Sodium bicarbonate ingestion and individual variability in time to peak pH

The aim of this study was to determine the individual variability in time to peak pH after the consumption of a 300mg.kg-1 dose of sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3). Seventeen active males volunteered to participate in the study (mean ± SD: age 21.38 ± 1.5y; mass 75.8 ± 5.8kg; height 176.8 ± 7.6cm). Participants reported to the laboratory where a resting capillary blood sample was taken aseptically from the fingertip. After this, 300 mg.kg-1 of NaHCO3 in 400ml of water with 50ml of flavoured cordial was ingested. Participants then rested for 90 min during which repeated blood samples were procured at 10 minute intervals for 60 mins and then every 5 min until 90 min. Blood pH concentrations were measured using a blood gas analyser. Results suggested that time to peak pH (64.41±18.78 min) was highly variable with a range of 10-85 min and a coefficient of variation of 29.16%. A bi-modal distribution occurred, at 65 and 75 min. In conclusion, researchers and athletes, when using NaHCO3 as an ergogenic aid, should determine, in advance their time to peak pH to best utilise the added buffering capacity this substance allows

Assessment of socio-techno-economic factors affecting the market adoption and evolution of 5G networks: Evidence from the 5G-PPP CHARISMA project

5G networks are rapidly becoming the means to accommodate the complex demands of vertical sectors. The European project CHARISMA is aiming to develop a hierarchical, distributed-intelligence 5G architecture, offering low latency, security, and open access as features intrinsic to its design. Finding its place in such a complex landscape consisting of heterogeneous technologies and devices, requires the designers of the CHARISMA and other similar 5G architectures, as well as other related market actors to take into account the multiple technical, economic and social aspects that will affect the deployment and the rate of adoption of 5G networks by the general public. In this paper, a roadmapping activity identifying the key technological and socio-economic issues is performed, so as to help ensure a smooth transition from the legacy to future 5G networks. Based on the fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) method, a survey of pairwise comparisons has been conducted within the CHARISMA project by 5G technology and deployment experts, with several critical aspects identified and prioritized. The conclusions drawn are expected to be a valuable tool for decision and policy makers as well as for stakeholders

Preliminary data on COVID-19 in patients with hemoglobinopathies : A multicentre ICET-A study

Objectives: This study aims to investigate, retrospectively, the epidemiological and clinical characteristics, laboratory results, radiologic findings, and outcomes of COVID-19 in patients with transfusion-dependent β thalassemia major (TM), β-thalassemia intermedia (TI) and sickle cell disease (SCD). Design: A total of 17 Centers, from 10 countries, following 9,499 patients with hemoglobinopathies, participated in the survey. Main outcome data: Clinical, laboratory, and radiologic findings and outcomes of patients with COVID-19 were collected from medical records and summarized. Results: A total of 13 patients, 7 with TM, 3 with TI, and 3 with SCD, with confirmed COVID-19, were identified in 6 Centers from different countries. The overall mean age of patients was 33.7±12.3 years (range:13-66); 9/13 (69.2%) patients were females. Six patients had pneumonia, and 4 needed oxygen therapy. Increased C-reactive protein (6/10), high serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH; 6/10), and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR; 6/10) were the most common laboratory findings. 6/10 patients had an exacerbation of anemia (2 with SCD). In the majority of patients, the course of COVID-19 was moderate (6/10) and severe in 3/10 patients. A 30-year-old female with TM, developed a critical SARS-CoV-2 infection, followed by death in an Intensive Care Unit. In one Center (Oman), the majority of suspected cases were observed in patients with SCD between the age of 21 and 40 years. A rapid clinical improvement of tachypnea/dyspnea and oxygen saturation was observed, after red blood cell exchange transfusion, in a young girl with SCD and worsening of anemia (Hb level from 9.2 g/dl to 6.1g/dl). Conclusions: The data presented in this survey permit an early assessment of the clinical characteristics of COVID 19 in different countries. 70% of symptomatic patients with COVID-19 required hospitalization. The presence of associated co-morbidities can aggravate the severity of COVID- 19, leading to a poorer prognosis irrespective of age

BOLITA, an Arabidopsis AP2/ERF-like transcription factor that affects cell expansion and proliferation/differentiation pathways

The BOLITA (BOL) gene, an AP2/ERF transcription factor, was characterized with the help of an activation tag mutant and overexpression lines in Arabidopsis and tobacco. The leaf size of plants overexpressing BOL was smaller than wild type plants due to a reduction in both cell size and cell number. Moreover, severe overexpressors showed ectopic callus formation in roots. Accordingly, global gene expression analysis using the overexpression mutant reflected the alterations in cell proliferation, differentiation and growth through expression changes in RBR, CYCD, and TCP genes, as well as genes involved in cell expansion (i.e. expansins and the actin remodeling factor ADF5). Furthermore, the expression of hormone signaling (i.e. auxin and cytokinin), biosynthesis (i.e. ethylene and jasmonic acid) and regulatory genes was found to be perturbed in bol-D mutant leave