Evolution of the tandem repeats in thymidylate synthase enhancer region (TSER) in primates

The upstream regulatory region of the human thymidylate synthase gene (thymidylate synthase enhancer region, TSER) is length polymorphic, attributable to variable numbers of tandemly repeated copies of a 28-bp fragment. It has been found that TSER length

Estudio de factibilidad de generación de energía para la cerveceria de Bucaramanga

Para disminuir costos por la compra de energía eléctrica necesaria para la producción en la Cervecería de Bucaramanga, evitar la dependencia del suministro de energía externa y disminuir las paradas de producción por cortes de energía.

Fabricación de pintura al oleo 'Alizarina'

“ALIZARINA” es un proyecto de carácter económico de producción de Pintura al óleo, enfocado hacia la optimización de dos factores principales : LA CALIDAD y LA EXCLUSIVIDAD ; bajo estos dos factores se pretende introducir al mercado un insumo de arte de manufactura colo mbiana, económicamente competitivo.

Telecommunications and economic growth: an empirical analysis of sub-saharan Africa

We examine the effect on economic growth of mobile cellular phones in sub-Saharan Africa where a marked asymmetry is present between land-line penetration and mobile telecommunications expansion. This study extends previous ones along two important dimensions. First, we allow for the potential endogeneity between economic growth and telecommunications expansion by employing a special linear generalized method of moments (GMM) estimator. Second, we explicitly model for varying degrees of substitutability between mobile cellular and land-line telephony, so that greater expansion of mobile telecommunications can have a different impact whenever the level of land-line penetration differs. We find that mobile cellular phone expansion is an important determinant of the rate of economic growth in Sub-Saharan Africa. Moreover, we find that the contribution of mobile cellular phones to economic growth has been growing in importance in the region, and that the marginal impact of mobile telecommunication services is even greater wherever land-line phones are rare. Given the low cost of mobile telecommunications technology relative to other broad infrastructure projects, especially land-line infrastructure, we advocate that mobile telecommunication services be encouraged in the area.

Use of informal mobile telephony in low income households in Colombia

El acceso a la telefonía móvil en Colombia evidencia ciertas particularidades con respecto a otros países. En Colombia surgió una nueva alternativa de comunicación que consistía en la venta de minutos de celular en las calles y en pequeños negocios durante los primeros años de ésta década. En este documento se analizan las principales características de quienes usan esta modalidad de comunicación con base en una encuesta dirigida a usuarios y no usuarios de bajos ingresos. Se usa un modelo probabilístico para explicar las características de las personas que lo usan y se encuentra que las personas que están en la modalidad de contrato prepago y que viven en ciudades pequeñas tienen una mayor probabilidad de usar esta alternativa de comunicación. De otro lado se encuentra que quienes están con el operador dominante tienden a usar este servicio también de una forma más notoria. Estos resultados parecen indicar que los diferenciales de precios entre las llamadas off-net y on-net así como entre prepago y postpago son los que alimentaron el surgimiento de esta actividad

Early loading of nonsubmerged titanium implants with a chemically modified sand-blasted and acid-etched surface: 6-month results of a prospective case series study in the posterior mandible focusing on peri-implant crestal bone changes and implant stability quotient (ISQ) values

PURPOSE: The aim of this prospective case series study was to evaluate the short-term success rates of titanium screw-type implants with a chemically modified sand-blasted and acid-etched (mod SLA) surface after 3 weeks of healing. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 56 implants were inserted in the posterior mandible of 40 partially edentulous patients exhibiting bone densities of class I to III. After a healing period of 3 weeks, all implants were functionally loaded with a screw-retained crown or fixed dental prosthesis. The patients were recalled at weeks 4, 7, 12, and 26 for monitoring and assessment of clinical and radiological parameters, including implant stability quotient (ISQ) measurements. RESULTS: None of the implants failed to integrate. However, two implants were considered "spinners" at day 21 and left unloaded for an extended period. Therefore, 96.4% of the inserted implants were loaded according to the protocol tested. All 56 implants including the "spinners" showed favorable clinical and radiographic findings at the 6-month follow-up examination. The ISQ values increased steadily throughout the follow-up period. At the time of implant placement, the range of ISQ values exhibited a mean of 74.33, and by week 26, a mean value of 83.82 was recorded. Based on strict criteria, all 56 implants were considered successfully integrated, resulting in a 6-month survival and success rate of 100.0%. CONCLUSION: This prospective study using an early-loading protocol after 3 weeks of healing demonstrated that titanium implants with the modified SLA surface can achieve and maintain successful tissue integration over a period of at least 6 months. The ISQ method seems feasible to monitor implant stability during the initial wound-healing period.

Outcomes following operative and non-operative management of humeral midshaft fractures: a prospective, observational cohort study of 47 patients

Background Although the non-operative management of closed humeral midshaft fractures has been advocated for years, the increasing popularity of operative intervention has left the optimal treatment choice unclear. Objective To compare the outcomes of operative and non-operative treatment of traumatic closed humeral midshaft fractures in adult patients. Methods A multicentre prospective comparative cohort study across 20 centres was conducted. Patients with AO type 12 A2, A3 and B2 fractures were treated with a functional brace or a retrograde-inserted unreamed humeral nail. Follow-up measurements were taken at 6, 12 and 52 weeks after the injury. The primary outcome was fracture healing after 1 year. Secondary outcomes included sub-items of the Constant score, general patient satisfaction, complications and cost-effectiveness parameters. Functions of the uninjured extremity were used as reference parameters. Intention-to-treat analysis was applied with the use of t-tests, Fisher’s exact tests, Mann–Whitney U-tests and adjusted analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results Forty-seven patients were included. The patient sample consisted of 23 women and 24 men, with a mean age of 52.7 years (range 17–86 years). Of the 47 cases, 14 were treated non-operatively and 33 operatively. The follow-up rate at 1 year was 81%. After 1 year, 11 fractures (100%) healed in the non-operative group and at least 24 fractures (≥89%) healed in the operative group [1 non-union patient (4%) and no data for 2 patients (7%)]. There were no significant differences in pain, range of motion (ROM) of the shoulder and elbow, and return to work after 6 weeks, 12 weeks and 1 year. Although operatively treated patients showed significantly greater shoulder abduction strength (p = 0.036), elbow flexion strength (p = 0.021), functional hand positioning (p = 0.008) and return to recreational activities (p = 0.043) after 6 weeks, no statistically significant differences existed in any outcome measure at the 1-year follow-up. Conclusions Our findings indicate that the non-operative management of humeral midshaft fractures can be expected to have similar functional outcomes and patient satisfaction at 1 year, despite an early benefit to operative treatment. If no radiological evidence of fracture healing exists in non-operatively treated patients during early follow-up, a switch to surgical treatment results in good functional outcomes and patient satisfaction. Keywords: Humeral shaft fracture, Non-operative treatment, Functional brace, Operative treatment, Unreamed humeral nail (UHN), Prospective, Cohort study

Health and guardianship law : guardianship and administration application in the matter of MDC [2014] QCAT 338

The recent decision of the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT) in Guardianship and administration application in the matter of MDC [2014] QCAT 338, provides an important ruling on the limits of who can be appointed as an enduring power of attorney under the Powers of Attorney Act 1998 (Qld). In particular, the tribunal adopted a broad interpretation of the term "health provider" when considering the limits on who can be appointed as an enduring power of attorney under the legislation...

p53 and little brother p53/47: linking IRES activities with protein functions

The tumor suppressor p53 represents a paradigm for gene regulation. Its rapid induction in response to DNA damage conditions has been attributed to both increased half-life of p53 protein and also increased translation of p53 mRNA. Recent advances in our understanding of the post-transcriptional regulation of p53 include the discovery of internal ribosome entry sites (IRESs) within the p53 mRNA. These IRES elements regulate the translation of the full length as well as the N-terminally truncated isoform, p53/47. The p53/47 isoform is generated by alternative initiation at an internal AUG codon present within the p53 ORF. The aim of this review is to summarize the role of translational control mechanisms in regulating p53 functions. We discuss here in detail how diverse cellular stress pathways trigger alterations in the cap-dependent and cap-independent translation of p53 mRNA and how changes in the relative expression levels of p53 isoforms result in more differentiated p53 activity.

Structure of Sesbania Mosaic Virus at 4·7 Å Resolution and Partial Sequence of the Coat Protein

Sesbania mosaic virus (SMV) is a plant virus infecting Sesbania grandiflora plants in Andhra Pradesh, India. Amino acid sequence of the tryptic peptides of SMV coat protein were determined using a gas phase sequenator. These sequences showed identical amino acids at 69% of the positions when aligned with the corresponding residues of southern bean mosaic virus (SBMV).Crystals diffracting to better than 3 Å resolution were obtained by precipitating the virus with ammonium sulphate. The crystals belonged to rhombohedral space group R3 with α = 291·4 Å and α = 61·9°. Three-dimensional X-ray diffraction data on these crystals were collected to a resolution of 4·7 Å, using a Siemens-Nicolet area detector system. Self-rotation function studies revealed the icosahedral symmetry of the virus particles, as well as their precise orientation in the unit cell. Cross-rotation function and modelling studies with SBMV showed that it is a valid starting model for SMV structure determination. Low resolution phases computed using a polyalanine model of SBMV were subjected to refinement and extension by real-space electron density averaging and solvent flattening. The final electron density map revealed a polypeptide fold similar to SBMV. The single disulphide bridge of SBMV coat protein is retained in SMV. Four icosahedrally independent cation binding sites have been tentatively identified. Three of these sites, related by a quasi threefold axis, are also found in SBMV. The fourth site is situated on the quasi threefold axis. Aspartic acid residues, which replace Ile218 of SBMV from the quasi threefold-related subunits are suitable ligands to the cation at this site