinement; 69% possess fewer than 51 breeding sows, and 74.6% complete the full cycle (farrowing to finishing). One hundred and six farms, representative of each stratum of producers defined by the number of breeding sows), were chosen at random. These producers were interviewed during May to August, 2000, and the data were updated in May, 2005. The interviews showed that these enterprises employ three times as many people as large-scale production units. These, who are largely both agricultural and swine producers, make a living from their farms. The production data reveal low performance levels, of both finishing animals and breeding sows on these farms. Characterization of these small and medium-sized producers that began with this study will facilitate implementation of any program destined to promote this activity. The description achieved in the present effort will also enable prioritizing variables to be measured in future studies.En este estudio exploratorio se describen las características sociales y productivas de las pequeñas y medianas empresas porcícolas argentinas. El muestreo se realizó en el Departamento de Caseros que, por la gran magnitud de su producción y por el tipo de producción predominante (sistemas de ciclo completo a campo) lo hacen representativo a nivel nacional. De los 328 establecimientos con producción porcina identificados, sólo tres son sistemas totalmente confinados; el 69% posee menos de 51 cerdos madres y el 74.6% son de ciclo completo. De este total, fueron elegidos al azar y en forma representativa por cada estrato de productores (definido a partir de la cantidad de cerdas madres) 106 establecimientos. A éstos, en el período de mayo a agosto del 2000, se les sometió a una cédula de entrevista, información que fue actualizada en mayo de 2005. Las encuestas revelaron que estas empresas ocupan tres veces más personal que las grandes unidades de producción. Además, estos productores que, mayoritariamente son agrícola-porcinos, viven de los ingresos del campo. Los datos de producción señalan el bajo desempeño animal tanto en los engordando como en las hembras reproductoras de estas empresas. La caracterización de estas pequeñas y medianas empresas a partir de este trabajo facilitará la implementación de cualquier programa tendiente al desarrollo de esta actividad. La descripción aquí lograda dará lugar también a la jerarquización de variables a ser medidos a campo en trabajos posteriores

Desarrollo de la Producción Porcina en el área de influencia de la Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias a través del Centro de Información de Actividades Porcinas (CIAP)

Desarrollo de la Producción Porcina en el área de influencia de la Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias a través del Centro de Información de Actividades Porcinas (CIAP)Fil: Silva, Patricia. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; Argentin

Acortando distancia porcina

Acortando distancia porcinaFil: D´Eletto, M. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; ArgentinaFil: Ahad, J. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; ArgentinaFil: Nuñez, M. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; ArgentinaFil: Pepino, A. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; ArgentinaFil: Rossi, A. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; ArgentinaFil: Apellido, Nombre. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; ArgentinaFil: Soler, G. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; ArgentinaFil: Tion, M. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; ArgentinaFil: Albanesi, Roxana. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; ArgentinaFil: Vaselli, E. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; ArgentinaFil: Campagna, Daniel. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; ArgentinaFil: Propersi, Patricia. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; ArgentinaFil: Romagnoli, M. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; ArgentinaFil: Spinollo, Luciano. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; ArgentinaFil: Somenzini, Diego. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; ArgentinaFil: Tifni, Evangelina. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; ArgentinaFil: Castello, L. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; ArgentinaFil: Espoturno, M. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; ArgentinaFil: Stoppani, C. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; ArgentinaFil: Reale Sánchez, F. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; ArgentinaFil: Pereyra, D. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; ArgentinaFil: Giovannini, F. Universidad Nacional de Río IV. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; ArgentinaFil: Lomello, V. Universidad Nacional de Río IV. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; ArgentinaFil: Suarez, R. Universidad Nacional de Río IV. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; ArgentinaFil: Esnaola, E. Universidad Nacional de Río IV. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; ArgentinaFil: Cogo, A. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Buenos Aires Norte; ArgentinaFil: Troia, A. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; ArgentinaFil: Roth, G. Secretaría de Agricultura Familiar de la Nación; ArgentinaFil: Calvo, W. Productor porcino; ArgentinaFil: Molinas, F. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas; ArgentinaFil: Skejich, Patricia. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; ArgentinaFil: Silva, Patricia. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; Argentin

Vinculación con productores familiares para el desarrollo sustentable del sistema agroalimentario porcino local mediante el Centro de Información de Actividades Porcinas (CIAP)

Vinculación con productores familiares para el desarrollo sustentable del sistema agroalimentario porcino local mediante el Centro de Información de Actividades Porcinas (CIAP)Fil: Abdul Ahad, J. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; Argentin