Retrospective analysis of arterial occlusive events in the PACE trial by an independent adjudication committee

Background The phase 2 PACE (Ponatinib Ph+ ALL and CML Evaluation) trial of ponatinib showed robust long-term benefit in relapsed Philadelphia chromosome-positive (Ph+) leukemia; arterial occlusive events (AOEs) occurred in ≥ 25% of patients based on investigator reporting. However, AOE rates vary depending on the definitions and reporting approach used. Methods To better understand clinically relevant AOEs with ponatinib, an independent cardiovascular adjudication committee reviewed 5-year AOE data from the PACE trial according to a charter-defined process and standardized event definitions. Results A total of 449 patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) or Ph+ acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) received ponatinib (median age 59 y; 47% female; 93% ≥ 2 prior tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs); median follow-up, 37.3 months). The adjudicated AOE rate (17%) was lower than the non-adjudicated rate (i.e., rate before adjudication; 25%). The only adjudicated AOE in > 2% of patients was peripheral arterial occlusive disease (4%). Exposure-adjusted incidence of newly occurring adjudicated AOEs decreased over time. Patients with multiple baseline cardiovascular risk factors had higher adjudicated AOE rates than those without risk factors. Conclusions This independent adjudication study identified lower AOE rates than previously reported, suggesting earlier overestimation that may inaccurately reflect AOE risk with ponatinib. This trial was registered under ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT01207440 on September 23, 2010 (https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01207440).

Bees can be trained to identify SARS-CoV-2 infected samples.

The COVID19 pandemic has illustrated the need for the development of fast and reliable testing methods for novel, zoonotic, viral diseases in both humans and animals. Pathologies lead to detectable changes in the Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) profile of animals, which can be monitored, thus allowing the development of a rapid VOC-based test. In the current study, we successfully trained honeybees (Apis mellifera) to identify SARSCoV2 infected minks (Neovison vison) thanks to Pavlovian conditioning protocols. The bees can be quickly conditioned to respond specifically to infected mink odours and could therefore be part of a wider SARSCoV2 diagnostic system. We tested two different training protocols to evaluate their performance in terms of learning rate, accuracy and memory retention. We designed a non-invasive rapid test in which multiple bees are tested in parallel on the same samples. This provided reliable results regarding a subjects health status. Using the data from the training experiments, we simulated a diagnostic evaluation trial to predict the potential efficacy of our diagnostic test, which yielded a diagnostic sensitivity of 92% and specificity of 86%. We suggest that a honeybee-based diagnostics can offer a reliable and rapid test that provides a readily available, low-input addition to the currently available testing methods. A honeybee based diagnostic test might be particularly relevant for remote and developing communities that lack the resources and infrastructure required for mainstream testing methods.

Performance of coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) hybrids for yield and quality in the Utkal plain region of Odisha state, India

Cocos nucifera L. is a perennial oil yielding crop with a long productive life span (>60 years); thus, identifying a suitable high yielding hybrid to a particular agro-climatic region plays a prime role in achieving sustainable coconut yield. In this context, an evaluation trial with varietal cross combinations involving Tall × Dwarf (six crosses) and Dwarf × Tall (two crosses) was conducted at All India Coordinated Research Project (AICRP) on Palms, Bhubaneshwar Centre, Odisha, for 15 years. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with four replications maintaining six palms per replication. Observations on yield and yield attributing characters during 2018 to 2020 revealed the superior performance of ECT × GBGD (99.1 nuts), which was followed by ECT × MYD (86.9 nuts) over the local check (ECT) by recording higher nut yield. Copra output per palm was significantly the highest under ECT × GBGD (20.6 kg palm-1), followed by LCT × COD (18.6 kg palm-1). Hybrids possessed a higher quantity of organoleptically ‘good’ tender nut water (270.3 to 354.1 mL) with TSS of 5.8 to 6.9 °Brix, 25.4 to 34.0 ppm of sodium and 2065.9 to 2885.0 ppm of potassium.

Technological interventions for loneliness and social isolation among older adults: a scoping review protocol

Background Loneliness and social isolation are prevalent public health concerns among community-dwelling older adults. One approach that is becoming an increasingly popular method of reducing levels of loneliness and social isolation among older adults is through technology-driven solutions. This protocol outlines a research trajectory whereby a scoping review will be initiated in order to illustrate and map the existing technological approaches that have been utilized to diminish levels of loneliness and social isolation among community-dwelling older adults aged 60 years or older. We will address the question: what are the most common and less used technological approaches to reduce loneliness and social isolation among community-dwelling older adults? Methods A scoping review of Academic Search Premier, AGEline, Global Health, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Web of Science databases will take place using our search terms including the following: loneliness, social isolation, older adults, elderly, Aged, Aged 80 and over, program, evaluation, trial, intervention, technology, computer, information and communication technology, internet, and robot. The initial electronic search will be supplemented by reviewing the reference lists and review articles to identify any missing studies. To meet study inclusion criteria, intervention studies had to pertain to community-dwelling adults aged 60 years or older, include technological interventions, include loneliness and/or social isolation as outcome variables, and be written in the English language. Two parallel independent assessments of study eligibility will be conducted for the title, abstract, and full-text screens. Any disagreement will be resolved by consensus and a third reviewer consulted to make a decision if consensus is not achieved initially. Finally, the amalgamation of results will be an iterative process whereby reviewers will refine the plan for presenting results after data extraction is completed so that all of the contents of the extraction may be included in the results. Discussion The information gleaned in this scoping review will be essential to understand the degree to which technological interventions influence social isolation and loneliness among older adults and identify gaps for further research.

Agro-morphological characteristics and genetic diversity of newly registered sugarcane variety Jitpur-5, Jitpur-6 & Jitpur-7 in Nepal.

The only crop providing raw materials for sugar and jaggery production in Nepal is sugarcane, and its introduction and adaptation is the only route for its development commercially. Therefore, this research was carried out to check its adaptability and yield potential in National sugarcane research Station, Jitpur, Bara, and in different parts of the country, which were tested as Initial evaluation Trial just after the introduction, and then experimented as Advanced Varietal Trial, Coordinated Varietal Trial, and Coordinated Farmers Field trial simultaneously from the year 2012/13 to 2017/18. The method used was RCBD with three replication in every of the trial. Analyzing all the cane yield attributing characters, and ratooning potential and ratoon yield, Co 0232, CoLk 94184 and CoSe 03234 were found superior to all other tested genotypes. Similarly, sugarcane juice quality (sugar recovery, CCS (t/ha) & Sucrose %) were found significantly higher in these three genotypes, so these genotypes Co 0232, CoLk 94184 and CoSe 03234 were registered in gadgets of Nepal Government as variety Jitpur-5, Jitpur-6 and Jitpur-7 respectively.

KERAGAAN PROGENI F1 TANAMAN KARET HASIL PERSILANGAN 2011-2012 DI SEEDLING EVALUATION TRIAL

Salah satu upaya untuk menghasilkan klon karet unggul baru adalah melalui persilangan buatan antar klon tetua yang memiliki karakter spesifik dan hubungan kekerabatan genetik yang jauh. Berdasarkan Standart Operatioal Procedure (SOP) seleksi progeny F1 hasil persilangan terdiri dari beberapa tahap yaitu seleksi progeni F1 di Seedling Evaluation Trial (SET), uji pendahulan (Small Scale Clone Trial (SSCT), uji lanjutan (Large Scale Clone Trial/LSCT) dan uji multilokasi (adaptation trial). Pada penelitian ini dilaporkan hasil seleksi 215 progeni F1 hasil persilangan tiga kombinasi klon tetua yaitu BPM 24 x PB 260, IRR 104 X PB 260 dan PB 260 X TJIR 1 dengan klon pembanding AVROS 2037. Pengamatan dilakukan terhadap lilit batang, tebal kulit, jumlah pembuluh lateks, panjang alur sadap, produksi normal dengan sistem sadap S/2d3 dan aplikasi ethrel 2,5% setiap bulan, serta ketahanan progeny terhadap penyakit gugur daun utama. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa terdapat korelasi antara parameter produksi dengan lilit batang, tebal kulit, jumlah pembuluh lateks dan panjang alur sadap. Berdasarkan seleksi 1% parameter produksi lateks, terpilih tujuh progeny yaitu HP2011/215, HP2011/54, HP2011/170, HP2011/200, HP2011/213. HP2011/158 dan HP2011/18. Progeni tersebut selanjutnya akan diuji ke tahap SSCT.

The potential for EVITA project e-KPIs to be used by Road Authorities

Planning different strategies in road maintenance is one of the most important activities in road asset management. Assessment of different strategies and their comparison can be done by implementing an appropriate measure - Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). KPIs are currently used in many Road Authorities, and systematic research on the subject and development of indicators has been ongoing for many years. The Conference of European Directors of Roads (CEDR) funded project "EVITA - Environmental Performance Indicators for the Total Road Infrastructure Assets" aimed at developing and integrating new and existing environmental KPIs (e-KPIs) into the asset management process, taking into account the expectations of different stakeholders (users, operators, residents, etc.). The research focus was on environmental areas: Noise, with KPIs on day-evening-night & night noise, exposed population, population with sleep disturbance; Air, with KPIs on CO2, NOx, NO2 and PM10 emissions; Water, with KPIs on water quality and salting of roads; and Natural resources and GHG emissions, with KPIs on resource consumption and CO2e calculation. The project outputs were a set of e-KPIs produced after a comprehensive investigation of the state of the art during the project. The main benefit of this project is therefore to provide an applicable solution for the environmental assessment of different road infrastructure assets and to describe the expectations of different stakeholders in form of objective indicators. The 'User Evaluation Trial' phase of the project was used to gather feedback on the potential of e-KPIs to be used by national Road Authorities across Europe. Two Slovenian Road Authorities and one each from Denmark and Sweden were involved. The Slovenian Authorities provided input data for case studies, while all evaluated the proposed e-KPIs from their own perspective, taking into account national conditions and specificities.

Marker-assisted selection complements phenotypic screening at seedling stage to identify cassava mosaic disease-resistant genotypes in African cassava populations

Cassava mosaic disease (CMD) is a serious threat to cassava production in sub-Saharan Africa. The use of genomic-assisted selection at the seedling trial stage would help to reduce the time for release, breeding cost, and resources used, hence increase selection efficiency in cassava breeding programs. Five cassava populations were screened for resistance to CMD during the seedling evaluation trial at 1, 3, and 5 months after planting using a scale of 1–5. The genotypes in the five populations were also screened using six molecular markers linked to the CMD2 gene. The correlation between the phenotypic and marker data was estimated. Based on Cassava Mosaic Disease Severity Score (CMDSS), between 53 and 82% of the progenies were resistant across the populations with an average of 70.5%. About 70% of the progenies were identified to be resistant to the disease across the populations with a range of 62–80% using the marker data. With both marker data and CMDSS combined, 40–60% of the progenies in each population, with an average of 52%, were identified to be resistant to CMD. There was a fairly significant correlation between the marker data and CMDSS in each cassava population with correlation coefficients ranging from 0.2024 to 0.3460 suggesting that novel genes not associated to the markers used might be involved in the resistance to CMD. The resistant genotypes identified in this study with potential for other desirable traits were selected for evaluation at the advanced trial stage thereby shortening the period required for the breeding program.

TNAU coconut ALR 3 – a promising mite tolerant tendernut variety

Coconut water is considered as nature’s gift to mankind due to its health benefits. The steady demand for tender coconut is currently met from a local dwarf from Kerala, viz., Chowghat Orange Dwarf (COD). However, there is a need for diversification of genotypes. Based on a 20-year-old germplasm evaluation trial conducted at Coconut Research Station (CRS), Aliyarnagar, a selection from Kenthali Dwarf (KTD) has been identified as a promising genotype exclusively for tender nut purpose. It has been released as TNAU coconut ALR 3. The selection is an early flowering genotype that comes to flowering from the third year onwards. The average yield potential is 86 nuts per palm per annum from the stabilized bearing period onwards, with a maximum yield potential of 121 nuts per palm per annum. This accounts for 34.1% and 37.9 % increase in yield over COD and MYD. Tender nut water analysis revealed that the genotype possessed 5.2% soluble sugars with a high potassium level (190.21) compared to COD and MYD. The variety is recommended for irrigated belts of Tamil Nadu.