Description : Introduction : Developments in telemedicine have not produced any relevant benefits for orthopedics and trauma surgery to date. For the present project study, several parameters were examined during assessment of x-ray images, which had been photographed and transmitted via cell phone. Materials and Methods : A total of 100 x-ray images of various body regions were photographed with a Nokia cell phone and transmitted via email or MMS. Next, the transmitted ...
Description : The aberrant expression of proto-oncogenes is involved in processes that are responsible for cellular proliferation and the inhibition of myeloid differentiation in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Pituitary Tumor-Transforming gene 1 (PTTG1), an oncogenic transcription factor, is abundantly expressed in various human cancers and hematopoietic malignancies. However, its expression in normal leukocytes and most normal tissues is very low or undetectable. The mec...
Description : In this paper, 981 reared juveniles of gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) were analysed, 721 of which were from a commercial hatchery located in Northern Italy (Venice, Italy) and 260 from the Hellenic Center for Marine Research (Crete, Greece). These individuals were from 4 different egg batches, for a total of 10 different lots. Each egg batch was split into two lots after hatching, and reared with two different methodologies : intensive and semi-intensive...
Description : Red fluorescent proteins (RFPs) derived from organisms in the class Anthozoa have found widespread application as imaging tools in biological research. For most imaging experiments, RFPs that mature quickly to the red chromophore and produce little or no green chromophore are most useful. In this study, we used rational design to convert a yellow fluorescent mPlum mutant to a red-emitting RFP without reverting any of the mutations causing the maturation def...
Description : Substantial advances have been made in identifying common genetic variants influencing cardiometabolic traits and disease outcomes through genome wide association studies. Nevertheless, gaps in knowledge remain and new questions have arisen regarding the population relevance, mechanisms, and applications for healthcare. Using a new high-resolution custom single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array (Metabochip) incorporating dense coverage of genomic regions ...
Description : We present a two-stage hybrid-resolution approach for rigid-body protein-protein docking. The first stage is carried out at low-resolution (15u) angular sampling. In the second stage, we sample promising regions from the first stage at a higher resolution of 6u. The hybrid-resolution approach produces the same results as a 6u uniform sampling docking run, but uses only 17% of the computational time. We also show that the angular distance can be used success...
Description : Stem cell populations are maintained through self-renewing divisions in which one daughter cell commits to a specific fate while the other retains the multipotent characteristics of its parent. The p53 tumor suppressor, in conjunction with its interacting partner protein Numb, preserves this asymmetry and functions as a vital barrier against the unchecked expansion of tumor stem cell pools: however, little is known about the biological control of the Numb-p...
Description : High quality diets in line with current recommendations may reduce the risk of CV events. This study illustrates the importance of considering a combination of dietary factors when evaluating diet-disease associations.
Description : Peptides that cause muscle relaxation or contraction or that modulate electrically-induced muscle contraction have been discovered in the sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus (Phylum Echinodermata: Class Holothuroidea). By analysing transcriptome sequence data, here the protein precursors of six of these myoactive peptides (the SALMFamides Sticho- MFamide-1 and -2, NGIWYamide, stichopin, GN-19 and GLRFA) have been identified, providing novel insights on neur...
Description : In the present study we confirmed the good level of conformity between the distributions of observed and AMH-predicted ages at menopause, and showed that using BMI and smoking status as additional variables improves AMHbased prediction of age at menopause.
Description : To study the function and maturation of the human hematopoietic and immune system without endangering individuals, translational human-like animal models are needed. We compare the efficiency of CD34+ stem cells isolated from cryopreserved cord blood from a blood bank (CCB) and fresh cord blood (FCB) in generating highly engrafted humanized mice in NOD-SCID IL2Rcnull (NSG) rodents. Interestingly, the isolation of CD34+ cells from CCB results in a lower yiel...
Description : Our results indicate, for the first time in adult rat Leydig cells, that TGF-b1 suppresses P450arom activity, as well as the expression of the Cyp19 gene, and that depression of E2 secretion leads to down-regulation of Cx43-based GJIC between Leydig cells.
Description : Bacterial pheromone signaling is often governed both by environmentally responsive regulators and by positive feedback. This regulatory combination has the potential to coordinate a group response among distinct subpopulations that perceive key environmental stimuli differently. We have explored the interplay between an environmentally responsive regulator and pheromone-mediated positive feedback in intercellular signaling by Vibrio fischeri ES114, a biolum...
Description : Heterogeneity in foraging behaviour can profoundly influence ecological processes shaping populations. To scale-up from individual foraging behaviour to processes occurring at the population scale, one needs to sample foraging behaviour at the individual level, and over large temporal scales or during critical seasons known to influence life-history traits. We developed an innovative technique to monitor foraging behaviour at the individual level in secreti...
Description : Both of general and central obesity were positively associated with the risk of CRC in this meta-analysis.
Description : Adherence to TB therapy under home-based Directly Observed Treatment can be ensured in programmatic settings. A reliable supply of medication and the careful selection of treatment supporters, who preferably live very close to the patient, are crucial success factors. Finally, we recommend a cohort study to assess the rate of adherence throughout the full course of TB treatment.
Description : Transgenic mice expressing the caspase-cleaved form of the tyrosine kinase Lyn (LynDN) develop a TNFa-dependent skin disease that accurately recapitulates human psoriasis. Participation of lymphocytes in this disease was confirmed by backcrossing LynDN mice on a Rag-1 deficient background. The present study was therefore conducted to analyze whether modification of lymphocyte homeostasis does occur and participate in the phenotype of LynDN mice. We show her...
Description : Individualized approaches to prognosis are crucial to effective management of cancer patients. We developed a methodology to assign individualized 5-year disease-specific death probabilities to 1,222 patients with melanoma and to 1,225 patients with breast cancer. For each cancer, three risk subgroups were identified by stratifying patients according to initial stage, and prediction probabilities were generated based on the factors most closely related to 5...
Description : Non-invasive tubulointerstitial damage markers may allow better titration and monitoring of renoprotective therapy. We investigated the value of urinary vitamin D binding protein excretion (uVDBP) as a tubulointerstitial inflammation and fibrosis marker in adriamycin rats, and tested whether uVDBP parallels renal damage and responds to therapy intensification in humans. In adriamycin (ADR) rats, uVDBP was strongly elevated vs controls (CON) already 6 wks af...
Description : In our case-control study of people with European ancestry we were not able to demonstrate any association between the UCP polymorphisms and T2DM: however, our meta-analysis detected a significant association between the UCP2 Ala55Val and UCP3 -55C/T polymorphisms and increased susceptibility for T2DM in Asians.