Valosaasteesta päätoimittajalle

Vastine päätoimittaja Jan Rydmanin Tieteessä tapahtuu -lehdessä 5/2002 olleeseen kirjoitukseen

Puulustot: ympäristömuutosten tietopankki

Kirjoitus perustuu esitelmään Suomalaisen Tiedeakatemian istunnossa 11.2.2002.

Tendência genética na raça Gir

A importância do peso e do ganho de peso para produção de bovino de corte tem sido responsável pela grande ênfase dada a essas características pelos criadores de diferentes raças. No entanto, é importante que haja um acompanhamento dos progressos genéticos que os diferentes programas de melhoramento vêm realizando, como forma de se ter uma avaliação global da raça. Assim, o presente trabalho teve o objetivo de avaliar as tendências genéticas dos ganhos de peso pré e pós-desmama na raça Gir. Foram utilizadas informações de 53.123 animais e as tendências genéticas foram calculadas pela regressão das médias anuais das diferenças esperadas na progênie sobre o ano de nascimento do bezerro. Verificaram-se tendências positivas dos efeitos genéticos direto e materno para ganho de peso pré-desmama e do efeito genético direto para ganho de peso pós-desmama. Os coeficientes de regressão foram 0,19, 0,06 e 0,026 g dia-1, respectivamente, para os efeitos genéticos direto e materno sobre o ganho pré-desmama, e efeito genético direto para o ganho pós-desmama.

Sensitive bioassay for determination of fluconazole concentrations in plasma using a Candida albicans mutant hypersusceptible to azoles.

The antifungal agent fluconazole (FLC) is widely used in clinical practice. Monitoring FLC levels is useful in complicated clinical settings and in experimental infection models. A bioassay using Candida pseudotropicalis, a simple and cost-effective method, is validated only for FLC levels ranging from 5 to 40 mg/liter. An extension of the analytical range is needed to cover most yeast MICs. A new bioassay in RPMI agar containing methylene blue was developed using C. albicans DSY1024, a mutant rendered hypersusceptible to FLC constructed by the deletion of the multidrug efflux transporter genes CDR1, CDR2, CaMDR1, and FLU1. Reproducible standard curves were obtained with FLC concentrations in plasma ranging from 1 to 100 mg/liter (quadratic regression coefficient > 0.997). The absolute sensitivity was 0.026 microg of FLC. The method was internally validated according to current guidelines for analytical method validation. Both accuracy and precision lied in the required +/-15% range. FLC levels measured by bioassay and by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) performed with 62 plasma samples from humans and rats showed a strong correlation (coefficients, 0.979 and 0.995, respectively; percent deviations of bioassay from HPLC values, 0.44% +/- 15.31% and 2.66% +/- 7.54%, respectively). In summary, this newly developed bioassay is sensitive, simple, rapid, and inexpensive. It allows nonspecialized laboratories to determine FLC levels in plasma to within the clinically relevant concentration range and represents a useful tool for experimental treatment models.

European Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance (EuroCMR) registry--multi national results from 57 centers in 15 countries.

BACKGROUND: The EuroCMR registry sought to evaluate indications, image quality, safety and impact on patient management of clinical routine CMR in a multi-national European setting. Furthermore, interim analysis of the specific protocols should underscore the prognostic potential of CMR. METHODS: Multi-center registry with consecutive enrolment of patients in 57 centers in 15 countries. More than 27000 consecutive patients were enrolled. RESULTS: The most important indications were risk stratification in suspected CAD/Ischemia (34.2%), workup of myocarditis/cardiomyopathies (32.2%), as well as assessment of viability (14.6%). Image quality was diagnostic in more than 98% of cases. Severe complications occurred in 0.026%, always associated with stress testing. No patient died during or due to CMR. In 61.8% CMR findings impacted on patient management. Importantly, in nearly 8.7% the final diagnosis based on CMR was different to the diagnosis before CMR, leading to a complete change in management. Interim analysis of suspected CAD and risk stratification in HCM specific protocols revealed a low rate of adverse events for suspected CAD patients with normal stress CMR (1.0% per year), and for HCM patients without LGE (2.7% per year). CONCLUSION: The most important indications in Europe are risk stratification in suspected CAD/Ischemia, work-up of myocarditis and cardiomyopathies, as well as assessment of viability. CMR imaging is a safe procedure, has diagnostic image quality in more than 98% of cases, and its results have strong impact on patient management. Interim analyses of the specific protocols underscore the prognostic value of clinical routine CMR in CAD and HCM.

Crescimento e produção de primeiro ciclo da bananeira 'Prata Anã' (AAB) em sete espaçamentos

Este estudo teve por objetivo verificar o comportamento da bananeira (Musa spp.) 'Prata Anã' no primeiro ciclo de produção na localidade de Jaíba, MG, submetida a sete espaçamentos, com irrigação. Os tratamentos foram: triângulo: 2,7 m x 3,2 m (1.157 covas/ha) e 2,9 m x 3,4 m (1.014 covas/ha); fileira dupla em triângulo: 4,5 m x 2,0 m x 3,0 m (1.026 covas/ha) e 4,5 m x 2,0 m x 2,0 m (1.538 covas/ha); fileira dupla em retângulo: 4,5 m x 2,0 m x 3,5 m (879 covas/ha); e retângulo: 4,0 m x 2,0 m (1.250 covas/ha) e 3,0 m x 2,0 m (1.666 covas/ha). Os sistemas de espaçamento e as densidades populacionais testados não alteraram as taxas de crescimento das plantas nem suas características na época da colheita. Entretanto, as bananeiras plantadas em maiores densidades apresentaram maior produtividade, atingindo até 29,1 t/ha. As plantas apresentaram, em média, ciclo do plantio à colheita de 411 dias, ciclo do florescimento à colheita de 141 dias, e cachos com 17,7 kg, 9,1 pencas e 134 frutos. Para o primeiro ciclo de produção, o espaçamento mais apropriado foi de 3,0 m x 2,0 m, em retângulo, para a região de Jaíba.

Benefit of anti-HER2-coated paclitaxel-loaded immuno-nanoparticles in the treatment of disseminated ovarian cancer: Therapeutic efficacy and biodistribution in mice.

The benefit of polymeric immuno-nanoparticles (NPs-Tx-HER), consisting of paclitaxel (Tx)-loaded nanoparticles coated with anti-HER2 monoclonal antibodies (Herceptin, trastuzumab), in cancer treatment was assessed in a disseminated xenograft ovarian cancer model induced by intraperitoneal inoculation of SKOV-3 cells overexpressing HER2 antigens. The study was focused on the evaluation of therapeutic efficacy and biodistribution of NPs-Tx-HER compared to other Tx formulations. The therapeutic efficacy was determined by two methods: bioluminescence imaging and survival rate. The treatment regimen consisted in an initial dose of 20mg/kg Tx administered as 10mg/kg intravenously (IV) and 10mg/kg intraperitonealy (IP), followed by five alternative IP and IV injections of 10mg/kg Tx every 3 days. The bioluminescence study has clearly shown the superior anti-tumor activity of NPs-Tx-HER compared to free Tx. As a confirmation of these results, a significantly longer survival of mice was observed for NPs-Tx-HER treatment compared to free Tx, Tx-loaded nanoparticles coated with an irrelevant mAb (Mabthera, rituximab) or Herceptin alone, indicating the potential of immuno-nanoparticles in cancer treatment. The biodistribution pattern of Tx was assessed on healthy and tumor bearing mice after IV or IP administration. An equivalent biodistribution profile was observed in healthy mice for Tx encapsulated either in uncoated nanoparticles (NPs-Tx) or in NPs-Tx-HER. No significant difference in Tx biodistribution was observed after IV or IP injection, except for a lower accumulation in the lungs when NPs were administered by IP. Encapsulated Tx accumulated in the organs of the reticulo-endothelial system (RES) such as the liver and spleen, whereas free Tx had a non-specific distribution in all tested organs. Compared to free Tx, the single dose injection (IV or IP) of encapsulated Tx in mice bearing tumors induced a higher tumor accumulation. However, no difference in overall tumor accumulation between NPs-Tx-HER and NPs-Tx was observed. In conclusion, the encapsulation of Tx into NPs-Tx-HER immuno-nanoparticles resulted in an improved efficacy of drug in the treatment of disseminated ovarian cancer overexpressing HER2 receptors.

Fallers in postacute rehabilitation have worse functional recovery and increased health services use.

OBJECTIVES: To determine characteristics associated with single and multiple fallers during postacute rehabilitation and to investigate the relationship among falls, rehabilitation outcomes, and health services use. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Geriatric postacute rehabilitation hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Patients (n = 4026) consecutively admitted over a 5-year period (2003-2007). MEASUREMENTS: All falls during hospitalization were prospectively recorded. Collected patients' characteristics included health, functional, cognitive, and affective status data. Length of stay and discharge destination were retrieved from the administrative database. RESULTS: During rehabilitation stay, 11.4% (458/4026) of patients fell once and an additional 6.3% (253/4026) fell several times. Compared with nonfallers, fallers were older and more frequently men. They were globally frailer, with lower Barthel score and more comorbidities, cognitive impairment, and depressive symptoms. In multivariate analyses, compared with 1-time fallers, multiple fallers were more likely to have lower Barthel score (adjOR: 2.45, 95% CI: 1.48-4.07; P = .001), cognitive impairment (adjOR: 1.43, 95% CI: 1.04-1.96; P = .026), and to have been admitted from a medicine ward (adjOR: 1.55, 95% CI: 1.03-2.32; P = .035). Odds of poor functional recovery and institutionalization at discharge, as well as length of stay, increased incrementally from nonfallers to 1-time and to multiple fallers. CONCLUSION: In these patients admitted to postacute rehabilitation, the proportion of fallers and multiple fallers was high. Multiple fallers were particularly at risk of poor functional recovery and increased health services use. Specific fall prevention programs targeting high-risk patients with cognitive impairment and low functional status should be developed in further studies.