Foot morphological difference between habitually shod and unshod runners

Foot morphology and function has received increasing attention from both biomechanics researchers and footwear manufacturers. In this study, 168 habitually unshod runners (90 males whose age, weight & height were 23 +/- 2.4years, 66 +/- 7.1kg & 1.68 +/- 0.13m and 78 females whose age, weight & height were 22 +/- 1.8years, 55 +/- 4.7kg & 1.6 +/- 0.11m) (Indians) and 196 shod runners (130 males whose age, weight & height were 24 +/- 2.6years, 66 +/- 8.2kg & 1.72 +/- 0.18m and 66 females whose age, weight & height were 23 +/- 1.5years, 54 +/- 5.6kg & 1.62 +/- 0.15m)(Chinese) participated in a foot scanning test using the easy-foot-scan (a three-dimensional foot scanning system) to obtain 3D foot surface data and 2D footprint imaging. Foot length, foot width, hallux angle and minimal distance from hallux to second toe were calculated to analyze foot morphological differences. This study found that significant differences exist between groups (shod Chinese and unshod Indians) for foot length (female p = 0.001), width (female p = 0.001), hallux angle (male and female p = 0.001) and the minimal distance (male and female p = 0.001) from hallux to second toe. This study suggests that significant differences in morphology between different ethnicities could be considered for future investigation of locomotion biomechanics characteristics between ethnicities and inform last shape and design so as to reduce injury risks and poor performance from mal-fit shoes.

Virulence of the Nine Serovar Reference Strains of Haemophilus paragallinarum

The virulence of the reference strains of the nine currently recognized Kume serovars of Haemophilus paragallinarum was investigated. The capacity of the H. paragallinarum strains to cause the typical clinical signs of upper respiratory tract disease associated with infectious coryza in unvaccinated, nasal-challenged chickens was assessed. Differences in virulence were assessed by means of a standardized scoring system for clinical signs. All nine strains were pathogenic to chickens, producing typical clinical signs of infectious coryza. The highest clinical signs score was obtained for serovar C-1 (1.72), while the lowest clinical signs score was obtained for serovar C-4 (0.32). Our results indicate that virulence differences exist among the serovars of H. paragallinarum.

Cross-protection study of the nine serovars of Haemophilus paragallinarum in the Kume haemagglutinin scheme

The cross-protection and haemagglutination-inhibition antibodies present in chickens vaccinated with one of the nine currently recognized Kume haemagglutinin serovars of Haemophilus paragallinarum were investigated. The results confirmed the widely accepted dogma that serogroups A, B, and C represent three distinct immunovars. Within Kume serogroup A, there was generally good cross-protection among all four serovars. However, within Kume serogroup C, there was evidence of a reduced level of cross protection between some of the four serovars. The haemagglutination-inhibition antibody levels generally showed the same trend as with the cross-protection results. This study suggests that some apparent field failures of infectious coryza vaccines may be due to a lack of cross-protection between the vaccine strains and the field strains. Our results will help guide the selection of strains for inclusion in infectious coryza vaccines.

New insights into the altered adhesive and mechanical properties of red blood cells parasitized by Babesia bovis

Sequestration of parasite-infected red blood cells (RBCs) in the microvasculature is an important pathological feature of both bovine babesiosis caused by Babesia bovis and human malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum. Surprisingly, when compared with malaria, the cellular and molecular mechanisms that underlie this abnormal circulatory behaviour for RBCs infected with B. bovis have been relatively ignored. Here, we present some novel insights into the adhesive and mechanical changes that occur in B. bovis-infected bovine RBCs and compare them with the alterations that occur in human RBCs infected with P. falciparum. After infection with B. bovis, bovine RBCs become rigid and adhere to vascular endothelial cells under conditions of physiologically relevant flow. These alterations are accompanied by the appearance of ridge-like structures on the RBC surface that are analogous, but morphologically and biochemically different, to the knob-like structures on the surface of human RBCs infected with P. falciparum. Importantly, albeit for a limited number of parasite lines examined here, the extent of these cellular and rheological changes appear to be related to parasite virulence. Future investigations to identify the precise molecular composition of ridges and the proteins that mediate adhesion will provide important insight into the pathogenesis of both babesiosis and malaria.

Genome-wide association analysis identifies susceptibility loci for migraine without aura

Migraine without aura is the most common form of migraine, characterized by recurrent disabling headache and associated autonomic symptoms. To identify common genetic variants associated with this migraine type, we analyzed genome-wide association data of 2,326 clinic-based German and Dutch individuals with migraine without aura and 4,580 population-matched controls. We selected SNPs from 12 loci with 2 or more SNPs associated with P values of <1 x 10(-5) for replication testing in 2,508 individuals with migraine without aura and 2,652 controls. SNPs at two of these loci showed convincing replication: at 1q22 (in MEF2D; replication P = 4.9 x 10(-4); combined P = 7.06 x 10(-11)) and at 3p24 (near TGFBR2; replication P = 1.0 x 10(-4); combined P = 1.17 x 10(-9)). In addition, SNPs at the PHACTR1 and ASTN2 loci showed suggestive evidence of replication (P = 0.01; combined P = 3.20 x 10(-8) and P = 0.02; combined P = 3.86 x 10(-8), respectively). We also replicated associations at two previously reported migraine loci in or near TRPM8 and LRP1. This study identifies the first susceptibility loci for migraine without aura, thereby expanding our knowledge of this debilitating neurological disorder.

Genome-wide association and genetic functional studies identify autism susceptibility candidate 2 gene (AUTS2) in the regulation of alcohol consumption

Alcohol consumption is a moderately heritable trait, but the genetic basis in humans is largely unknown, despite its clinical and societal importance. We report a genome-wide association study meta-analysis of approximately 2.5 million directly genotyped or imputed SNPs with alcohol consumption (gram per day per kilogram body weight) among 12 population-based samples of European ancestry, comprising 26,316 individuals, with replication genotyping in an additional 21,185 individuals. SNP rs6943555 in autism susceptibility candidate 2 gene (AUTS2) was associated with alcohol consumption at genome-wide significance (P = 4 x 10(-8) to P = 4 x 10(-9)). We found a genotype-specific expression of AUTS2 in 96 human prefrontal cortex samples (P = 0.026) and significant (P < 0.017) differences in expression of AUTS2 in whole-brain extracts of mice selected for differences in voluntary alcohol consumption. Down-regulation of an AUTS2 homolog caused reduced alcohol sensitivity in Drosophila (P < 0.001). Our finding of a regulator of alcohol consumption adds knowledge to our understanding of genetic mechanisms influencing alcohol drinking behavior.

X-ray scattering and diffraction enhanced imaging studies of in vitro breast tissues

This thesis is a study of the x-ray scattering properties of tissues and tumours of the breast. Clinical radiography is based on the absorption of the x-rays when passing right through the human body and gives information about the densities of the tissues. Besides being absorbed, x-rays may change their direction within the tissues due to elastic scattering or even to refraction. The phenomenon of scattering is a nuisance to radiography in general, and to mammography in particular, because it reduces the quality of the images. However, scattered x-rays bear very useful information about the structure of the tissues at the supra-molecular level. Some pathologies, like breast cancer, produce alterations to the structures of the tissues, being especially evident in collagen-rich tissues. On the other hand, the change of direction due to refraction of the x-rays on the tissue boundaries can be mapped. The diffraction enhanced imaging (DEI) technique uses a perfect crystal to convert the angular deviations of the x-rays into intensity variations, which can be recorded as images. This technique is of especial interest in the cases were the densities of the tissues are very similar (like in mammography) and the absorption images do not offer enough contrast. This thesis explores the structural differences existing in healthy and pathological collagen in breast tissue samples by the small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) technique and compares these differences with the morphological information found in the DEI images and the histo-pathology of the same samples. Several breast tissue samples were studied by SAXS technique in the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) in Grenoble, France. Scattering patterns of the different tissues of the breast were acquired and compared with the histology of the samples. The scattering signals from adipose tissue (fat), connective tissue (collagen) and necrotic tissue were identified. Moreover, a clear distinction could be done between the scattering signals from healthy collagen and from collagen from an invasive tumour. Scattering from collagen is very characteristic. It includes several scattering peaks and scattering features that carry information about the size and the spacing of the collagen fibrils in the tissues. It was found that the collagen fibrils in invaded tumours were thinner and had a d-spacing length 0,7% longer that fibrils from healthy tumours. The scattering signals from the breast tissues were compared with the histology by building colour-coded maps across the samples. They were also imaged with the DEI technique. There was a total agreement between the scattering maps, the morphological features seen in the images and the information of the histo- pathological examination. The thesis demonstrates that the x-ray scattering signal can be used to characterize tissues and that it carries important information about the pathological state of the breast tissues, thus showing the potential of the SAXS technique as a possible diagnostic tool for breast cancer.

Mapping sociocultural controversies across digital media platforms: One week of #gamergate on Twitter, YouTube, and Tumblr

Social media play a prominent role in mediating issues of public concern, not only providing the stage on which public debates play out but also shaping their topics and dynamics. Building on and extending existing approaches to both issue mapping and social media analysis, this article explores ways of accounting for popular media practices and the special case of ‘born digital’ sociocultural controversies. We present a case study of the GamerGate controversy with a particular focus on a spike in activity associated with a 2015 Law and Order: SVU episode about gender-based violence and harassment in games culture that was widely interpreted as being based on events associated with GamerGate. The case highlights the importance and challenges of accounting for the cultural dynamics of digital media within and across platforms.

Permanent Genetic Resources added to Molecular Ecology Resources Database 1 August 2010-30 September 2010

This article documents the addition of 229 microsatellite marker loci to the Molecular Ecology Resources Database. Loci were developed for the following species: Acacia auriculiformis x Acacia mangium hybrid, Alabama argillacea, Anoplopoma fimbria, Aplochiton zebra, Brevicoryne brassicae, Bruguiera gymnorhiza, Bucorvus leadbeateri, Delphacodes detecta, Tumidagena minuta, Dictyostelium giganteum, Echinogammarus berilloni, Epimedium sagittatum, Fraxinus excelsior, Labeo chrysophekadion, Oncorhynchus clarki lewisi, Paratrechina longicornis, Phaeocystis antarctica, Pinus roxburghii and Potamilus capax. These loci were cross-tested on the following species: Acacia peregrinalis, Acacia crassicarpa, Bruguiera cylindrica, Delphacodes detecta, Tumidagena minuta, Dictyostelium macrocephalum, Dictyostelium discoideum, Dictyostelium purpureum, Dictyostelium mucoroides, Dictyostelium rosarium, Polysphondylium pallidum, Epimedium brevicornum, Epimedium koreanum, Epimedium pubescens, Epimedium wushanese and Fraxinus angustifolia.

The stretching of single poly-ubiquitin molecules: Static versus dynamic disorder in the non-exponential kinetics of chain unfolding

Static disorder has recently been implicated in the non-exponential kinetics of the unfolding of single molecules of poly-ubiquitin under a constant force Kuo, Garcia-Manyes, Li, Barel, Lu, Berne, Urbakh, Klafter, and Fernandez, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 107, 11336 (2010)]. In the present paper, it is suggested that dynamic disorder may provide a plausible, alternative description of the experimental observations. This suggestion is made on the basis of a model in which the barrier to chain unfolding is assumed to be modulated by a control parameter r that evolves in a parabolic potential under the action of fractional Gaussian noise according to a generalized Langevin equation. The treatment of dynamic disorder within this model is pursued using Zwanzig's indirect approach to noise averaging Acc. Chem. Res. 23, 148 (1990)]. In conjunction with a self-consistent closure scheme developed by Wilemski and Fixman J. Chem. Phys. 58, 4009 (1973); ibid. 60, 866 (1974)], this approach eventually leads to an expression for the chain unfolding probability that can be made to fit the corresponding experimental data very closely. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics.

Phylogeny of the freshwater crabs of the Western Ghats (Brachyura, Gecarcinucidae)

The Western Ghats mountain range in India is a biodiversity hotspot for a variety of organisms including a large number of endemic freshwater crab species and genera of the family Gecarcinucidae. The phylogenetic relationships of these taxa, however, have remained poorly understood. Here, we present a phylogeny that includes 90% of peninsular Indian genera based on mitochondrial 16S rRNA and nuclear histone H3 gene sequences. The subfamily Gecarcinucinae was found to be paraphyletic with members of two other subfamilies, Liotelphusinae and Parathelphusinae, nesting within. We identify a well-supported clade consisting of north Indian species and one clade comprising mostly south Indian species that inhabit the southern sky islands' of the Western Ghats. Relationships of early diverging genera, however, were resolved with low support. This study also includes newly sampled material from an isolated mountain plateau in the northern part of the Western Ghats, representing a new species of Gubernatoriana, which we describe here as Gubernatoriana basalticola sp. n. The new species is immediately distinguished from its congeners and the related genera Ghatiana and Inglethelphusa by its carapace and cheliped morphology, which are unique among Indian freshwater crabs. This study highlights the urgent need for continued faunistic studies to assess the true diversity of gecarcinucid crabs on the Indian subcontinent, to fully understand the basal phylogenetic relationships within the freshwater crab family Gecarcinucidae, and to evaluate the conservation threat status and biogeography of the montane freshwater crabs of the Western Ghats.

Efecto de la inclusión de saccharina sobre el comportamiento productivo de cerdos de engorde

El presente trabajo experimental se realizó con el objetivo de evaluar el efecto de inclusión de dos niveles de Saccharina sobre los rendimientos productivos: Ganancia Media Diaria (GMD.); Consumo de Alimento Promedio (CAP); Conversión Alimenticia (CA) en cerdos de engorde, evaluándose la utilidad económica de los tratamientos. Se utilizaron tres tratamientos. T1: testigo; T2: 7.38 % de Saccharina y T3 : 14.76 % de Saccharina, los que estaban conformados por grupos de siete cerdos cada uno, con edades y pesos promedios de 120 días y 34.55 Kg. El análisis estadístico empleado fué un Diseño Completamente Aleatorio (DCA), para las variables GMD/Tratamiento y C.A/Tratamiento. Se obtuvieron ganancias medias diarias de T1: 750.48; T2 : 893.34; T3 : 774.29 gr/días/cerdos respectivamente. Resultando no significativa al Pr≤ O.05 para los tres tratamientos. Con la realización del análisis de costo de alimento por Kg de ganancia de peso se obtuvieron los valores de C$ 5.13 (T1); C$ 4.62 (T2); C$ 4.48 (T3) respectivamente. Al realizarse el presupuesto parcial se determinó que el tratamiento que obtuvo la mayor utilidad fue el tratamiento dos (T2) resultando de C$ 57.77 siendo para el tratamiento tres (T3 ) la utilidad de C$ 12.27 ambos tratamientos con respecto al tratamiento uno (T1). Por tanto, el tratamiento T2 es el que genera las beneficios económicos.

Dossier especial

El dossier contiene los siguientes documentos pertenecientes al Pbro. Dr. Víctor Manuel Fernández: La preocupación por la vida en "Aparecida" -- Un padre que ama la vida. El contexto adecuado de nuestra preocupación por la bioética -- La defensa de los que tienen menos poder -- Vida -- El niño por nacer iluminado por la palabra -- Defender los derechos humanos implica atender la vida en el vientre materno -- La opción por la vida en esta Universidad -- ¿Qué le hace el aborto al corazón de la sociedad? -- Cuestiones sensibles en torno al aborto -- Presiones internacionales sobre América Latina con respecto a temas de salud reproductiva e identidad de género.

Et avié una viña rica, de mejor non nos cala” : la representación del palacio de Poro y la viña áurea en el Libro de Alexandre, diálogos intertextuales y funciones literarias

Resumen: Según se narra en el Libro de Alexandre, después de la muerte de Darío III, rey de los persas y opresor de los macedonios, Alejandro comienza su exploración hacia el Oriente profundo, en busca del sátrapa indio, Poro. Al hallar los palacios de este, el macedonio se encuentra con una serie de objetos que podrían integrar un catálogo de maravillas mecánicas y artificiales, entre las que destaca una viña hecha de oro y piedras preciosas que el gobernante oriental posee en los jardines del alcázar (cc. 2126-2131). El trabajo cuyo resumen presento aquí pretende, en primer lugar, develar las funciones intra y extratextuales que posee el episodio, además de –en segunda instancia– defender la idea de la representación de la viña áurea como un motivo recurrente en las descripciones de palacios orientales en la literatura medieval y en obras como la Historia de Proellis, el Roman d’Aeneas y textos que se insertan propiamente en la tradición de libros de viajes, como el Livre des merveilles du monde de Jean de Mandeville.