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Growth factor and chemotherapy-based stem cell mobilization strategies are commonly used to treat patients with multiple myeloma. We retrospectively compared 398 patients mobilized between 2017 and 2020 using either cyclophosphamide (4 g/m2) plus granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) or G-CSF alone, with on demand plerixafor (PXF) in both groups. Although total CD34+ yield was higher after chemomobilization compared with G-CSF +/- PXF (median, 13.6 × 106/kg versus 4.4 × 106/kg; P less then .01), achievement of ≥2 × 106 CD34+ cells (95% versus 93.7%; P = .61) and rates of mobilization failure (5% versus 6.3%; P = .61) were similar. Fewer patients required PXF with chemomobilization (12.3% versus 49.5%; P less then .01), and apheresis sessions were fewer (median, 1 [range, 1 to 4] versus 2 [range, 1 to 5]). The rate of complications, including neutropenic fever, emergency department visits, and hospitalizations, was higher after chemomobilization (30% versus 7.4%; P less then .01). Previous use of ≤6 cycles of lenalidomide did not impair cell yield in either group. The median cost of mobilization was 17.4% lower in the G-CSF +/- PXF group (P = .01). Between group differences in time to engraftment were not clinically significant. Given similar rates of successful mobilization, similar engraftment time, and less toxicity and lower costs compared with chemomobilization, G-CSF with on-demand PXF may be preferable in myeloma patients with adequate disease control and limited lenalidomide exposure.Toxoplasma gondii is a worldwide distributed parasite causing abortions and fetal malformations in small ruminants. The aim of this study was to design and validate a new immunoassay based on the use of TgSAG1-GRA8 chimeric antigen for the detection of anti-T. gondii antibodies in serum of goats. First, a time-resolved fluorescence immunoassay (TgSAG1-GRA8-TRFIA) was developed. In addition, the diagnostic performance of TgSAG1-GRA8-TRFIA was compared with an optimized enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (TgSALUVET-ELISA) and a Western Blot (WB), both based on whole T. gondii tachyzoite antigenic extract. The TgSAG1-GRA8-TRFIA has shown a high intra- and inter-assay precision, analytical sensitivity and accuracy. The ROC analysis of this assay showed an optimal cut-off of 217.4 Units of Fluorometry for T. gondii (UFT), with 92 % of sensitivity and 90.48 % of specificity. A positive and statistically significant Spearman’s correlation with TgSALUVET-ELISA was detected, and kappa value was 0.83, presenting high agreement with both methods. However, TgSAG1-GRA8 protein showed cross-reactivity with specific anti-Neospora caninum antibodies. Thus, TgSAG-1-GRA8 chimeric antigen seems not to be an ideal option for the serodiagnosis of T. gondii infection in goats unless combined with the serodiagnosis of N. caninum infection in parallel. MAPK inhibitor In the light of the results obtained, a comprehensive study on the existence of cross-reactivities between T. gondii antigens used in serological tests employed in animal health and specific antibodies directed against Toxoplasmatinae parasites should be performed.Using wastewaters in irrigated agriculture can cause heavy metal accumulation as well as salinity in soil. A practical way of minimizing accumulation in soil is to use irrigation techniques that require less water and consequently introduce less heavy metals into the feeding chain in silage maize cultivation with wastewater irrigation. The objective of this study is to address this issue. A factorial field experiment was carried out for two years in a completely randomized design with three replicates. Experimental plots were irrigated with three different irrigation methods (subsurface and surface drip, and furrow) applying three different levels (full irrigation and 33 and 67% deficit irrigations) of recycled wastewater and freshwater. The results showed that soil heavy metal contents, salinity, macro nutrients, organic matter, cation exchange capacity, porosity and wet aggregate stability were significantly higher in full irrigation with wastewater, while pH, carbonates, bulk and particle densities were significantly lower. Drip methods reduced salinity and heavy metal contents significantly. Heavy metal pollution indexes also indicated that drip methods are more effective in reducing metal pollution in soil. However, considerable accumulations of Cd and Ni were found with all methods while deficit irrigation decreased accumulations. The highest cation exchange capacity and K2O contents and the lowest exchangeable sodium percentage were determined with the subsurface drip method. The subsurface drip method saved 20.7 and 49% more irrigation water than the surface drip and furrow methods under fully irrigated conditions. Therefore, it can be concluded that using the subsurface drip method with recycled wastewater can be used in silage maize cultivation because soil productivity and water savings increased while metal pollution and salinity in soil decreased. Moreover, using 33% less wastewater can be a useful practice to decrease Cd and Ni accumulation.The project of Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) was initiated by China to enhance the level of economic cooperation among partner economies. The study empirically evaluates the link between renewable energy consumption, forest area and emissions of CO2 among 33 partner economies of BRI for the period of 1986-2018. Study utilizes cointegration and heterogeneous Granger causality framework to explore the long-run and causal linkage among variables. Empirical evidence suggests that expansion in renewable energy consumption and increase in forestation will help to reduce the emissions of CO2 among the economies of BRI. However, the estimated findings of Granger causality reveal feedback causation between renewable energy consumption and forest area and unidirectional causation running from per capita income to environmental quality. The study signifies the importance of investment in renewable energy projects and forest management areas among the partner economies of BRI.In polycystic kidney disease (PKD) multiple bilateral renal cysts gradually enlarge causing a decline in renal function. Transepithelial chloride secretion through cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) and TMEM16A (anoctamin 1) drive cyst enlargement. We demonstrated recently that a loss of PKD1 increases expression and function of TMEM16A in murine kidneys and in mouse M1 collecting duct cells. The data demonstrated that TMEM16A contributes essentially to cyst growth by upregulating intracellular Ca2+ signaling. Enhanced expression of TMEM16A and Ca2+ signaling increased both cell proliferation and fluid secretion, which suggested inhibition of TMEM16A as a novel therapy in ADPKD. About 15 % of all ADPKD cases are caused by mutations in PKD2. To analyze the effects of loss of function of PKD2 on Ca2+ signaling, we knocked-down Pkd2 in mouse primary renal epithelial cells in the present study, using viral transfection of shRNA. Unlike in Pkd1-/- cells, knockdown of PKD2 lowered basal Ca2+ and augmented store-operated Ca2+ entry, which was both independent of TMEM16A.