Long-term farming systems comparisons in the tropics Participatory technology development

Posterpresentation - Overview - Approaches and Results - Methodological Questions - Discussio

Investigating interocclusal perception in tactile teeth sensibility using symmetric and asymmetric analysis

The purpose of this clinical trial was to determine the active tactile sensibility of natural teeth and to obtain a statistical analysis method fitting a psychometric function through the observed data points. On 68 complete dentulous test persons (34 males, 34 females, mean age 45.9 ± 16.1years), one pair of healthy natural teeth each was tested: n = 24 anterior teeth and n = 44 posterior teeth. The computer-assisted, randomized measurement was done by having the subjects bite on thin copper foils of different thickness (5-200µm) inserted between the teeth. The threshold of active tactile sensibility was defined by the 50% value of correct answers. Additionally, the gradient of the sensibility curve and the support area (90-10% value) as a description of the shape of the sensibility curve were calculated. For modeling the sensibility curve, symmetric and asymmetric functions were used. The mean sensibility threshold was 14.2 ± 12.1µm. The older the subject, the higher the tactile threshold (r = 0.42, p = 0.0006). The support area was 41.8 ± 43.3µm. The higher the 50% threshold, the smaller the gradient of the curve and the larger the support area. The curves showing the active tactile sensibility of natural teeth demonstrate a tendency towards asymmetry, so that the active tactile sensibility of natural teeth can mathematically best be described by using the asymmetric Weibull functio

Transarterial chemoembolization with drug-eluting beads in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma: response analysis with mRECIST

PURPOSEAccording to the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) staging classification, transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) is the treatment of choice for intermediate hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Thereby, the use of drug-eluting beads (DEB) as embolic agents has been recently established in clinical practice. The aim of this study was to evaluate tumor response after DEB-TACE.METHODSThis retrospective study was approved by the institutional ethics committee. Overall, 89 patients with HCC (Child Pugh A or B) receiving DEB-TACE as palliative treatment option or as bridging before liver transplantation were included in the study. Tumor response was assessed by modified response evaluation criteria in solid tumors (mRECIST) and a tumor growth rate. Survival analysis was performed using Kaplan-Meier estimator with log-rank testing and Cox proportional hazards.RESULTSA total of 188 TACE procedures were performed between 2006 and 2010. After the last intervention, 18% achieved complete response, 45% achieved partial response, 28% had stable disease and 9% had progressive disease. Using the tumor growth rate, 90% of all patients showed a tumor reduction between first and final response evaluation. The 6-month, 1-, 2- and 3-year overall survival rates were 86.5%, 67.4%, 47.2%, and 33.7%, with a median survival of 45, 24, 15, and 14 months for complete response, partial response, stable disease, and progressive disease, respectively. Tumor reduction showed a positive effect on survival.CONCLUSIONDEB-TACE offers conclusive response results with mRECIST and proves a strong tendency of tumor reduction on survival benefits. Therefore, tumor growth rate represents a possible parameter to predict survival

Self-made pest control products for organic cotton production in Nimar region, Madhya Pradesh, India

Homemade organic pest control products offer an ecological, healthy and low-cost alternative to ready-made products. Yet the recipes are not standardised and the products vary in quality and concentration of the active ingredients. bioRe R, together with the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), engages in research activities to address this challenge and improve pest management strategies in organic farming. During the cotton cropping season 2013–14 one on-station and two on-farm trials were conducted with the objective of comparing different spraying intervals of the most commonly used home-made organic pest control products in order to identify an optimum level of crop protection. The study focused on the effect of the spraying intervals on the most important sucking pests. Besides sucking pest incidences, data on plant stress symptoms and yield formation as well as economic parameters were also collected. Additional on-station trials were established to investigate different measures of early stage crop protection and to detect specific effects of three self made products against certain sucking pests. The products were prepared according to recipes standardised by bioRe R after careful research and hands on experience of its associated scientists and extension workers. This knowledge was reproduced in pictorial technical leaflets, which are easy-to-understand for the local farmers. A total of 11 leaflets — on seed treatments, early stage protection measures, pest control sprays, effective spraying technique and growth promoter were designed in both English and Hindi and will be used for dissemination activities. On-station results were inconclusive due to low pest pressure in this season, as well as the small size of the trial plots. Results of on-farm trials revealed that a suitable strategy for pest monitoring is needed for farmers to determine at what time point pest control interventions are indicated. Further research is needed to understand the specific effects of homemade products on the different insect species. Optimised dosage and application techniques have to be worked out along with other options for integrated pest control (e.g. bird perches, border crops, soil enhancement practices) that could reduce the frequency of time-consuming spraying. These activities would best be conducted in on-farm trials

Investigating interocclusal perception in tactile teeth sensibility using symmetric and asymmetric analysis

The purpose of this clinical trial was to determine the active tactile sensibility of natural teeth and to obtain a statistical analysis method fitting a psychometric function through the observed data points. On 68 complete dentulous test persons (34 males, 34 females, mean age 45.9 ± 16.1 years), one pair of healthy natural teeth each was tested: n = 24 anterior teeth and n = 44 posterior teeth. The computer-assisted, randomized measurement was done by having the subjects bite on thin copper foils of different thickness (5-200 µm) inserted between the teeth. The threshold of active tactile sensibility was defined by the 50% value of correct answers. Additionally, the gradient of the sensibility curve and the support area (90-10% value) as a description of the shape of the sensibility curve were calculated. For modeling the sensibility curve, symmetric and asymmetric functions were used. The mean sensibility threshold was 14.2 ± 12.1 µm. The older the subject, the higher the tactile threshold (r = 0.42, p = 0.0006). The support area was 41.8 ± 43.3 µm. The higher the 50% threshold, the smaller the gradient of the curve and the larger the support area. The curves showing the active tactile sensibility of natural teeth demonstrate a tendency towards asymmetry, so that the active tactile sensibility of natural teeth can mathematically best be described by using the asymmetric Weibull function

Critical factors for innovative work behaviour in Latin American firms: test of an exploratory model

The aim of this study is to examine how transformational and transactional leaders, boost the employees? innovative work behaviour, directly or through work engagement, organizational climate for innovation and absorptive capacity in Latin American firms. A non-random sample of 1429 employees was used who had been working at least one year in the current company. The sample, composed of workers from different industries, was collected in postgraduate programs of business schools from seven Latin American countries. A multi-group structural equation model was built with the involved variables, which adopted two different conditions: i.e., unconstrained and constrained questionnaire measurement weights. According to the results, leadership by itself is insufficient to promote employees innovative work behaviour. Transformational and transactional leadership exert effect on this behaviour only through absorptive capacity and work engagement respectively. Likewise, absorptive capacity and employee work engagement show direct effects on innovative work behaviour. Additionally, organizational climate for innovation shows a significant moderating effect on the all relationships included in the model. Despite the cultural differences, the two-condition model yielded the same effect in each country, which indicates the validity of a general model of innovative work behaviour for the whole region supporting the common identity of this region. As a conclusion, leadership practices are needed to encourage innovative work behaviour within the Latin American organizational context, however some individual (engagement) and organizational (absorptive capacity) conditions are also needed to ensure this effect. Implications for human resources management are discussed

Prognostic impact of <i>CEBPA </i>mutational subgroups in adult AML

Despite recent refinements in the diagnostic and prognostic assessment of CEBPA mutations in AML, several questions remain open, i.e. implications of different types of basic region leucin zipper (bZIP) mutations, the role of co-mutations and the allelic state. Using pooled primary data analysis on 1010 CEBPA-mutant adult AML patients, a comparison was performed taking into account the type of mutation (bZIP: either typical in-frame insertion/deletion (InDel) mutations (bZIP InDel), frameshift InDel or nonsense mutations inducing translational stop (bZIP STOP) or single base-pair missense alterations (bZIP ms), and transcription activation domain (TAD) mutations) and the allelic state (single (smCEBPA) vs. double mutant (dmCEBPA)). Only bZIP InDel patients had significantly higher rates of complete remission and longer relapse free and overall survival (OS) compared with all other CEBPA-mutant subgroups. Moreover, co-mutations in bZIP InDel patients (e.g. GATA2, FLT3, WT1 as well as ELN2022 adverse risk aberrations) had no independent impact on OS, whereas in non-bZIP InDel patients, grouping according to ELN2022 recommendations added significant prognostic information. In conclusion, these results demonstrate bZIP InDel mutations to be the major independent determinant of outcome in CEBPA-mutant AML, thereby refining current classifications according to WHO (including all dmCEBPA and smCEBPA bZIP) as well as ELN2022 and ICC recommendations (including CEBPA bZIP ms). (Figure presented.)</p

Endoplasmic reticulum stress and the unfolded protein response in skeletal muscle of subjects suffering from peritoneal sepsis

We provide a descriptive characterization of the unfolded protein response (UPR) in skeletal muscle of human patients with peritoneal sepsis and a sepsis model of C57BL/6J mice. Patients undergoing open surgery were included in a cross-sectional study and blood and skeletal muscle samples were taken. Key markers of the UPR and cluster of differentiation 68 (CD68) as surrogate of inflammatory injury were evaluated by real-time PCR and histochemical staining. CD68 mRNA increased with sepsis in skeletal muscle of patients and animals (p < 0.05). Mainly the inositol-requiring enzyme 1α branch of the UPR was upregulated as shown by elevated X-box binding-protein 1 (XBP1u) and its spliced isoform (XBP1s) mRNA (p < 0.05, respectively). Increased expression of Gadd34 indicated activation of PRKR-Like Endoplasmic Reticulum Kinase (PERK) branch of the UPR, and was only observed in mice (p < 0.001) but not human study subjects. Selected cell death signals were upregulated in human and murine muscle, demonstrated by increased bcl-2 associated X protein mRNA and TUNEL staining (p < 0.05). In conclusion we provide a first characterization of the UPR in skeletal muscle in human sepsis

Recovery index, attentiveness and state of memory after xenon or isoflurane anaesthesia: a randomized controlled trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Performance of patients immediately after anaesthesia is an area of special interest and so a clinical trial was conducted to compare Xenon with Isoflurane anaesthesia. In order to assess the early cognitive recovery the syndrome short test (SST) according to Erzigkeit (Geromed GmbH) was applied.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>ASA I and II patients undergoing long and short surgical interventions were randomised to receive either general anaesthesia with Xenon or Isoflurane. The primary endpoint was the validated SST which covering memory disturbances and attentiveness. The test was used on the day prior to intervention, one and three hours post extubation. The secondary endpoint was the recovery index (RI) measured after the end of the inhalation of Xenon or Isoflurane. In addition the Aldrete score was evaluated up to 180 min. On the first post-operative day the patients rated the quality of the anaesthetic using a scoring system from 1-6.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The demographics of the groups were similar. The sum score of the SST delivered a clear trend one hour post extubation and a statistically significant superiority for Xenon three hours post extubation (p < 0.01). The RI likewise revealed a statistically significant superiority of Xenon 5 minutes post extubation (p < 0.01). The Aldrete score was significantly higher for 45 min. The scoring system results were also better after Xenon anaesthesia (p < 0.001).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The results show that recovery from anaesthesia and the early return of post-operative cognitive functions are significantly better after Xenon anaesthesia compared to Isoflurane. The results of the RI for Xenon are similar with the previously published results.</p> <p>Trial Registration</p> <p>The trial was registered with the number ISRCTN01110844 <url>http://www.controlled-trials.com/isrctn/pf/01110844</url>.</p

Randomized controlled phase 2 trial of hydroxychloroquine in childhood interstitial lung disease

Background No results of controlled trials are available for any of the few treatments offered to children with interstitial lung diseases (chILD). We evaluated hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) in a phase 2, prospective, multicentre, 1:1-randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group/crossover trial. HCQ (START arm) or placebo were given for 4 weeks. Then all subjects received HCQ for another 4 weeks. In the STOP arm subjects already taking HCQ were randomized to 12 weeks of HCQ or placebo (= withdrawal of HCQ). Then all subjects stopped treatment and were observed for another 12 weeks. Results 26 subjects were included in the START arm, 9 in the STOP arm, of these four subjects participated in both arms. The primary endpoint, presence or absence of a response to treatment, assessed as oxygenation (calculated from a change in transcutaneous O 2 -saturation of ≥ 5%, respiratory rate ≥ 20% or level of respiratory support), did not differ between placebo and HCQ groups. Secondary endpoints including change of O 2 -saturation ≥ 3%, health related quality of life, pulmonary function and 6-min-walk-test distance, were not different between groups. Finally combining all placebo and all HCQ treatment periods did not identify significant treatment effects. Overall effect sizes were small. HCQ was well tolerated, adverse events were not different between placebo and HCQ. Conclusions Acknowledging important shortcomings of the study, including a small study population, the treatment duration, lack of outcomes like lung function testing below age of 6 years, the small effect size of HCQ treatment observed requires careful reassessments of prescriptions in everyday practice (EudraCT-Nr.: 2013-003714-40, www.clinicaltrialsregister.eu , registered 02.07.2013)