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

Performances and stability of a 2.4 ton Gd organic liquid scintillator target for antineutrino detection

In this work we report the performances and the chemical and physical properties of a (2 x 1.2) ton organic liquid scintillator target doped with Gd up to ~0.1%, and the results of a 2 year long stability survey. In particular we have monitored the amount of both Gd and primary fluor actually in solution, the optical and fluorescent properties of the Gd-doped liquid scintillator (GdLS) and its performances as a neutron detector, namely neutron capture efficiency and average capture time. The experimental survey is ongoing, the target being continuously monitored. After two years from the doping time the performances of the Gd-doped liquid scintillator do not show any hint of degradation and instability; this conclusion comes both from the laboratory measurements and from the "in-tank" measurements. This is the largest stable Gd-doped organic liquid scintillator target ever produced and continuously operated for a long period

О ПРИБЛИЖЕННОМ ВЫЧИСЛЕНИИ ФУНКЦИЙ ОТ ПРОЦЕССА БРОУНОВСКОГО ДВИЖЕНИЯ

In the article, the sequence of processes constructed for the random process , which is de fined as a function of the Brownian motion process , are considered . The central moments of the sequences converge to the corresponding moments of the initial process . The accuracy of approximations is illustrated by examples.Для случайного процесса, задаваемого как функция от процесса броуновского движения, построены последовательности процессов, центральные моменты которых сходятся к соответствующим моментам исходного процесса. Точность приближений иллюстрируется на конкретных примерах

ВЫЧИСЛЕНИЕ МОМЕНТОВ СЛУЧАЙНЫХ ПРОЦЕССОВ, ЗАДАВАЕМЫХ ТРИГОНОМЕТРИЧЕСКИМИ ФУНКЦИЯМИ ОТ БРОУНОВСКОГО ДВИЖЕНИЯ

Some approximations for stochastic processes defined as a functional of quadratic polynomials of Brownian motion were proposed. For finding errors of the mathematical expectations in the case of trigonometric functions, computational experiment was conducted. Для случайных процессов, задаваемых как функционал от квадратичного многочлена броуновского движения, были предложены некоторые аппроксимации. Проведен вычислительный эксперимент для нахождения погрешностей математических ожиданий для случая тригонометрических функций.