Functional polymorphisms in the P2X7 receptor gene are associated with stress fracture injury

Context: Military recruits and elite athletes are susceptible to stress fracture injuries. Genetic predisposition has been postulated to have a role in their development. The P2X7 receptor (P2X7R) gene, a key regulator of bone remodelling, is a genetic candidate that may contribute to stress fracture predisposition. Objective: To evaluate the putative contribution of P2X7R to stress fracture injury in two separate cohorts, military personnel and elite athletes. Methods: In 210 Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) military conscripts, stress fracture injury was diagnosed (n=43) based on symptoms and a positive bone scan. In a separate cohort of 518 elite athletes, self-reported medical imaging scan-certified stress fracture injuries were recorded (n=125). Non-stress fracture controls were identified from these cohorts who had a normal bone scan or no history or symptoms of stress fracture injury. Study participants were genotyped for functional SNPs within the P2X7R gene using proprietary fluorescence-based competitive allele-specific PCR assay. Pearson Chi-square (χ2) tests, corrected for multiple comparisons, were used to assess associations in genotype frequencies. Results: The variant allele of P2X7R SNP rs3751143 (Glu496Ala- loss of function) was associated with stress fracture injury, while the variant allele of rs1718119 (Ala348Thr- gain of function) was associated with a reduced occurrence of stress fracture injury in military conscripts (P<0.05). The association of the variant allele of rs3751143 with stress fractures was replicated in elite athletes (P<0.05), whereas the variant allele of rs1718119 was also associated with reduced multiple stress fracture cases in elite athletes (P<0.05). Conclusions: The association between independent P2X7R polymorphisms with stress fracture prevalence supports the role of a genetic predisposition in the development of stress fracture injury

EXPERIENCE OF SANITARY EPIDEMIOLOGICAL SERVICE WORK OF JEWISH AUTONOMOUS REGION IN PREVENTION OF SEVERE ACUTE RESPIRATORY SYNDROME (SARS) IMPORTATION AND DISSEMINATION

Major activities of sanitary epidemiological service of Jewish Autonomous Region on organization and prevention of SARS importation and dissemination are described. Early measures include preparation of regional normativepractical documents based on analogous papers from Ministry of Public Health of Russian Federation and its introduction to the concerned services and departments. Subsequently, medical personnel training was performed to detection of SARS suspected patients and realization of primary anti-epidemic measures, informing inhabitants about preventive measures. Preparedness of hospital basis and frontier passing points was ensured

The research of the maximum wind speed in Tomsk and calculations of dynamic load on antenna systems

The work is concerned with calculations and analysis of the maximum wind speed in Tomsk city. The data for analysis were taken from the TOR-station located in the north-eastern part of the city. The TOR-station sensors to measure a speed and a direction of wind are installed on the 10-meter meteorological mast. Wind is measured by M-63, which uses the standard approach and the program with one-minute averaging for wind gusts recording as well. According to the measured results in the research performed, the estimation of the dynamic and wind load on different types of antenna systems was performed. The work shows the calculations of wind load on ten types of antenna systems, distinguished by their different constructions and antenna areas. For implementation of calculations, we used methods developed in the Central Research and Development Institute of Building Constructions named after V.A. Kucherenko. The research results could be used for design engineering of the static antenna systems and mobile tracking systems for the distant objects

The influence of surface finishing methods on touch-sensitive reactions

This paper describes the modern technological development trends in jewelry design. In the jewelry industry, new trends, associated with the introduction of updated non-traditional materials and finishing techniques, are appearing. The existing information-oriented society enhances the visual aesthetics of new jewelry forms, decoration techniques (depth and surface), synthesis of different materials, which, all in all, reveal a bias towards positive effects of visual design. Today, the jewelry industry includes not only traditional techniques, but also such improved techniques as computer-assisted design, 3D-prototyping and other alternatives to produce an updated level of jewelry material processing. The authors present the specific features of ornamental pattern designing, decoration types (depth and surface) and comparative analysis of different approaches in surface finishing. Identifying the appearance or the effect of jewelry is based on proposed evaluation criteria, providing an advanced visual aesthetics basis is predicated on touch-sensitive responses