Investigating the role of ELN rs2071307 gene variant as a risk factor for Achilles Tendon Pathologies in a British Cohort

Injuries to the Achilles tendon (tendinopathies or ruptures) are considered as ones of the most severe musculoskeletal traumas in sports with an incidence rate of 50% in athletes and 10% in the general population. A number of gene variants coding for tendon structural proteins such as COL5A11 and FBN22 have previously been associated with Achilles tendon pathologies (ATP). These protein along with others maintain a harmonious interaction with elastin to allow tendons to respond to tensile load by stretching and returning to their original lengths. The ELN rs2071307 variant has been associated with soft tissue pathologies and is believed to be a good candidate gene as it results in the substitution of the hydrophobic amino acid glycine with the hydrophilic serine. However, in a previous study this variant was not associated with either Achilles tendinopathy or ACL rupture in populations from Australia and South Africa2. As recent evidence suggests that genetic risk factors for tendinopathy may depend, to some extent, on geographic location 3, the aim of this study was to determine whether the ELN rs2071307 variant was associated with the risk of ATP in a British cohort

University Image and its Relationship to Student Satisfaction: Case of the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, Lebanon

This work focuses on the study of the university’s image with the aim of explaining the components of image and attributes of student satisfaction. Our study investigates the relationships between the different components of the university image and to what extent they may affect the students’ satisfaction. Hypotheses were drawn setting the relationships between the affective, cognitive and overall image in relation with satisfaction. The results of the empirical work carried out on a representative sample of 200 students studying at Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK) demonstrate that the cognitive component of image is an antecedent of the affective component. In turn, both of these components influence the formation of the overall image of a university. However, the affective and overall images statistically and significantly affect the overall satisfaction of students with their university. The research could also be extended to cover the area of the Middle East and study the process of formation of the university image by various public universities

Hydrogen-Poor Disks in Compact X-Ray Binaries

We show that accretion disks in several compact X-ray binaries with hydrogen-depleted donors are likely subject to a thermal ionization instability, unless they are strongly irradiated. These disks are particularly interesting in that their MHD-turbulent properties in the neutral phase may be quite different from those of standard, hydrogen-rich disks.Comment: 10 pages, accepted for publication in ApJ

The effect of entomopathogenic nematodes and fungi against four xylophagous pests

The effects of entomopathogenic nematodes EPN (Steinernematidae and Heterorhabditidae) and fungi EPF (Beauveria bassiana) strains were evaluated in laboratory assays against larvae of four xylophagous pests: the Asparagus moth Parahypopta caestrum, the European goat moth Cossus cossus, the pine longhorn Arhopalus syriacus and the black Buprestid Capnodis tenebrionis. Due to their biology and ethology, these insects may be included in the category of pests residing in cryptic habitats. The control of these species is considered difficult, due to the inability of chemical pesticides to penetrate the cryptic habitats and reach the targets. The pathogenicity of the entomopathogenic nematodes and fungi was tested in vitro against the pests. Two experimental models were considered and aimed to imitate the natural environment of the pests, in Petri dishes filled with plant material and inside wood galleries respectively. Main results showed that the majority of the tested strains of nematodes and fungi affected the insects’ survival rate. Steinernema feltiae and B. bassiana caused the highest percentage of larval mortality (80–100%). Considering the lack of effective chemical control means, the microbial control of the xylophagous pests by EPN and EPF reveals promising perspectives. Nematodes and fungi are able to penetrate the cryptic habitats because they are living organisms and may be horizontally transmitted by infected hosts. The distribution of EPF as preventive control method and the injection of EPN suspensions to reach and infect the larvae inside the wood galleries can be a combined sustainable control system