Introduction
Skin neoplasms are the most frequent malignant lesions, increasing patient's morbidity when associated with skin field cancerisation. There is a need to understand the current therapies, ...both clinical and surgical.
Methods
A systematic review was performed according to the PRISMA guideline, registered in PROSPERO: CRD42018114826, including studies from 2012 to 2019.
Results
Seven hundred and eighty‐two studies were found, of which 21 were included. Of these, 8 primary studies were randomised controlled trials: fractional CO2 laser‐assisted photodynamic therapy (PDT) vs. PDT (no significance), daylight PDT vs. PDT (no significance, daylight PDT had less adverse effects), trichloroacetic acid peel vs. 5‐aminolaevulinic acid PDT (clinical improvement of aminolaevulinic acid PDT), 5‐Fluorouracil 0.5%/Salicylic Acid 10% vs. vehicle (clinical improvement of 5‐Fluorouracil 0.5%/Salicylic Acid 10%), photolyase vs. sun filters (no significance), sunscreens vs. sunscreens plus DNA repair enzymes (DNA Repair Enzymes was more effective in reducing field cancerisation). Only one systematic review was included in which there was effectiveness of daylight PDT in the treatment of actinic keratoses. The other 12 included studies had a lower level of evidence including surgical studies.
Conclusion
Clinical studies are more relevant in the treatment of the field cancerisation. There is a lack of surgical studies.
•We used two independent approaches to identify the beginning and end of the critical period for seed number determination in soybean.•Critical period for seed number determination occurs during the ...R3-R6 phase.•Seed number was related to biomass accumulation during the critical period.•Accumulated biomass is a better predictor of seed number than crop growth rate or duration alone.
Seed number (SN) is positively associated with aboveground dry matter (ADM) accumulation in most crop species. In soybean, there are discrepancies among studies relative to the start and end of the critical period for seed number determination. The objective of this study was to more precisely identify those two stages. To do so, we followed two approaches: (i) analyses of experimental data where differences in SN occurred as a result of variation in crop growth due to weather and management practices and (ii) review of published experiments where soybean was subjected to artificial stresses during specific crop phases. Following the first approach, we analyzed the relationships between SN versus ADM accumulation and its components, crop growth rate (CGR) and duration, for different reproductive phases using data from experiments that portrayed a wide range of environments and management practices. In the second approach, we compared SN values in stressed versus non-stressed treatments. Accumulated ADM during the R3 to R6 phase explained ca. 70 % of the variation in SN across experiments. The CGR during R3-R6 was also a good predictor of SN, but it had lower explanatory power compared with accumulated ADM, because CGR did not account for changes in duration of critical period across experiments. Review of published data, wherein soybean crops were subjected to artificial stresses during different reproductive phases, confirmed that the R3-R6 phase is a critical phase for SN determination in soybean. Key findings of this study were: (i) critical period for SN determination in soybean occurs during the R3-R6 phase and (ii) accumulated ADM during the critical period is a better predictor of SN compared with CGR because it accounts for differences in the duration of the critical period as a result of weather and management.
Climate change causes marine species to shift and expand their distributions, often leading to changes in species diversity. While increased biodiversity is often assumed to confer positive benefits ...on ecosystem functioning, many examples have shown that the relationship is specific to the ecosystem and function studied and is often driven by functional composition and diversity. In the northwestern Gulf of Mexico, tropical species expansion was shown to have increased estuarine fish and invertebrate diversity; however, it is not yet known how those increases have affected functional diversity. To address this knowledge gap, two metrics of functional diversity, functional richness (FRic) and functional dispersion (FDis), were estimated in each year for a 38‐year study period, for each of the eight major bays along the Texas coast. Then, the community‐weighted mean (CWM) trait values for each of the functional traits are calculated to assess how functional composition has changed through time. Finally, principal component analysis (PCA) was used to identify species contributing most to changing functional diversity. We found significant increases in log‐functional richness in both spring and fall, and significant decreases in functional dispersion in spring, suggesting that although new functional types are entering the bays, assemblages are becoming more dominated by similar functional types. Community‐weighted trait means showed significant increases in the relative abundance of traits associated with large, long‐lived, higher trophic level species, suggesting an increase in periodic and equilibrium life‐history strategists within the bays. PCA identified mainly native sciaenid species as contributing most to functional diversity trends although several tropical species also show increasing trends through time. We conclude that the climate‐driven species expansion in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico led to a decrease in functional dispersion due to increasing relative abundance of species with similar life‐history characteristics, and thus the communities have become more functionally homogeneous.
Distribution shifts in fish species, which have been linked to increasing temperatures, have led to subsequent increases in fish species diversity. In our study, increasing species diversity led to increased functional richness but decreased functional dispersion. Increasing prevalence of large, long‐lived, predatory species has resulted in functional homogenization of the fish assemblages.
The aims of this study were to predict carcass and meat traits, as well as the chemical composition of the 9th to 11th rib sections of beef cattle from portable NIR spectra. The 9th to 11th rib ...section was obtained from 60 Nellore bulls and cull cows. NIR spectra were acquired at: P1 -center of Longissimus muscle; and P2 -subcutaneous fat cap. The models accurately estimated (P ≥ 0.083) all carcass and meat quality traits, except those for predicting red (a*) and yellow (b*) intensity from P1, and 12th-rib fat from P2. However, precision was highly variable among the models; those for the prediction of carcass pHu, 12th rib fat, toughness from P1, and those for 12th rib fat, a* and b* from P2 presented high precision (R2 ≥ 0.65 or CCC ≥ 0.63), whereas all other models evaluated presented moderate to low precision (R2 ≤ 0.39). Models built from P1 and P2 accurately estimated (P ≥ 0.066) the chemical composition of the meat plus fat, bones and, meat plus fat plus bones, except those for predicting the ether extract (EE) and crude protein (CP) of bones and the EE of Meat plus bones fraction from P2. However, precision was highly variable among the models (-0.08 ≤ R2 ≤ 0.86) of the 9th and 11th rib section. Those models for the prediction of dry matter (DM) and EE of the bones from P1; of EE from P1; and of EE, mineral matter (MM), CP from P2 of meat plus fat plus bones presented high precision (R2 ≥ 0.76 or CCC ≥ 0.62), whereas all other models evaluated presented moderate to low precision (R2 ≤ 0.45). Thus, models built from portable NIR spectra acquired at different points of the 9th to 11th rib section were recommended for predicting carcass and muscle quality traits as well as for predicting the chemical composition of this section of beef cattle. However, it is noteworthy, that the small sample size was one of the limitations of this study.
Animal models for the study of leishmaniasis immunology Loría-Cervera, Elsy Nalleli; Andrade-Narváez, Fernando José
Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo,
2014 Jan-Feb, 2014-01-00, 20140101, 2014-01-01, Letnik:
56, Številka:
1
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Leishmaniasis remains a major public health problem worldwide and is classified as Category I by the TDR/WHO, mainly due to the absence of control. Many experimental models like rodents, dogs and ...monkeys have been developed, each with specific features, in order to characterize the immune response to Leishmania species, but none reproduces the pathology observed in human disease. Conflicting data may arise in part because different parasite strains or species are being examined, different tissue targets (mice footpad, ear, or base of tail) are being infected, and different numbers ("low" 1 × 10(2) and "high" 1 × 10(6)) of metacyclic promastigotes have been inoculated. Recently, new approaches have been proposed to provide more meaningful data regarding the host response and pathogenesis that parallels human disease. The use of sand fly saliva and low numbers of parasites in experimental infections has led to mimic natural transmission and find new molecules and immune mechanisms which should be considered when designing vaccines and control strategies. Moreover, the use of wild rodents as experimental models has been proposed as a good alternative for studying the host-pathogen relationships and for testing candidate vaccines. To date, using natural reservoirs to study Leishmania infection has been challenging because immunologic reagents for use in wild rodents are lacking. This review discusses the principal immunological findings against Leishmania infection in different animal models highlighting the importance of using experimental conditions similar to natural transmission and reservoir species as experimental models to study the immunopathology of the disease.
The eco-physiological yield determinants of four potato genotypes suitable for processing into French fries were studied. Field trials were carried out during the growing seasons 2016/17 and 2017/18 ...at Balcarce, Argentina (−37.85 S, −58.19 W). Genotypes, identified as Bal1, Bal2, Bal3 and Bal4, have growing cycles of 95–105, 100–110, 110–120, and 120–130 days after emergence, respectively. Intercepted photosynthetic active radiation (PARint), radiation use efficiency (RUE), harvest index (HI) and tuber yield were evaluated during both growing seasons. Bal4 achieved the highest dry matter tuber yield in both growing seasons, with 1412 and 1879 g mˉ² for 2016/17 and 2017/18, respectively. Due to a combination of a high PARint and RUE values, tuber dry matter in Bal4 was 20–30 % higher than that achieved by other genotypes. PARint throughout the growing cycle was 1025 and 1121 MJ mˉ² for Bal4, for 2016/17 and 2017/18 seasons, respectively; these values were 10–22 % higher than those observed for the other genotypes. RUE was 1.66 and 2.02 g MJˉ1 for Bal4 in 2016/17 and 2017/18 growing seasons, respectively, these values are 14–18 % higher than those observed for the other genotypes. HI varied between 0.81 and 0.87 for all genotypes, in both seasons. PARint, and RUE were the two most critical yield determining factors that explained the differences in tuber dry matter yield between the potato genotypes. Bal4 showed highest yields due to a particular combination of high PARint and high RUE, not reported in the literature, so far. These results could contribute to improve early selection in future breeding programs, to better adjust growth models and to establish specific management strategies for a particular genotype.
•The eco-physiological yield determinants of four potato genotypes were studied.•Genotypes differed in cycle length and in intercepted radiation.•Genotypes also differed in radiation use efficiency and in harvest index.•One genotype combined high radiation interception and high radiation use efficiency.
Introduction
The species Lantana camara is used in folk medicine. The biological activities of this medicinal plant are attributable to the presence of various derivatives of triterpenoids and ...phenolic compounds present in its preparations, indicating excellent economic potential.
Objective
In this study, the operational conditions of ultrasound‐assisted extraction (UAE) and microwave‐assisted extraction (MAE) were optimized using Box–Behnken design to improve the total phenolic content (TPC) recovered in hydroethanolic extracts of L. camara leaves.
Material and methods
The TPC, total flavonoid content (TFC), and antioxidant activities of the hydroalcoholic extracts of L. camara, prepared by UAE and MAE under the optimized extraction conditions, were compared with those of the extracts obtained by conventional extraction methods.
Results
Under the optimal conditions, the extracts obtained by UAE (35% ethanol, 25 min, and a solvent‐to‐solid ratio of 60:1 mL/g) and by MAE (53% ethanol, 15 min, and 300 W) provided high yields of 32.50% and 38.61% and TPC values of 102.89 and 109.83 mg GAE/g DW, respectively. The MAE extract showed the best results with respect to TPC, TFC, and antioxidant activities, followed by extracts obtained by UAE, Soxhlet extraction, decoction, maceration, and infusion, in that order.
Conclusion
The results obtained indicate that L. camara may be used as an important source of antioxidant phenolic compounds to obtain products with high biological and economic potential, especially when the extraction process is performed under appropriate conditions using MAE and/or UAE, employing environmentally friendly solvents such as water and ethanol.
The hydroalcoholic extracts of L. camara, prepared by ultrasound‐assisted extraction (UAE) and microwave‐assisted extraction (MAE), under optimized extraction conditions obtained by application of a Box–Behnken design, provided high yields of 32.50% and 38.61% and total phenolic contents (TPCs) of 102.89 and 109.83 mg GAE/g DW, respectively. The MAE extract showed better results with respect to TPC, total flavonoid content, and antioxidant activities, followed by the extracts obtained by UAE, Soxhlet extraction, decoction, maceration, and infusion, in that order. Thirty‐three compounds were identified by FT‐Orbitrap MS in hydroethanolic extracts of L. camara.
Flow is the affective state in which a learner is so engaged and involved in an activity that nothing else seems to matter. In this sense, to help students in the skill development and knowledge ...acquisition (referred to as learners' growth process) under optimal conditions, the instructional designers should create learning scenarios that favor the learner's flow. One-way to obtain these scenarios is to incorporate the conditions postulated by the Flow Theory in the context of the instructional design process. However, little attention has been drawn to this integration, and how to apply the Flow Theory based on learning theories that provide theoretical justifications during the instructional design process. Thus, in this paper, we propose a framework to integrate the learner's growth process and the Flow Theory. It provides adequate support for the instructional design of learning scenarios that lead and maintain learners in flow state. We demonstrate the usefulness of this framework by presenting an application that helps designers to search and select learning objects that have the potential to maintain the learner's flow in a learning scenario.
Abstract A growing body of literature has linked substance use and academic performance exploring substance use as a predictor of academic performance or vice versa. This study uses a different ...approach conceptualizing substance use and academic performance as parallel outcomes and exploring two topics: its multilevel-longitudinal association and school contextual effects on both outcomes. Using multilevel Confirmatory Factor Analysis and multilevel-longitudinal analyses, the empirical estimates relied on 7843 students nested in 114 schools (Add Health study). The main finding suggests that the correlation between substance use and academic performance was positive at the school level in contraposition to the negative relationship at the individual level. Additional findings suggest a positive effect of a school risk factor on substance use and a positive effect of academic pressure on academic performance. These findings represent a contribution to our understanding of how schools could affect the relationship between academic performance and substance use.
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