Weight of salivary gland ultrasonography compared to other items of the 2016 ACR/EULAR classification criteria for Primary Sjögren's syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: Major salivary gland ultrasonography (SGUS) is widely used for the diagnosis of primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS). Our objective was to assess the contribution of SGUS compared to other items of the 2016 ACR/EULAR pSS classification criteria, based on expert opinion. METHODS: A secure web-based relational database was used by 24 experts from 14 countries to assess 512 realistic vignettes developed from data of patients with suspected pSS. Each vignette provided classification criteria items and information on history, clinical symptoms and SGUS findings. Each expert assessed 64 vignettes, and each vignette was assessed by 3 experts. A diagnosis of pSS was defined according to at least 2 of 3 experts. Validation was performed in the independent French DiapSS cohort of patients with suspected pSS. RESULTS: A criteria-based pSS diagnosis and SGUS findings were independently associated with an expert diagnosis of pSS (P < 0.001). The derived diagnostic weights of individual items in the 2016 ACR/EULAR criteria including SGUS were as follows: anti-SSA, 3; focus score ≥ 1, 3; SGUS score ≥ 2, 1; positive Schirmer's test, 1; dry mouth, 1; and salivary flow rate < 0.1 mL/min, 1. The corrected C statistic area under the curve for the new weighted score was 0.96. Adding SGUS improves the sensitivity from 90.2 % to 95.6% with a quite similar specificity 84.1% versus 82.6%. Results were similar in the DiapSS cohort: adding SGUS improves the sensitivity from 87% to 93%. CONCLUSION: SGUS had similar weight compared to minor items, and its addition improves the performance of the 2016 ACR/EULAR classification criteria.

Supporting the improvement of air quality management practices: The "FAIRMODE pilot" activity.

This paper presents the first outcomes of the "FAIRMODE pilot" activity, aiming at improving the way in which air quality models are used in the frame of the European "Air Quality Directive". Member States may use modelling, combined with measurements, to "assess" current levels of air quality and estimate future air quality under different scenarios. In case of current and potential exceedances of the Directive limit values, it is also requested that they "plan" and implement emission reductions measures to avoid future exceedances. In both "assessment" and "planning", air quality models can and should be used; but to do so, the used modelling chain has to be fit-for-purpose and properly checked and verified. FAIRMODE has developed in the recent years a suite of methodologies and tools to check if emission inventories, model performance, source apportionment techniques and planning activities are fit-for-purpose. Within the "FAIRMODE pilot", these tools are used and tested by regional/local authorities, with the two-fold objective of improving management practices at regional/local scale, and providing valuable feedback to the FAIRMODE community. Results and lessons learnt from this activity are presented in this paper, as a showcase that can potentially benefit other authorities in charge of air quality assessment and planning.

Cardioprotective effects of fullerenol C(60)(Oh)(24) on a single dose doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity in rats with malignant neoplasm.

The therapeutic utility of the anthracycline antibiotic doxorubicin is limited due to its cardiotoxicity. Our aim was to investigate the efficacy of fullerenol C(60)(OH)(24) in preventing single, high-dose doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity in rats with malignant neoplasm. Experiment was performed on adult female Sprague Dawley rats with chemically induced mammary carcinomas. The animals were sacrificed two days after the application of doxorubicin and/or fullerenol, and the serum activities of CK, LDH and alpha-HBDH, as well as the levels of MDA, GSH, GSSG, GSH-Px, SOD, CAT, GR, and TAS in the heart, were determined. The results obtained from the enzymatic activity in the serum show that the administration of a single dose of 8 mg/kg in all treated groups induces statistically significant damage. There are significant changes in the enzymes of LDH and CK (p < 0.05), after an i.p. administration of doxorubicin/fullerenol and fullerenol. Comparing all groups with untreated control group, point to the conclusion that in the case of a lower alpha-HBDH/LDH ratio, results in more serious the liver parenchymal damage. The results revealed that doxorubicin induced oxidative damage and that the fullerenol antioxidative influence caused significant changes in MDA, GSH, GSSG, GSH-Px, SOD, CAT, GR, and TAS level in the heart (p < 0.05). Therefore, it is suggested that fullerenol might be a potential cardioprotector in doxorubicin-treated individuals.

Activity of nitrogen fixation and nitrogen assimilation enzymes in soybean plants inoculated with Bradyrhizobium japonicum strains.

In studying the symbiotic associations of 8 Bradyrhizobium japonicum strains with two soybean varieties (NS-10 and NS-21), we determined the activity of nitrogen fixing (nitrogenase, NG) and nitrogen assimilation (glutamine synthetase, GS) and glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) enzymes and the content of soluble proteins. The number of nodules was not in correlation with dry matter mass and nitrogen content. Dry matter mass and nitrogen content in the nodules of the soybean varieties in association with Bradyrhizobium strains 1, 1a, 2b, 2/1, 1003 and 8k turned out to be significantly higher than mass and nitrogen content of those in association with B. japonicum strains 17z and 2k. The results obtained indicate that the activity of the enzymes NG and GS in plants correlates with nitrogen fixation for both varieties on average, while the activity of GDH enzyme is conditioned by the specificity of variety and the Bradyrhizobium japonicum strains.