2,123 research outputs found
RNomics: a computational search for box C/D snoRNA genes in the D. melanogaster genome.
Motivation: In eukaryotes, the family of non-coding RNA
genes includes a number of genes encoding small nucleolar
RNAs (mainly C/D and H/ACA snoRNAs), which act as
guides in the maturation or post-transcriptional modifications
of target RNA molecules. Since in Drosophila melanogaster
(Dm) only few examples of snoRNAs have been identified so
far by cDNA libraries screening, integration of the molecular
data with in silico identification of these types of genes could
throw light on their organization in the Dm genome.
Results: We have performed a computational screening of
the Dm genome for C/D snoRNA genes, followed by experimental validation of the putative candidates. Few of the
26 confirmed snoRNAs had been recognized by cDNA library
analysis. Organization of the Dm genome was also
found to be more variegated than previously suspected, with
snoRNA genes nested in both the introns and exons of
protein-coding genes. This finding suggests that the presence
of additional mechanisms of snoRNA biogenesis based
on the alternative production of overlapping mRNA/snoRNA
molecules.
Availability: Additional information is available at http://www.
bioinformatica.unito.it/bioinformatics/snoRNA
The current version of the visceral adiposity index is not suitable for application in pediatric populations: comments on the article by Al-Daghri et al.
Near-Field microscopy with phase sensitive coherent detection employing quantum cascade lasers
We demonstrate a novel architecture for a THz near-field probe, which enables coherent imaging with subwavelength spatial resolution using THz quantum cascade lasers. An InAs nanowire acting as a THz detector based on the field effect transistor concept is integrated inside a subwavelength input aperture of the near-field probe to detect intensity of the THz field and its phase. To determine the phase locally, the THz field is superimposed on the reference THz field incident on the aperture of the probe from the back side. In this configuration, the THz detector exhibits coherent gain and sensitivity to the relative phase between the local and the reference THz fields
Pulmonary Arterial Stenting Complication: The Retrieval of a Stent Lost in a Child with Bilateral Glenn Shunt
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Cucurbita pepo L. extracts as a versatile hydrotropic source for the synthesis of gold nanoparticles with different shapes
The degree of urinary hypercortisolism is not correlated with the severity of cushingâs syndrome
Cushing syndrome (CS) is characterized by increased morbidity and mortality compared to the general population. However, there are patients who have moreclinical aggressive forms than others. Aim of the study is to evaluate whether the degree of hypercortisolism, defined by the number of times urinary free cortisol (UFC) levels exceed the upper limit of the normal range (ULN), is related to the worsening of phenotypic features, as well as metabolic and cardiovascular parameters, in a cohort of CS patients. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 192 patients with active CS, consecutively presenting at the outpatientsâ clinic of the University Hospitals of Ancona, Naples, and Palermo. Patients were grouped into mild (UFC not exceeding twice the ULN), moderate (2â5 times the ULN), and severe (more than 5 times the ULN) hypercortisolism. Thirty-seven
patients (19.3 %) had mild, 115 (59.8 %) moderate, and 40 (20.9 %) severe hypercortisolism. A significant trend of increase among the three groups was demonstrated for 8-, 16-, and 24-h serum cortisol levels (p.001) and serum cortisol after low dose of dexamethasone suppression test
(p = 0.001). No significant trend of increase was found regarding phenotype and comorbidities. The degree of hypercortisolism by itself does not appear to be a sufficient parameter to express the severity of CS. Therefore, estimating the severity of CS according to biochemical parameters
remains a challenge, while the clinical phenotype and the associated comorbidities might be more useful to assessing the severity of the CS
Mass hierarchy, 2-3 mixing and CP-phase with Huge Atmospheric Neutrino Detectors
We explore the physics potential of multi-megaton scale ice or water
Cherenkov detectors with low ( GeV) threshold. Using some proposed
characteristics of the PINGU detector setup we compute the distributions of
events versus neutrino energy and zenith angle , and study
their dependence on yet unknown neutrino parameters. The
regions are identified where the distributions have the highest sensitivity to
the neutrino mass hierarchy, to the deviation of the 2-3 mixing from the
maximal one and to the CP-phase. We evaluate significance of the measurements
of the neutrino parameters and explore dependence of this significance on the
accuracy of reconstruction of the neutrino energy and direction. The effect of
degeneracy of the parameters on the sensitivities is also discussed. We
estimate the characteristics of future detectors (energy and angle resolution,
volume, etc.) required for establishing the neutrino mass hierarchy with high
confidence level. We find that the hierarchy can be identified at --
level (depending on the reconstruction accuracies) after 5 years of
PINGU operation.Comment: 39 pages, 21 figures. Description of Fig.3 correcte
Morphological and physiological responses induced by protein hydrolysate-based biostimulant and nitrogen rates in greenhouse spinach
Plant-derived protein hydrolysates (PHs) are gaining prominence as biostimulants due to their potential to improve yield and nutritional quality even under suboptimal nutrient regimens. In this study, we investigated the effects of foliar application of a legume-derived PH (0 or 4 ml Lâ1) on greenhouse baby spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) under four nitrogen (N) fertilization levels (0, 15, 30, or 45 kg haâ1) by evaluating morphological and colorimetric parameters, mineral composition, carbohydrates, proteins, and amino acids. The fresh yield in untreated and biostimulant-treated spinach plants increased in response to an increase in N fertilization from 1 up to 30 kg haâ1, reaching a plateau thereafter indicating the luxury consumption of N at 45 kg haâ1. Increasing N fertilization rate, independently of PH, lead to a significant increase of all amino acids with the exception of alanine, GABA, leucine, lysine, methionine, and ornithine but decreased the polyphenols content. Interestingly, the fresh yield at 0 and 15 kg haâ1 was clearly greater in PH-treated plants compared to untreated plants by 33.3% and 24.9%, respectively. This was associated with the presence in of amino acids and small peptides PH âTrainerÂźâ, which act as signaling molecules eliciting auxin- and/or gibberellin-like activities on both leaves and roots and thus inducing a ânutrient acquisition responseâ that enhances nutrients acquisition and assimilation (high P, Ca, and Mg accumulation) as well as an increase in the photochemical efficiency and activity of photosystem II (higher SPAD index). Foliar applications of the commercial PH decreased the polyphenols content, but on the other hand strongly increased total amino acid content (+45%, +82%, and +59% at 0, 15, and 30 kg haâ1, respectively) but not at a 45-kg haâ1-rate. Overall, the use of PH could represent a sustainable tool for boosting yield and nitrogen use efficiency and coping with soil fertility problems under low input regimens
Contribution of microscopy for understanding the mechanism of action against trypanosomatids
Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) has proved to be a useful tool to study the ultrastructural alterations and the target organelles of new antitrypanosomatid drugs. Thus, it has been observed that sesquiterpene lactones induce diverse ultrastructural alterations in both T. cruzi and Leishmania spp., such as cytoplasmic vacuolization, appearance of multilamellar structures, condensation of nuclear DNA, and, in some cases, an important accumulation of lipid vacuoles. This accumulation could be related to apoptotic events. Some of the sesquiterpene lactones (e.g., psilostachyin) have also been demonstrated to cause an intense mitochondrial swelling accompanied by a visible kinetoplast deformation as well as the appearance of multivesicular bodies. This mitochondrial swelling could be related to the generation of oxidative stress and associated to alterations in the ergosterol metabolism. The appearance of multilamellar structures and multiple kinetoplasts and flagella induced by the sesquiterpene lactone psilostachyin C indicates that this compound would act at the parasite cell cycle level, in an intermediate stage between kinetoplast segregation and nuclear division. In turn, the diterpene lactone icetexane has proved to induce the external membrane budding on T. cruzi together with an apparent disorganization of the pericellar cytoskeleton. Thus, ultrastructural TEM studies allow elucidating the possible mechanisms and the subsequent identification of molecular targets for the action of natural compounds on trypanosomatids.Fil: Lozano, Esteban SebastiĂĄn. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones CientĂficas y TĂ©cnicas. Centro CientĂfico TecnolĂłgico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Medicina y BiologĂa Experimental de Cuyo; ArgentinaFil: Spina Zapata, Renata MarĂa. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones CientĂficas y TĂ©cnicas. Centro CientĂfico TecnolĂłgico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de HistologĂa y EmbriologĂa de Mendoza Dr. Mario H. Burgos. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias MĂ©dicas. Instituto de HistologĂa y EmbriologĂa de Mendoza Dr. Mario H. Burgos; ArgentinaFil: Barrera, Patricia Andrea. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones CientĂficas y TĂ©cnicas. Centro CientĂfico TecnolĂłgico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de HistologĂa y EmbriologĂa de Mendoza Dr. Mario H. Burgos. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias MĂ©dicas. Instituto de HistologĂa y EmbriologĂa de Mendoza Dr. Mario H. Burgos; ArgentinaFil: Tonn, Carlos Eugenio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones CientĂficas y TĂ©cnicas. Centro CientĂfico TecnolĂłgico Conicet - San Luis. Instituto de Investigaciones en TecnologĂa QuĂmica. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de QuĂmica, BioquĂmica y Farmacia. Instituto de Investigaciones en TecnologĂa QuĂmica; ArgentinaFil: Sosa Escudero, Miguel Angel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones CientĂficas y TĂ©cnicas. Centro CientĂfico TecnolĂłgico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de HistologĂa y EmbriologĂa de Mendoza Dr. Mario H. Burgos. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias MĂ©dicas. Instituto de HistologĂa y EmbriologĂa de Mendoza Dr. Mario H. Burgos; Argentin
Feasibility and cost-effectiveness of a multidisciplinary home-telehealth intervention programme to reduce falls among elderly discharged from hospital: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial
Fall incidents are the third cause of chronic disablement in elderly according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Recent meta-analyses shows that a multifactorial falls risk assessment and management programmes are effective in all older population studied. However, the application of these programmes may not be the same in all National health care setting and, consequently, needs to be evaluated by cost-effectiveness studies before to plan this intervention in regular care. In Italy structured collaboration between hospital staff and primary care is generally lacking and the role of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in a fall prevention programme at home has never been explored
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