Pan-Domain Analysis of ZIP Zinc Transporters

The ZIP (Zrt/Irt-like protein) family of zinc transporters is found in all three domains of life. However, little is known about the phylogenetic relationship amongst ZIP transporters, their distribution, or their origin. Here we employed phylogenetic analysis to explore the evolution of ZIP transporters, with a focus on the major human fungal pathogen, Candida albicans. Pan-domain analysis of bacterial, archaeal, fungal, and human proteins revealed a complex relationship amongst the ZIP family members. Here we report (i) a eukaryote-wide group of cellular zinc importers, (ii) a fungal-specific group of zinc importers having genetic association with the fungal zincophore, and, (iii) a pan-kingdom supercluster made up of two distinct subgroups with orthologues in bacterial, archaeal, and eukaryotic phyla

Evaluation of changes in arterial blood pressure during treatment in hypertensive and non-hypertensive patients

AIM: To evaluate the changes in arterial blood pressure during periodontal procedures under local anesthesia in hypertensive and non-hypertensive patients and to compare effects related to gender, age, and different types of blood pressure medications on systolic and diastolic blood pressure. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-nine patients enrolled and consented to participate in this study. Twenty-eight were diagnosed with hypertension and thirty one were non- hypertensive. Their blood (BP) was measured once during the consultation visit. During the scaling and root planning (SRP) visit BP was measured at three time points: before local anesthesia (LA) injection, immediately after LA and at the end of the procedure. During the surgical visit BP was determined at the same three time points as the SRP visit. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences in systolic and diastolic blood pressure between hypertensive and normotensive patients, males versus females, age groups and different types of blood pressure medications during SRP and surgical visits under local anesthesia. CONCLUSION: Although age, gender, blood pressure medications and hypertensive status have no significant influence on the arterial blood pressure in both hypertensive and normotensive patients during SRP and periodontal surgical visits, it is important to measure pre-operative BP to avoid or minimize the chances of life-threatening complications during dental treatment

Evaluation of changes in arterial blood pressure during treatment in hypertensive and non-hypertensive patients

AIM: To evaluate the changes in arterial blood pressure during periodontal procedures under local anesthesia in hypertensive and non-hypertensive patients and to compare effects related to gender, age, and different types of blood pressure medications on systolic and diastolic blood pressure. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-nine patients enrolled and consented to participate in this study. Twenty-eight were diagnosed with hypertension and thirty one were non- hypertensive. Their blood (BP) was measured once during the consultation visit. During the scaling and root planning (SRP) visit BP was measured at three time points: before local anesthesia (LA) injection, immediately after LA and at the end of the procedure. During the surgical visit BP was determined at the same three time points as the SRP visit. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences in systolic and diastolic blood pressure between hypertensive and normotensive patients, males versus females, age groups and different types of blood pressure medications during SRP and surgical visits under local anesthesia. CONCLUSION: Although age, gender, blood pressure medications and hypertensive status have no significant influence on the arterial blood pressure in both hypertensive and normotensive patients during SRP and periodontal surgical visits, it is important to measure pre-operative BP to avoid or minimize the chances of life-threatening complications during dental treatment

Policy Administration and Political Rights;the Experiences of High-Level Women in the Kuwaiti Government

Women in Kuwait were traditionally excluded from the formulation of public policy because they lacked political rights. In mid 2005, women received the right to vote and to run for office. There is little known today about the influence of these political rights on women who work with the implementation of public policies in the higher administrative levels of government. Little is known specifically about the influence of the franchise on promotion of women to high administrative posts. The purpose of this study is to lay a foundation for research on the factors that encourage women\u27s access to high positions in government by exploring the experience of high-level women both before and after enfranchisement. The experiences of leading women who work for the public sector are critical to understanding any relationship between women\u27s political rights and their access to high positions. The interpretation of female work experiences provides suggestions to help expand and enhance women\u27s access to high positions in public administration. This study employs the phenomenological method for data collection and interpretation. The findings of this study support the argument that political participation exerts a positive influence on high-level women in government. This study shows that Kuwaiti high-level women agree that they have started to experience a positive influence in their work since the franchise due to the new political power that they have gained. I argue that whether or not high-level women have personally experienced any positive change in their work due to gaining their political rights, they still affirm the occurrence of this positive change. This study finds that this positive influence is reflected in better representation in official meetings, more interactions with state leaders, an increasing ability to express concerns to top levels, and enhancing their self-confidence to lead. This study notes other significant factors that should be considered by women in order to enhance their numbers in lea

Long-term spatiotemporal stability and dynamic changes in the haemoparasite community of spiny mice (Acomys dimidiatus) in four montane wadis in the St. Katherine Protectorate, Sinai, Egypt

Background: Long-term field studies of parasite communities are rare but provide a powerful insight into the ecological processes shaping host-parasite interactions. The aim of our study was to monitor long-term trends in the haemoparasite communities of spiny mice (Acomys dimidiatus) and to identify the principal factors responsible for changes over a 12 year period. Methods: To this end we sampled four semi-isolated populations of mice (n= 835) in 2000, 2004, 2008 and 2012 in four dry montane valleys (wadis) located in the Sinai Massif, Egypt. Results: Overall 76.2 % of spiny mice carried at least one of the five haemoparasite genera (Babesia, Bartonella, Haemobartonella, Hepatozoon, Trypanosoma) recorded in the study. Prevalence of haemoparasites varied significantly between the sites with the highest overall prevalence in Wadi Tlah and the lowest in W. El Arbaein, and this changed significantly with time. In the first two surveys there was little change in prevalence, but by 2008, when the first signs of a deepening drought in the region had become apparent, prevalence began to drift downwards, and by 2012 prevalence had fallen to the lowest values recorded from all four sites over the entire 12-year period. The overall mean species richness was 1.2 ± 0.03, which peaked in 2004 and then dropped by more than 50 % by 2012. Species richness was highest among mice from Wadi Tlah and peaked in age class 2 mice (young adults). Site was the most significant factor affecting the prevalence of individual parasite species, with Trypanosoma acomys and Hepatozoon sp. occurring mainly in two wadis (W. Tlah & W. Gharaba). In four of the five genera recorded in the study we observed a significant drop in prevalence or/and abundance since 2004, the exception being Hepatozoon sp. Conclusions: During the 12-year-long period of study in the Sinai, we observed dynamic changes and possibly even cycles of prevalence and abundance of infections which differed depending on parasite species. Although the exact reasons cannot be identified at this time, we hypothesize that the effects of a 15-year-long scarcity of rainfall in the local environment and a fall in host densities over the period of study may have been responsible for a drop in transmission rates, possibly by a negative impact on vector survival

Policy Administration and Political Rights;the Experiences of High-Level Women in the Kuwaiti Government

Women in Kuwait were traditionally excluded from the formulation of public policy because they lacked political rights. In mid 2005, women received the right to vote and to run for office. There is little known today about the influence of these political rights on women who work with the implementation of public policies in the higher administrative levels of government. Little is known specifically about the influence of the franchise on promotion of women to high administrative posts. The purpose of this study is to lay a foundation for research on the factors that encourage women\u27s access to high positions in government by exploring the experience of high-level women both before and after enfranchisement. The experiences of leading women who work for the public sector are critical to understanding any relationship between women\u27s political rights and their access to high positions. The interpretation of female work experiences provides suggestions to help expand and enhance women\u27s access to high positions in public administration. This study employs the phenomenological method for data collection and interpretation. The findings of this study support the argument that political participation exerts a positive influence on high-level women in government. This study shows that Kuwaiti high-level women agree that they have started to experience a positive influence in their work since the franchise due to the new political power that they have gained. I argue that whether or not high-level women have personally experienced any positive change in their work due to gaining their political rights, they still affirm the occurrence of this positive change. This study finds that this positive influence is reflected in better representation in official meetings, more interactions with state leaders, an increasing ability to express concerns to top levels, and enhancing their self-confidence to lead. This study notes other significant factors that should be considered by women in order to enhance their numbers in lea

Dietary and physical activity patterns in motoric cognitive risk syndrome in the framingham Heart Study

Background: Dementia is a neurodegenerative syndrome that affects one’s ability to remember, think, make decisions, and live independently. It is predicted that over 150 million people will be affected by dementia by 2030. There is currently no cure for dementia, and the best course of action is early detection and the management of modifiable risk factors. Motoric cognitive risk syndrome (MCR) is used to assess risk for developing dementia by taking into account two risk factors: slow gait speed and memory complaints. Its simplistic nature would allow for easy integration in clinical settings, rather than performing costly and arduous tests to predict dementia. Methods: The Framingham Heart Study (FHS) was established in 1948 in Framingham, Massachusetts. The Offspring cohort was initiated in 1971 with the children of the original Framingham cohort. Omni I was initiated in 1994 to include participants of mixed races. We excluded participants with dementia and those unable to complete activities of daily living from our study sample, leaving a sample size of n=2,435. MCR was defined as self-reported memory complaint and slow gait-speed, using a cut-off of 0.879 m/s (the average of male and female mean gait speeds minus one standard deviation). The Harvard semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire was used to assess the Alternative Healthy Eating Index and its components. Accelerometer data was used to assess physical activity. Neuropsychological tests from the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale and Mini-Mental State Exam were used to assess cognition. Results: We reported an MCR prevalence of 7.3% (n=166) in our cohort of mostly older adults (>60 years). Participants with MCR were older (mean age 77.05 vs. 69.02 years in non-MCR) and more likely to be female (64.46% vs 54.91% in non-MCR). The presence of MCR was associated with depression (14.46% vs. 7.54%), lower scores on the Mini-Mental State Exam (28.27 vs. 28.81) and Alternative Healthy Eating Index (61.88 vs. 65.33), as well as higher sedentary time (15.50 vs. 14.18 hours per day) and fewer steps (3576 vs. 6227 steps per day), compared to those without MCR, even after adjusting for age, sex, BMI, and depression. Conclusion: People with MCR have distinct health characteristics, and different dietary and physical activity profiles compared to those without MCR. Additional studies characterizing those with MCR would allow for better detection of those who may be at the highest risk for dementia, which would lead to more patients receiving care to postpone the onset of dementia

Development of solvent-free synthesis of hydrogen-bonded supramolecular polyurethanes

In this work we describe the solvent free synthesis of supramolecular polyurethanes held together by heterocomplementary triple hydrogen bonding. We perform a systematic evaluation on the base catalyzed synthesis of small molecule ureas and carbamates from a range of isocyanates, amines and alcohols in solution and in the solid state using ball milling. These optimized procedures are then shown to be applicable to the synthesis of supramolecular polyurethanes using solvent-free method