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This paper on the biological tests carried out on serum/plasma samples from donors of human body material (HBM) is the result of a project of the working Group of Superior Health Council of Belgium formed with experts in the field of HBM and infectious serology. Indeed, uncertainty about the interpretation of biological test results currently leads to the sometimes unjustified cancelling of planned donations or the rejection of harvested HBM, whilst more sophisticated diagnostic algorithms would still allow the use of organs or HBM that would otherwise have been rejected. NAT tests will not be discussed in this publication. In the first part some general aspects as the need for a formal agreement between the Tissue Establishment l and the laboratory responsible for the biological testing, but also some specifications regarding testing material, the choice of additional biological tests, and some general aspects concerning interpretation and reporting are discussed. In a second part, detailed information and recommendations concerning the interpretation are presented for each of the mandatory tests (human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus and syphilis) is presented. A number of not mandatory, but regularly used optional serological tests (e.g. for the detection of antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii, Epstein-Barr virus, human T cell leukemia virus and cytomegalovirus) are also extensively discussed. Although the project was meant to provide clarification and recommendations concerning the Belgian legislation, the majority of recommendations are also applicable to testing of donors of tissues and cells in other (European) countries.

As one of the largest global public health problems, cancer greatly endangers human health. Researchers have been committed to discovering anticancer drugs with high efficiency and low toxicity. Shogaol, a kind of ingredient from ginger with high anti-tumor activity, has attracted our attention. This study was an investigation on the composition and structure-activity relationship of different analogues of shogaol, with the purpose to screen for shogaol compounds which had higher anti-tumor activity and could be easily synthesized. We chose zingerone as the starting material to synthesize shogaol through four-step reactions without protective group, as a result, 31 analogues were synthesized for anti-tumor activity detect. The biological test results showed that: the missing of the unsaturated ketone and the phenolic hydroxyl group reduced the anti-tumor activity of shogaol; the site of phenolic hydroxyl had no significant influence on the anti-tumor activity, the indicating that the larger the steric hindrance of substituent, the lower the activity, but the higher the activity of cyclobutyl substituted derivatives.

Many biological data acquisition platforms suffer from inadvertent inclusion of biologically irrelevant variance in analyzed data, collectively termed batch effects. Batch effects can lead to difficulties in downstream analysis by lowering the power to detect biologically interesting differences and can in certain instances lead to false discoveries. They are especially troublesome in predictive modelling where samples in training sets and test sets are often completely correlated with batches. In this article, we present BARA, a normalization method for adjusting batch effects in predictive modelling. BARA utilizes a few reference samples to adjust for batch effects in a compressed data space spanned by the training set. We evaluate BARA using a collection of publicly available datasets and three different prediction models, and compare its performance to already existing methods developed for similar purposes. The results show that data normalized with BARA generates high and consistent prediction performances. Further, they suggest that BARA produces reliable performances independent of the examined classifiers. We therefore conclude that BARA has great potential to facilitate the development of predictive assays where test sets and training sets are correlated with batch.

The capacity of 3D printing (3DP) technologies to initiate speedy polymerization of solvent-free resins accounts for their utility in the manufacturing of medical devices. Nonetheless, independent biological evaluation of 3D-printed materials is recommended due to the unique parameters of the manufacturing process, which can influence their physical, chemical and biological properties. In this study, E-Shell 450 clear methacrylate indicated for 3DP of hearing devices was examined for biological safety using zebrafish bioassays adapted to Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) fish embryo test. In addition, the proprietary material was characterized for composition using headspace gas chromatography&ndash, mass spectrometry (GC&ndash, MS). To initiate the biological test, newly fertilized zebrafish eggs were cultured on non-treated and ethanol-treated methacrylates in glass petri dishes with ultrapure water, incubated at 28.5 &deg, C and assessed for developmental endpoints of toxicity at 24 h intervals until 96 h. Toxicological data indicate that non-treated methacrylate is extremely toxic in zebrafish bioassays, whereas ethanol-treated counterpart showed a relative lower toxicity possibly due to ethanoic&ndash, aqueous interactions as observed by GC&ndash, MS. With the current influx of 3D printing materials, users are urged to exercise caution. Operators must also take cognizance of the potential toxicity of the chemicals used in 3DP and implement safety measures to limit their exposure.

This paper reports a flexible metamaterial biosensor with sintered silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) compared to state of the art, which will allow, for the first time, the ng-level alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) detection on paper. The key novelty in this biosensor is the realization of metamaterials on ubiquitous and low cost paper substrates. The flexible nano-Ag@paper biosensor is manufactured using screen printing in a clean room. When AFP under testing is adsorbed onto the sintered Ag particles, the resonant frequency of the sensor exposed to electromagnetic waves exhibits a shift, which is used as a marker for biological test here. Importantly, the novel paper-based biosensor has been simulated and experimentally verified for the implementation of 20 ng/ml AFP detection with Staphylococcal Protein A (SPA) as a coupling reagent. Given that the sample is directly detected by the electromagnetic field, the system is unlabeled, real-time and non-destructive. This work provides an approach of flexible, low cost, fast and unlabeled biological detection, potentially benefiting the development of bioassay.

In order to characterize native strains of Bacillus thuringiensis of the Colombian Caribbean with toxic effect against insect vectors, 28 samples of bacteria identified as B. thuringiensis were isolated from different soils and muds around the city of Valledupar. Using a biological test, five isolates of B. thuringiensis showed toxic effect against larvae of Aedes aegypti. PCR methods were used to detect cry1, cry2, cry4B, cry10 and cyt1 genes. Cry1 and cry2 genes were detected in 35.7% and 32.1% of the 28 isolates analyzed, respectively. Surprisingly, reduced lengths of cry4B gene segments were detected in 28.6% of B. thuringiensis samples. The presence of cry10 or cyt1 was not detected in any of the 28 samples of B. thuringiensis, despite the high sensitivity of the assays used. The results show that B. thuringiensis samples from the Colombian Caribbean have atypical characteristics compared to those of Latin America and elsewhere in the world, which is consistent with the idea that the geographic origin of B. thuringiensis samples is associated with their biological and genetic characteristics.

There are limited studies that focus on greywater treatment and reuse options, particularly in nomadic societies with unique cultural and climatic conditions. Studies relating to household greywater treatment in nomadic-cultured societies are limited. This study aims to address this gap by examining a case with a high concentration of chemical components in the greywater (e.g. where chemical oxygen demand ranged between 35 and 70,032 mg/L). Specifically, an upgraded greenhouse greywater treatment unit (GH-GWTU) was designed and constructed during the summer of 2013 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, in order to assess the technical feasibility, and up-scaling capability, of the system at the community level. Chemical and biological test results indicated that most parameters (e.g. PO 4 3 − , NO 2 − , NH 4 + ) had a high removal rate of up to 98%. Moreover, the greenhouse may extend the treatment period up to 8 months. This study has shown that GH-GWTU is a potential technology that can significantly reduce the chemicals and biological agents in greywater in Mongolian Ger contexts which may reduce the greywater-borne hazards and vulnerability in the area. It can be replicable both at the household and community scale according to resources available for system operation and maintenance.

A series of 3,6-diaryl-7 H -[1,2,4]triazolo[3,4- b ][1,3,4]thiadiazines containing 2-alkoxyphenyl in position 6 and substituted phenyl radicals in position 3 have been synthesized by the interaction of 4-amino-5-(2-alkoxyphenyl)-4 H -[1,2,4]-triazole-3-thioles with substituted fenacylbromides in the presence of potassium hydroxide or by ingenuous interaction of thiols with fenacylbromides. A relationship between the chemical structure and antibacterial activity of the obtained 6-(2’-alkoxyphenyl)-3-aryl-7 H -[1,2,4]triazolo[3,4- b ][1,3,4]thiadiazines has been established on the basis of biological test results.

Introduction The necessity of studying the peculiarities of the structural organization of the testes is determined by its participation in performing important functions for the body – making spermatozoa and the production of male sex hormones. Despite the presence of works devoted to the study of the peculiarities of the structural organization of the testes, many questions remain unresolved or require clarification. Materials and methods As a biological test object used white Mature rats male Wistar rats at the age of 2 months. Seminal glands of male rats were used as a trial material for study. Tissue samples was investigated using a digital microscope Axio Imager.M2 (ZEISS, Japan) with software for image analysis AxioVision SE64 Rel. 4.8.3 and ZEN 2011. When sightseeing microscopy studied morphological features of the structure of the testes, and then determined their morphometric parameters. Results Found that in rats-males aged 2 months in the testes, the proportion of interstitial tissue to the area of convoluted seminiferous tubules is about 1:30. It is shown that in the period of puberty of male white rats the highest percentage of the total amount of the spermatogenic cells are Mature male sex cells – spermatozoa. Second in quantitative terms are male stem cells spermatogonia. Discussion Development and sexual differentiation of the testes is a complex process. The most important indicator of the structural and functional development of the testis is characteristic of the spermatogenic reservoir. The obtained results clearly demonstrate the maturity of experimental animals.

Objective To investigate the integral dissolution model based on biological potency in order to evaluate the dissolution of Compound Chinese materia medica (CCMM) in vitro . Methods The contents of paeoniflorin, phillyrin, ginsenoside Rg1, and adenosine of ten batches of Compound Biejia Ruangan Tablet (CBRT) were determined at different times. The self-defined weighting coefficient based on the contents has been created to establish the integral dissolution model. In addition, the biological potency of CBRT was measured by MTT assay. Then, the f 2 similar factor was used to evaluate the similarity of the batches. Results Compared with batch a, some batches' f 2 values of paeoniflorin and adenosine were less than 50, while f 2 values of ginsenoside Rg1, phillyrin, and integral component were more than 50. Likewise, ginsenoside Rg1, phillyrin, and integral component were all in good correlation with biological dissolution. Conclusion The results of the integral dissolution based on biological test of CBRT demonstrate that the bioassay method may be a promising supplement for its quality evaluation.

(Biological test feed intake, population rumen bacteria and ph pellet complete calf starter friesian holstein on pre weaning calf) ABSTRACT. The study aims to assess the quality of the formula Complete Calf Starter (CCS) with 5% molasses instead of milk to the development of rumen microbial calf Holstein Friesian (HF) pre-weaning. The material used is 20 head calf FH pre weaning age of 2 weeks. Feed intake data taken from 20 respondents consisted of 16 females and 4 calf tail male calf. Data rumen bacterial populations and pH were taken from 5 head of cattle slaughtered at the age of 2 weeks (one tail), 4 weeks (2-tailed) and 6 weeks (2-tailed). The study was designed as a descriptive non-parametric. Parameters measured were rumen bacterial populations, pH and feed intake. The results showed the average consumption of dry matter (DM) and CCS calf milk FH ages 2, 4, 6 weeks respectively at 506, 517, 528 grams. Rumen bacterial populations in calves aged 2, 4, and 6 weeks of 80x106, 45x106 and 19x106 kol/m. ruminal pH in calves aged 2, 4 and 6 weeks was 5.71, 5.36 and 5.55. Biological test showed that the use of complete calf starter (CCS) in the form of pellets FH calves at the age of 2 weeks to stimulate the development of the rumen (feed intake, the population of bacteria and pH) but not in calves aged 4 and 6 weeks. This is because the number of bacterial populations declined due to impaired absorption is impaired absorption of VFA marked low rumen pH.

Rhodanine and its derivatives are not only valued for their interesting chemical properties but also present a wide range of bioactivities and their chemical and pharmacological applications have been investigated. From 3-methyl-4-thiorhodanine we synthesized S-acylated and C-acylated products using (some) carboxylic acid chlorides and the obtained products were studied the anti-proliferative activity by a SRB (sulforhodamine B) assay against a human breast cancer cell line. The results showed that C-acylated products are better inhibitors than S-acylated products.

Hepatic metabolic clearance is one of the most important factors driving the overall kinetics of chemicals including substances used in various product categories such as pesticides, biocides, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. A large number of in vitro systems from purified isozymes and subcellular organelles to hepatocytes in simple cultures and in complex scaffold setups are available for measuring hepatic metabolic clearance for different applications. However, there is currently no approach for systematically characterising and comparing these in vitro methods in terms of their design, applicability and performance. To address this, existing knowledge in the field of in vitro human hepatic metabolic clearance methods was gathered and analysed in order to establish a framework to systematically characterise methods based on a set of relevant components. An analogous framework would be also applicable for non-human in vitro systems. The components are associated with the biological test systems used (e.g. subcellular or cells), the in vitro method (e.g. number of cells, test item solubility), related analytical techniques, data interpretation methods (based on substrate depletion/metabolite formation), and performance assessments (precision and accuracy of clearance measurements). To facilitate the regulatory acceptance of this class of methods, it is intended that the framework provide the basis of harmonisation work within the OECD.

In this study a Trombe wall powered poultry brooding house capable of handling 2000 day old chicks for a period of five weeks brooding period was designed, constructed and the performance evaluation conducted at National Centre for Energy Research and Development, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria latitude 6o 56N. The major components of the poultry brooding house were a Trombe wall system measuring 10 m x 8.08 m with 0.25 m thick wall for solar energy collection and storage and a floor area measuring 70 m2. Physical elements and biological performance of the poultry brooding house were experimentally undertaken in order to determine the functionality of the poultry brooding facility. Physical elements tested include ambient condition, temperature and relative humidity of the brooding house. While the biological test performance was conducted using poultry day old chicks for a period of five weeks in three replicates. Results of the performance evaluation showed that physical elements measured as temperature and relative humidity of the brooding room ranged between 28 – 35oC and 56 – 76% when the ambient condition was between 18 – 37oC and 45 – 87% respectively while solar irradiance for the period was between 76 – 860W/m2. The biological performance showed that the chicks maintained an average live weight of 786.1g after four weeks of brooding operation with average 3% mortality rate. These results indicate that Trombe wall system could be best alternative to ever cost ineffective conventional heating systems to maintain and provide conducive environment for poultry brooding operation more especially in the tropical regions.

We assessed herein the post-operative lymph node metastasis in head and neck cancer, using the One-step nucleotide amplification (OSNA) method targeting matrix metalloproteinase 7 (MMP-7). Compared with the pathological test, the molecular biological test revealed more lymph node metastasis, resulting in poor prognosis. Six cases, of which the number of lymph node metastasis was the same between pathological and molecular biological test, survived. On the other hand, three of four cases, in which number of lymph node metastasis in the molecular biological test were larger than the pathological test, died from metastasis. We concluded that the pathological test underestimated metastasis, and OSNA with MMP-7 was useful for the prediction of post-operative lymph node metastasis.

Investigations were performed on the sensitivity of Wolffia arrhiza (L.) Wimm. to the herbicide 2-methylmercapto-4,6-diisopropylamino-l,3,5-triasine. The plant was found to be suitable for use in a biological test for quantitative estimation of the herbicide. The analysis was performed directly in water extracts by means of counting or weighing the plants.

We describe a novel generic method to derive the unknown endogenous concentrations of analyte within complex biological matrices (e.g. serum or plasma) based upon the relationship between the immunoassay signal response of a biological test sample spiked with known analyte concentrations and the log transformed estimated total concentration. If the estimated total analyte concentration is correct, a portion of the sigmoid on a log-log plot is very close to linear, allowing the unknown endogenous concentration to be estimated using a numerical method. This approach obviates conventional relative quantification using an internal standard curve and need for calibrant diluent, and takes into account the individual matrix interference on the immunoassay by spiking the test sample itself. This technique is based on standard additions for chemical analytes. Unknown endogenous analyte concentrations within even 2-fold diluted human plasma may be determined reliably using as few as four reaction wells.

Background Nitroaromatic and chloronitroaromatic compounds have been a subject of great interest in industry and recently in medical-pharmaceutic field. 2-Chloro-4-nitro/2-chloro-5-nitrobenzoic acids and 4-nitrobenzoic acid are promising new agents for the treatment of main infectious killing diseases in the world: immunodeficiency diseases and tuberculosis. Results New ethanolamine nitro/chloronitrobenzoates were synthesized and characterized by X-ray crystallography, UV–vis, FT-IR and elementary analysis techniques. The toxicity of the compounds prepared and correspondent components was evaluated using Hydractinia echinata as test system. A significant lower toxicity was observed for nitro-derivative compared with chloronitro-derivatives and individual components. Crystallographic studies, together with the chemical reactivity and stability profiles resulted from density functional theory and ab initio molecular orbital calculations, explain the particular behavior of ethanolamine 4-nitrobenzoate in biological test. Conclusions The experimental and theoretical data reveal the potential of these compounds to contribute to the design of new active pharmaceutical ingredients with lower toxicity. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13065-017-0346-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Background The aim of this study was to identify the most reliable biomarkers in the literature that could be used as flare predictors in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Methods A systematic review of the literature was performed using two databases (MEDLINE and EMBASE) through April 2015 and congress abstracts from the American College of Rheumatology and the European League Against Rheumatism were reviewed from 2010 to 2014. Two independent reviewers screened titles and abstracts and analysed selected papers in detail, using a specific questionnaire. Reports addressing the relationships between one or more defined biological test(s) and the occurrence of disease exacerbation were included in the systematic review. Results From all of the databases, 4668 records were retrieved, of which 69 studies or congress abstracts were selected for the systematic review. The performance of seven types of biomarkers performed routinely in clinical practice and nine types of novel biological markers was evaluated. Despite some encouraging results for anti-double-stranded DNA antibodies, anti-C1q antibodies, B-lymphocyte stimulator and tumour necrosis factor-like weak inducer of apoptosis, none of the biomarkers stood out from the others as a potential gold standard for flare prediction. The results were heterogeneous, and a lack of standardized data prevented us from identifying a powerful biomarker. Conclusions No powerful conclusions could be drawn from this systematic review due to a lack of standardized data. Efforts should be undertaken to optimize future research on potential SLE biomarkers to develop validated candidates. Thus, we propose a standardized pattern for future studies. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13075-017-1442-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Pentavalent antimonials are the first choice for the treatment of human leishmaniasis. However in rural areas the traditional plants may be preferred for the treatment of lesions. In recent years a number of papers are published related to the natural products especially plant derivative with infectious diseases. The present work was undertaken to evaluate the antileishmanial activity of Pterodon pubescens which is a native tree widely distributed over the central region of Brazil and used in folk medicine as wine infusions to treat inflammatory disease. The phytochemical screening and the biological essay of ethanolic extract of Pterodon pudescens (PPE) leaves at the concentrations of 150, 300, 450, 600 µg/ml were tested in vitro in Leishmania amazonensis-infected macrophages to support its traditional medicinal use as a leishmaniasis remedy. Phytochemical screening of PPE has shown the presence of catechemical tannins, steroids, triterpenoids and flavonoids. The biological test suggests that PPE were found to control parasite burden of cell cultures in dose-dependent manner. These findings highlight the fact that the apparent potency of Pterodon pudescens compounds, together with their widely distribution over Latin America and Brazil, may represent a promising antileishmanial agent.

One of the current modern scientific directions is the research and introduction of products obtained using nanotechnologies into various spheres of human activity. Among the variety of nanostructures, metal nanoparticles are found to be the most widely used, which, due to the uniqueness of their properties and small size, are considered as the most promising agents in the composition of bactericidal agents. They are used as specific carriers of drugs and as components in the composition of antibacterial agents. In addition, it has been proven that the bacteriolytic and bacteriostatic properties of some metals are greatly enhanced with decreasing size. Nanoparticles of various metals, among which silver nanoparticles are the most widely used, can be used independently; however, their high ability to aggregate requires the choice of stabilizers, which usually use natural and synthetic polymers. However, their use is limited due to the high toxicity of metallic nanoparticles. Therefore, the search for the safest options for metal nanoparticles is relevant. This article presents data on the toxicity study of prototypes of silver nanoparticles stabilized by synthetic and natural polymers on biological test objects.

The detergent from the laundry industry that continues to flow directly into the river will affect the oxygen supply of the aquatic biota, due to the disruption of the respiratory system. The objective is to determine the level of toxicity and hemoglobin concentration of tilapia (Oreochromis. niloticus) exposed to detergent residues from the laundry industry. This research method uses a randomized block design. This test was performed with five treatments and control with three repetitions. Each treatment was filled with detergent residues from the laundry industry with varying levels of concentration, namely 0%, 1%, 2%, 3%, 4% and 5% in each aquarium. The results showed that the highest mortality of tilapia occurred at a concentration of 5% up to 8 tails. While the lowest concentration of hemoglobin on day 10 and day 20 each occurred at a concentration level of 4% in (8.37% gr and 7.65% gr), while on day 30, the lowest concentration of hemoglobin was found in the Treatment concentration level of 5% for (6.42 gr%). It can be concluded that residues from the washing industry can affect the oxygen supply in fish, which is characterized by a reduced concentration of hemoglobin in tilapia from the normal concentration of hemoglobin.

This paper discusses the problem of assessing the negative after-effects of low doses of ionising radiation exposure in humans. Radon and its decay daughter products are the most widespread source of such irradiation. Miners (in both uranium and non-uranium mines) as well as laypeople in domestic life may be exposed to radon, making the problem of assessing the cytogenetic effects of exposure extremely crucial. One of the more promising test systems to assess the effect of radon is the cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay (CBMN) on peripheral blood lymphocytes, which has a number of advantages over other cytogenetic techniques. Recent progress and future prospects of this cytogenetic method are discussed here.

The green parts of the peat moss Sphagnum recurvum Pal. Beauv. were used as a biological test to evaluate the pollution level of the natural environment in the region of the aluminium works "Skawina" (Southern Poland) with fluorine compounds and sulphur dioxide. The moss samples were placed in nylon nets and exposed to the polluted air for 6 weeks, then the fluorine and sulphur content in them was determined. The results demonstrated the usefulness of this method for the purpose of establishing the range of influence of the emitted industrial pollution.

This chapter will focus on the biocompatibility of oral care products including toothpastes, mouthwashes, tooth-whitening products, and denture care materials. Currently available biological test systems used for biocompatibility testing of oral care products are introduced. Various types of toothpastes and mouthwashes are discussed including their compositions, indications, current evidence on their clinical performance and biological concerns associated with the active ingredients as well as laboratory and clinical studies of their biocompatibility. Safety concerns regarding tooth-whitening products and current legislation and regulatory requirements are also included in this chapter. Biocompatibility issues concerning denture care products are discussed and, finally, important recommendations are suggested for dental care professionals regarding appropriate use and prescription of oral care products.

Spontaneous mutations in mice, along with those generated by genetic engineering approaches, are essential tools to understand the pathogenesis of human epilepsies. Monogenic models provide a coherent, reproducible lesion and a tractable biological starting point to explore the remarkably diverse biology of seizure disorders in the developing brain. Current clinical classification schemes estimate that about two thirds of all human epilepsies, formerly deemed idiopathic, are now considered to be of primarily genetic origin. Over 150 monogenic epilepsies have been identified. For each of these inherited disorders, a genetically defined mouse mutant can help identify the key molecular defects in excitability and plasticity in the developing epileptic brain, uncover new molecular targets for therapy, and serve as a reproducible biological test system for experimental strategies to prevent or reverse the onset of seizures.

During our continuous search for new resistance-breaking insecticides applicable to malaria vector control, a new class of ?,?-unsaturated imines was identified by applying the principle of conformational rigidification as a powerful tool for compound optimisation. Herein we describe the successful synthesis of these compounds and their biological test results. Our lead compound 16 from this insecticidal class outperforms market standards, notably for the control of mosquito strains that exhibit either metabolic or target-site resistance to these established insecticides. In our model system for insecticide-treated mosquito nets the compound reveals long-lasting efficacy for up to several months.

O objetivo da pesquisa foi determinar um índice de dormência (ID) de gemas de fruteiras de clima temperado para a avaliação do teste biológico de estacas de nós isolados. Os testes biológicos foram realizados no período de abril a setembro dos anos de 2007 e 2008, com ameixeira, pessegueiro, caquizeiro, quivizeiro e videira. Com base nos valores de tempo médio para brotação (TMB), taxa final de brotação (TF), velocidade de brotação (VB), taxa de brotações vigorosas (TBV) e suas correlações, foi desenvolvido o ID para as cinco espécies. As classes de interpretação de dormência foram separadas em profunda, intensa, moderada, fraca e ausente. O ID desenvolvido para a avaliação do teste biológico de dormência de gemas de fruteiras de clima temperado demonstrou ser uma importante ferramenta para interpretação dos resultados com maior precisão. The objective of the research was to determine an index of dormancy (ID) of temperate climate fruit trees buds for evaluation of the biological test of single node cuttings. The biological tests had been done from April to September of 2007 and 2008 with plum, peach, persimmon, kiwi and grape trees. Based in the values of average time for budburst (ATB), velocity of budburst (VB), final rate of budburst (FR), rate of vigorous budburst (RVB) and its correlations, the ID was developed for the five species. The interpretation classes of dormancy were separate in deep, intense, moderate, weak and absent. The ID developed for evaluation of the biological test of temperate climate fruit trees buds demonstrated to be an important tool for interpretation of the results with higher precision.

Regioselectivity of glycoside containing cis-diol esterification with fatty acid using dibutyltin dimethoxide as stannylating agent was probed, the results showed the equatorial position of cis-diol has some advantage of being acylated, although the orientation of adjacent groups could affected the regioselectivity. The glycoside fatty acid esters were regioselectively synthesized on optimized condition with this stannyl method, the biological tests against bacterial as Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella agona were carried out with these fatty acid esters, the testing results showed that glycoside esters with 12 or 14 carbon long chain fatty acid have some obvious inhibition against Staphylococcus aureus.

Sudden losses of bees have been observed in spring during maize sowing. The death of bees has been correlated with the use of neonicotinoid-coated seed and the toxic particulates emitted by pneumatic drilling machines. The contamination of foragers in flight over the ploughed fields has been hypothesized. The airborne contamination has been proven, both with bees inside fixed cages around the field and in free flight near the driller. A new trial involving mobile cages has been established and consists of making rapid passes with single bees inside cages fixed to an aluminium bar. The bar was moved by two operators at different distances from the working drilling machine. A single pass was shown as sufficient to kill all the bees exposed to exhaust air on the emission side of the drill, when bees were subsequently held in high relative humidity. The extent of toxic cloud around driller was evaluated at the height of 0.5, 1.8 and 3.5 m and proved to be about 20 m in diameter, with an ellipsoidal shape. The shape may be influenced by working speed of the drill and environmental parameters, and is easily shown by adding talc powder to the seed in the machine hopper. A new driller equipment was evaluated consisting of two tubes inclined towards the soil that direct the exhaust air towards the ground. The survival rate of the bees was not substantially increased using the modified drill and was lower than 50%. Chemical analyses show up to 4000 ng of insecticide in single bees with an average content around 300 ng. Similar quantities were observed at increased distances from the modified or unmodified drillers. This new evaluation of bee mortality in the field is an innovative biological test to verify the hypothetical efficiency (or not) of driller modifications.

Journal de Gynecologie Obstetrique et Biologie de la Reproduction - Vol. 41 - N° 2 - p. 115-121

Antiphospholipid antibodies constitute a group of heterogeneous antibodies, which mainly recognize complexes made of proteins and anionic phospholipids. The nature of these complexes is currently better defined, as well as known, the structure of the antiphospholipid antibodies owing to the analysis of the monoclonal forms of these antibodies which were also studied both in terms of their precise specificities and cross-reactivity. However, the origin of these autoantibodies is not clearly understood, as well as the possible link between antiphospholipid antibodies present in healthy individuals, and those observed in autoimmune diseases. Only a fraction of antiphospholipid antibodies are pathogenic and directly responsible for the clinical manifestations of the antiphospholipid syndrome, but there is, to date, no biological test able to accurately detect pathogenic antiphospholipid antibodies. The diverse mechanisms which link these autoantibodies to the occurrence of symptoms, mainly during obstetrical complications, are better understood, and suggest new therapeutic avenues.

Bacillus subtilis natto producing high level of a fibrinolytic enzyme was selected and Ultra Nattokinase ⓡ was manufactured by fermentation and purification. It was performed the evaluation of the antithrombotic effect of Ultra Nattokinase ⓡ (20,000 FU/g) with rat blood plasma. The maximum aggregation (inhibition ratio) was 71% (0%), 69% (2.8%), 62% (12.7%), 16% (77.5%) and 9% (87.3%), respectively, in the order of 0, 5, 10, 50 and 100 mg/mL of Ultra Nattokinase ⓡ solutions. Ultra Nattokinase ⓡ had antithrombotic effect, which was associated with the suppression of collageninduced platelet aggregation. Ultra Nattokinase ⓡ in the topic of the FDP (fibrinogen degradation products) in blood coagulation tests showed a significant increasing trend. And based on the daily record of meal 39 people of ITT (what ?) group consisted with 19 people of NP (what ?) group and 20 people of PN (what ?) group except four people, two people who took vitamin K affecting the experiment and two people who took alcohol, finding to be taken Ultra Nattokinase ⓡ showed an increase in the FDP value after four weeks. In addition, FDP value of 41 people of ITT group except two people having metabolic syndrome was increased by Ultra Nattokinase ⓡ .

Protein kinase CK2, a member of the serine/threonine kinase family, is an attractive therapeutic target for anticancer combination therapy. A multiple structure-based modeling approach complemented with shape components was taken to build a reliable pharmacophore model for ATP-competitive CK2 inhibitors. The final model consisted of one hydrogen bond acceptor (HBA), one hydrogen bond donor (HBD), two hydrophobic (HY) features, several excluded volumes and shape constraints. In the validation study, this model yielded an enrichment factor of 10.22 and performed fairly well in distinguishing active compounds. SPECS database was searched based on this query and sixteen compounds were retained after multiple filtrations for biological test. 4 compounds with IC50 values less than 10 µM were disclosed, providing 2 new chemical scaffolds as CK2 inhibitors. It is expected that the information provided here is helpful for discovering more potential CK2 inhibitors.

A new end-to-end thiocyanato-bridged polynuclear copper(II) complex, [Cu(CP)(μ1,3-NCS)] n · nMeOH (I), and a new mononuclear copper(II) complex, [Cu(MP)(ONO2)(OH2)] (II) (CP = 4-chloro-2-[(pyridin-2-ylmethylimino)methyl]phenolate, MP = 5-methoxy-2-[(pyridin-2-ylmethylimino)methyl]phenolate), were prepared and structurally characterized by elemental analyses, infrared spectroscopy, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The crystal of I is orthorhombic: space group Pbca, a = 10.6161(16) A, b = 16.340(3) A, c = 18.840(3) A, V = 3268.0(9) A3, Z = 8. The crystal of II is triclinic: space group P $$ \bar 1 $$ , a = 7.5645(2), b = 8.9811(2), c = 11.9412(3) A, α = 74.4610(10)°, β = 80.5040(10)°, γ = 71.0940(10)°, V = 736.71(3) A3, Z = 2. The Cu atoms in the complexes are in square-pyramidal coordination. The biological test shows that both complexes have strong urease inhibitory activity.

Sacro-coccygeal teratoma (SCT) is a type of tumor which mostly occurs in newborn babies. The vast majority of this type of tumor is benign. That pathology can be diagnosed antenatally or at birth. Teratomas, especially those diagnosed in the neonatal period, occur most frequently in the sacrococcygeal region. Clinically in many cases, we can observe a large swelling (mass) in the sacrococcygeal region. In some cases, there are signs of compression following by the displacement of the rectum and pelvic organs. Alphafetoprotein is the main biological test used. In association morphologically by echography, CT-scan, MRI and others, the tumor is classified. The classification used is the topographical one of TSCs, which was proposed by Altman to the American Academy of Pediatric Surgery. The mainstay of therapy is the complete surgical removal. We present a case of a newborn (6 months), female, with teratoma sacro-coccygeal. At birth the baby was noticed to have large swelling (mass), without any sign of compression of others organs. Clinical and paraclinical signs permitted us to conclude of a SCT type II of Altman’s classification. A surgery was performed with a sacral approach. Histologically, tumors were classified into good (mature) category.

In 1986–2009 the dynamics of the radionuclide contamination of the Pripyat inlet and Perstok Lake and their biota as well as the set of biological test criteria reflecting impact of ionizing radiation on pulmonate mollusk Lymnaea stagnalis from these reservoirs have been investigated. The γ-activity of biota after the highest level in 1987 (up to 1100 kBq kg−1 wet mass) quickly decreasing. In 2005–2008 the activities of biota in the Pripyat inlet dropped to the natural level, but in the Perstok Lake they remained a rather high – up to 4000 Bq kg−1 . Alongside the increase of activity of transuranium α-isotope 241 Am in bottom sediments of the Perstok Lake has been observed since 2006. In the L. stagnalis population in the Perstok Lake the obvious negative effect of chronic impact of radiation was noted. The share of cells with the micronuclei has considerably grown there if compared with the mollusks from the Pripyat inlet. The negative effects mentioned above did not influenced seriously on the viability on organism and populations levels. So, the embryonic mortality in both populations is low and they are capable to maintain sufficient level of reproduction despite the chronic radioactive impact.

The interpretation of the result of a biological test, performed for diagnostic or screening purposes, is rarely univocal and disconnected from the reality of the subject being tested. It is generally takes into account complementary information : -the probability that the subject is suffering from the condition in question, or the latter’s prevalence within the population to which the subject belongs ; -the test’s diagnostic performance, i. e. its aptitude to distinguish a subject suffering from the condition from a healthy subject, or from a subject with another condition ; -for continuous variables, e. g. glycemia, variations of the test results in healthy subjects (normal limits and physiological variations). This approach leads to an evaluation of the probability (predictive value) that the subject is suffering or not from the condition, and in the end to the medical decision., L’interprétation du résultat d’un test biologique, qu’il soit réalisé dans un but diagnostique ou de dépistage -est rarement univoque et déconnectée de la réalité du sujet sur lequel il a été réalisé. Elle repose la plupart du temps sur l’intégration de plusieurs informations complémentaires : -la probabilité que le sujet soit atteint de l’affection en question ou la prévalence de celle-ci dans la population à laquelle appartient le sujet, -les performances diagnostiques du test, c’est-à-dire son aptitude à différencier un sujet atteint d’un sujet sain ou d’un sujet atteint d’une autre affection, -pour les variables continues, comme la glycémie par exemple, les variations des résultats de l’analyse chez les sujets sains -intervalles de référence et facteurs physiologiques de variation. Cette démarche conduit à l’évaluation de la probabilité (valeur prédictive) que le sujet soit ou non atteint de la maladie, et in fine à la décision médicale., Médaille Christine. Qualités diagnostiques des tests biologiques. In: Bulletin de l'Académie Vétérinaire de France tome 164 n°2, 2011. pp. 137-142.

The enzyme specificity in the biosynthesis of prostaglandins has been investigated by incubation of a particulate fraction of sheep vesicular glands with substituted cis-8,cis-11,cis-14-eicosatrienoic acids. Conversions were always lower than with the unsubstituted acid (20:3). In the 2-substituted series, a conversion of up to 50% was found for 2-methoxycarbonyl- ; 2-methyl- ; 2-hydroxymethyl- ; 2-butyl- ; 2-methoxy- ; 2-methoxymethylene- ; 2-fluoro- ; 2-bromo- ; 2-cyano- ; and 2-phenyl-20:3. No conversion was found for 2-hydroxycarbonyl- ; 2-heptoxycarbonyl- ; 2-amino- ; and 2-acetamido-20:3. In some cases, a slight preference of the enzymes for the R configuration (2-phenyl- ; 2-methyl-20:3) was noted. For di-substituted acids, yields of up to 70% were found for 2-cyano-2-butyl- ; 2,3-cis- and 2,3-trans-methylene- ; 3,3-dimethyl-20:3, but 4,4-dimethyl-20:3 was not converted. However, 5-yne-20:3 was again a substrate (25% conversion). Substitution at the methyl end of the precursor acid resulted in 34% conversion with 19-methyl-20:3, but 18-methyl-20:3 was not converted. Biological activities of substituted prostaglandins were, in general, much less than those of PGE1, but for 19-methyl-PGE1, smooth muscle-stimulating activity was 1.6 times that of PGE1. For some substituted prostaglandins (2-fluoro- ; 2-cyano-PGE1), an appreciable activity in one biological test system was found but very little in others.

In the test known as single node cutting biological test, which is widely used for dormancy intensity evaluation of temperate tree fruit buds, one-bud cuttings are placed in a local propitious for their growth and the average shooting time (AST) is directly related to the bud's dormancy intensity. However, AST analysis alone generates not so conclusive results since other factors such as final shooting (FS), shooting velocity (SV), and vigorous shooting final rate (VSR) are also indicators of dormancy. The objective of this work was to reunite these four parameters in a single formula so that dormancy may be more precisely evaluated by a dormancy index (DI). The data used to develop the DI were obtained by testing 1-year-old 'Imperial Gala' apple tree buds. DI was directly proportional to AST and inversely proportional to FS, SV and VSR. Each parameter was multiplied by a constant factor, according to its importance in the dormancy analysis. The general formula is DI = AST.(k.FS + w.SV + VSR) -1 . The constant variables k and w must be calculated accordingly to the species being studied. As for apple, they are k = 3 and w = 2. By using the DI, the dormancy intensity was classified in 5 groups: lack of dormancy (DI ≤ 2); weak dormancy (2 14). For other fruit species, a new DI should be formulated.

Introduction On 27 September 2017, a local hospital reported to the Regional Health Agency (RHA) Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, 5 suspected cases of leptospirosis. These cases (5 young men) took part in a canyoning weekend with a group of 26 persons in the Grenant River (Savoie, 73) during the second weekend of September. Four of them were hospitalized with fever, myalgia, arthralgia, thrombocytopenia and kidney, liver or neurological disorders. A multidisciplinary investigation team was set up in order to describe the outbreak, identify the likely source of infection and implement the necessary control measures. Methods The RHA asked canyoning clubs, laboratories, hospitals and general practitioners around the Grenant River to report possible cases to ensure all of them were identified. A possible case was a person of the group with symptoms compatible with leptospirosis between 9 September and 15 October 2017, and a confirmed case was a possible case with laboratory evidence (a biological test was proposed to each possible case). Each positive case was confirmed by the national reference center for leptospirosis (Institut Pasteur). A standardized questionnaire was used to interview each member of the group and collect demographic characteristics, clinical and biological information, recreational exposures during the whole weekend and information on individual protective measures used against leptospirosis. In the same time, environmental investigation was performed to explore potential infectious reservoirs and environmental conditions near to the canyoning site. Results Twenty-three participants of the group answered to the questionnaire. Three were unreachable. Five confirmed cases of leptospirosis were identified, either by PCR or serology. For two cases, the species L. kishneri was identified by sequencing and Microscopic Agglutination Test (MAT) analysis detected the serogroup grippotyphosa. The only environmental risk exposure identified was canyoning in the Grenant river water. During the activity, all the participants wore a full body wetsuit. Only the absence of gloves could be notice. Two cases reported some skin lesions, but no significant wounds. Several members mentioned the presence of cows on the riverside, which are a possible reservoir of leptospira. No wild animals were seen around the canyoning site or near the camping where the participants were staying during the weekend. However, the river surroundings are known as hunting areas where hunters eviscerate wilds animals. A significant flow with muddy water was also described by all of them. Moreover, this weekend has been preceded by heavy rainfall after a long dry period and environmental investigation pointed out the spreading of manure on the edge of the river. Conclusion According to the results, the most appropriate hypothesis is a contamination by contact of water with mucous membranes during canyoning activity. We observed many favorable environmental conditions including significant rainfall, presence of cows and manure spreading near to the canyoning site. The formal identification of the contamination source was not possible, but it was reported that in this region, Grippotyphosa is the third serogroup responsible for bovine leptospirosis. The RHA immediately suspended the canyoning activities in the Grenant until the end of the season. This request has also been related by social and professional networks. In addition, health professionals and all canyoning sites were informed about the outbreak, leptospirosis risk and individual prevention measures. We recommend to check compliance with the regulations on manure spreading, improve the application of preventive measures to practice fresh water sport, raise awareness about importance and benefit of a rapid medical consultation in case of symptoms, and recommend to health professionals in the region an active surveillance of cases to rapidly identify areas of transmission.