Runner’s Profile and Propensity to Sports Injury

Se evalúa las relaciones entre el perfil sociodemográfico, la accidentabilidad y la propensión al accidente de los participantes en tres eventos deportivos: Zurich Marató de Barcelona, Cros de Muntanya Can Caralleu, y Marató Borredà-Xtrail. Una adaptación del cuestionario de propensión al accidente deportivo (PAD-22) de Latorre y Pantoja (2013) fue administrado a un total de 237 corredores. Los principales resultados muestran que: los corredores tienden a ser mayoritariamente varones, de entre 30 y 46 años, asalariados, con estudios postobligatorios, con experiencia previa en eventos de larga distancia, entrenan una media de 4 veces y un total de 7 horas a la semana; y los corredores de la maratón por asfalto tienen una sobreestimación de la Competencia Percibida y grados de Competitividad mayores a los corredores por montañaThis study evaluates relations between sociodemographic profile, accident rate and accident’s propensity of three sport events participants: Zurich Marató de Barcelona, Cros de Muntanya Can Caralleu & Marató Borredà-Xtrail. The used method was an adaptation of the sports accident prone scale (PAD-22) from Latorre y Pantoja (2013), to 237 runners. The main results show that: runners tend to be mostly men, aged of 30-46 years, are salaried, have post-compulsory studies, have some experience in long distance events, train a mean of 4 times and more than 7 hours per week; and marathon asphalt runners have a overestimation of Perceived Competence and elevated degrees of Competitiveness, more than trail runnersEste trabajo forma parte del Proyecto de Investigación, con código 2014 PINEF 00006 y ha sido realizado con el apoyo del programa de becas predoctorales del Instituto Nacional de Educación Física de Cataluña (PINEFC-2015). Agradecemos el apoyo dado por el INEFC en la realización de este estudio, puesto que, sin su cobijo, no se hubiera podido llevar a cabo con las mismas condicione

Effect of Foliar Fungicides on Hail-damaged Corn

To test if fungicide applied to hail-injured corn improves yield and reduces disease, we simulated hail at VT and R2 growth stages for three years at three Iowa locations for a total of five site years. Hail damage was simulated using a string trimmer or an ice-propelling machine and non-hail controls were included. Estimated defoliation ranged from 5 to 51%, along with ear and stalk injury. After hail events, Headline AMP fungicide (pyraclostrobin + metconazole) was applied at an “immediate” or “deferred” timing (averaging 3 and 8 days afterwards, respectively). A non-fungicide treated control was included in hailed and non-hail control plots. Hail injury reduced fungal foliar disease compared to plants without hail injury, although overall disease severity was low during this study. Hail events at VT or R2 decreased yield compared to control plots (P = 0.1). Fungicide application did not provide yield-increasing plant health benefits after VT and R2 hail, at either “immediate” or “deferred” timing. While yield differences were not statistically significant, a cost/benefit analysis showed deferred fungicide application after VT hail, and immediate and deferred applications after VT for non-hail plots did provide positive economic returns. Results will help inform decisions about fungicide use in hail-damaged corn when foliar diseases are not present at high levels

Prolonged residence of an albumin–IL-4 fusion protein in secondary lymphoid organs ameliorates experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis

Interleukin-4 (IL-4) suppresses the development of multiple sclerosis in a murine model of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Here, we show that, in mice with EAE, the accumulation and persistence in the lymph nodes and spleen of a systemically administered serum albumin (SA)–IL-4 fusion protein leads to higher efficacy in preventing disease development than the administration of wild-type IL-4 or of the clinically approved drug fingolimod. We also show that the SA–IL-4 fusion protein prevents immune-cell infiltration in the spinal cord, decreases integrin expression in antigen-specific CD4+ T cells, increases the number of granulocyte-like myeloid-derived suppressor cells (and their expression of programmed-death-ligand-1) in spinal cord-draining lymph nodes and decreases the number of T helper 17 cells, a pathogenic cell population in EAE. In mice with chronic EAE, SA–IL-4 inhibits immune-cell infiltration into the spinal cord and completely abrogates immune responses to myelin antigen in the spleen. The SA–IL-4 fusion protein may be prophylactically and therapeutically advantageous in the treatment of multiple sclerosis

Enhanced lymph node trafficking of engineered IL‐10 suppresses rheumatoid arthritis in murine models

Objective Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a major autoimmune disease that causes synovitis and joint damage. Although clinical trials using interleukin‐10 (IL‐10), an anti‐inflammatory cytokine, have been performed as a potential treatment of RA, its therapeutic effects have been limited, potentially due to insufficient residence in lymphoid organs, where antigen recognition primarily occurs. Here, we engineered IL‐10 as a fusion with serum albumin (SA). Methods SA‐fused IL‐10 was recombinantly expressed. After intravenous injection to mice, retention of SA‐IL‐10 at lymph node (LN), immune cell compositions at paws, and therapeutic effect on arthritis model mice were assessed. Results SA fusion to IL‐10 led to enhanced LN accumulation compared with unmodified IL‐10. Intravenous SA‐IL‐10 treatment restored immune cell composition in the paws to a normal status, elevated the frequency of suppressive M2 macrophages, reduced IL‐17A amount in the paw‐draining LN, and protected joint morphology. Intravenous SA‐IL‐10 treatment showed similar efficacy as treatment with an anti‐TNF‐α antibody. SA‐IL‐10 was equally effective when administered intravenously, locally or subcutaneously, which benefits clinical translation of this molecule. Conclusion SA fusion to IL‐10 is a simple but effective engineering strategy for RA therapy and holds clinical translational potential

Neonicotinoid seed treatments of soybean provide negligible benefits to US farmers

Neonicotinoids are the most widely used insecticides worldwide and are typically deployed as seed treatments (hereafter NST) in many grain and oilseed crops, including soybeans. However, there is a surprising dearth of information regarding NST effectiveness in increasing soybean seed yield, and most published data suggest weak, or inconsistent yield benefit. The US is the key soybean-producing nation worldwide and this work includes soybean yield data from 194 randomized and replicated field studies conducted specifically to evaluate the effect of NSTs on soybean seed yield at sites within 14 states from 2006 through 2017. Here we show that across the principal soybean-growing region of the country, there are negligible and management-specific yield benefits attributed to NSTs. Across the entire region, the maximum observed yield benefits due to fungicide (FST = fungicide seed treatment) + neonicotinoid use (FST + NST) reached 0.13 Mg/ha. Across the entire region, combinations of management practices affected the effectiveness of FST + N ST to increase yield but benefits were minimal ranging between 0.01 to 0.22 Mg/ha. Despite widespread use, this practice appears to have little benefit for most of soybean producers; across the entire region, a partial economic analysis further showed inconsistent evidence of a break-even cost of FST or FST + N ST. These results demonstrate that the current widespread prophylactic use of NST in the key soybean-producing areas of the US should be re-evaluated by producers and regulators alike

Neonicotinoid seed treatments of soybean provide negligible benefits to US farmers

Neonicotinoids are the most widely used insecticides worldwide and are typically deployed as seed treatments (hereafter NST) in many grain and oilseed crops, including soybeans. However, there is a surprising dearth of information regarding NST effectiveness in increasing soybean seed yield, and most published data suggest weak, or inconsistent yield benefit. The US is the key soybean-producing nation worldwide and this work includes soybean yield data from 194 randomized and replicated field studies conducted specifically to evaluate the effect of NSTs on soybean seed yield at sites within 14 states from 2006 through 2017. Here we show that across the principal soybean-growing region of the country, there are negligible and management-specific yield benefits attributed to NSTs. Across the entire region, the maximum observed yield benefits due to fungicide (FST = fungicide seed treatment) + neonicotinoid use (FST + NST) reached 0.13 Mg/ha. Across the entire region, combinations of management practices affected the effectiveness of FST + N ST to increase yield but benefits were minimal ranging between 0.01 to 0.22 Mg/ha. Despite widespread use, this practice appears to have little benefit for most of soybean producers; across the entire region, a partial economic analysis further showed inconsistent evidence of a break-even cost of FST or FST + N ST. These results demonstrate that the current widespread prophylactic use of NST in the key soybean-producing areas of the US should be re-evaluated by producers and regulators alike

γ-Tubulin 2 Nucleates Microtubules and Is Downregulated in Mouse Early Embryogenesis

γ-Tubulin is the key protein for microtubule nucleation. Duplication of the γ-tubulin gene occurred several times during evolution, and in mammals γ-tubulin genes encode proteins which share ∼97% sequence identity. Previous analysis of Tubg1 and Tubg2 knock-out mice has suggested that γ-tubulins are not functionally equivalent. Tubg1 knock-out mice died at the blastocyst stage, whereas Tubg2 knock-out mice developed normally and were fertile. It was proposed that γ-tubulin 1 represents ubiquitous γ-tubulin, while γ-tubulin 2 may have some specific functions and cannot substitute for γ-tubulin 1 deficiency in blastocysts. The molecular basis of the suggested functional difference between γ-tubulins remains unknown. Here we show that exogenous γ-tubulin 2 is targeted to centrosomes and interacts with γ-tubulin complex proteins 2 and 4. Depletion of γ-tubulin 1 by RNAi in U2OS cells causes impaired microtubule nucleation and metaphase arrest. Wild-type phenotype in γ-tubulin 1-depleted cells is restored by expression of exogenous mouse or human γ-tubulin 2. Further, we show at both mRNA and protein levels using RT-qPCR and 2D-PAGE, respectively, that in contrast to Tubg1, the Tubg2 expression is dramatically reduced in mouse blastocysts. This indicates that γ-tubulin 2 cannot rescue γ-tubulin 1 deficiency in knock-out blastocysts, owing to its very low amount. The combined data suggest that γ-tubulin 2 is able to nucleate microtubules and substitute for γ-tubulin 1. We propose that mammalian γ-tubulins are functionally redundant with respect to the nucleation activity

Synthetic Nanoparticles for Vaccines and Immunotherapy

The immune system plays a critical role in our health. No other component of human physiology plays a decisive role in as diverse an array of maladies, from deadly diseases with which we are all familiar to equally terrible esoteric conditions: HIV, malaria, pneumococcal and influenza infections; cancer; atherosclerosis; autoimmune diseases such as lupus, diabetes, and multiple sclerosis. The importance of understanding the function of the immune system and learning how to modulate immunity to protect against or treat disease thus cannot be overstated. Fortunately, we are entering an exciting era where the science of immunology is defining pathways for the rational manipulation of the immune system at the cellular and molecular level, and this understanding is leading to dramatic advances in the clinic that are transforming the future of medicine.1,2 These initial advances are being made primarily through biologic drugs– recombinant proteins (especially antibodies) or patient-derived cell therapies– but exciting data from preclinical studies suggest that a marriage of approaches based in biotechnology with the materials science and chemistry of nanomaterials, especially nanoparticles, could enable more effective and safer immune engineering strategies. This review will examine these nanoparticle-based strategies to immune modulation in detail, and discuss the promise and outstanding challenges facing the field of immune engineering from a chemical biology/materials engineering perspectiveNational Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grants AI111860, CA174795, CA172164, AI091693, and AI095109)United States. Department of Defense (W911NF-13-D-0001 and Awards W911NF-07-D-0004

Patterns in COVID-19 vaccination among children aged 5–11 years in Alberta, Canada: Lessons for future vaccination campaigns

Objectives: In Alberta, Canada, the COVID-19 vaccination program for children aged 5–11 years was launched on November 26, 2021. Our objectives were to determine the cumulative vaccine coverage, stratified by age, during the first thirteen months of vaccine availability, and investigate factors associated with vaccine uptake. Study design: This retrospective cohort study used population-based administrative health data. Methods: We determined cumulative vaccine coverage among 5–11 year olds, stratified by year of age, during the first thirteen months of vaccine availability and used a modified Poisson regression to evaluate factors associated with vaccine uptake. Results: Of 377,103 eligible children, 44.8 % (n = 168,761) received one or more doses of COVID-19 vaccine during the study period (9.7 % received only one dose, while 35.1 % received 2 doses). Almost 90 % of initial doses were received within the first two months of vaccine availability. We found a step-wise relationship between increasing child age and higher vaccine coverage. Conclusions: Plateaued vaccine uptake indicates a need to adapt programmatic efforts to encourage parents to act on positive vaccination intentions, and reach the large contingent of parents who have reported that they remain undecided. In order to promote vaccine uptake, messaging around vaccine safety and need should be tailored to child age, rather than uniformly applied across the 5–11 year age range

Conferring extracellular matrix affinity enhances local therapeutic efficacy of anti-TNF-α antibody in a murine model of rheumatoid arthritis

Background Although disease in a majority of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients is often initially limited to one or a few joints, currently approved medications including anti-tumor necrosis factor-α antibody (α-TNF) are injected systemically. Given that α-TNF systemic injection typically does not cure RA and involves risk of treatment-related adverse events, one possible approach to enhance therapeutic efficacy and reduce α-TNF systemic exposure is to retain the antibodies in arthritic joints after local administration. The aim of this study was to evaluate the approach of conferring extracellular matrix (ECM) binding affinity to α-TNF antibodies in a RA model. Methods α-TNF was chemically conjugated with a promiscuous ECM-binding peptide derived from placenta growth factor 2 (PlGF-2123-144). The binding activity of PlGF-2123-144-conjugated α-TNF (PlGF-2123-144-α-TNF) against ECM proteins was assessed by ELISA and by immunostaining on human cartilage specimens. The effect of conjugation on antibody function was assessed as a neutralizing activity against osteoclast differentiation. Retention at the injection site and therapeutic efficacy of PlGF-2123-144-α-TNF were tested in a collagen antibody-induced arthritis (CAIA) model in the mouse. Results PlGF-2123-144 peptide conjugation conferred α-TNF with affinity to ECM proteins without impairment of antigen recognition. PlGF-2123-144-α-TNF locally injected at a paw in the CAIA model was retained for at least 96 h at the injection site, whereas unmodified α-TNF was dispersed rapidly after injection. Local treatment with unmodified α-TNF did not suppress the arthritis score relative to isotype controls. By contrast, local administration of PlGF-2123-144-α-TNF suppressed arthritis development almost completely in the treated paw even at a 1000× lower dose. Conclusion These data demonstrate that retention of α-TNF in arthritic joints can suppress arthritis development and enhance therapeutic efficacy. This simple bioengineering approach of ECM-binding peptide conjugation offers a powerful and clinically translational approach to treat RA