The role of passion in exercise addiction, exercise volume, and exercise intensity in long-term exercisers

Recent studies have shown a relationship between the risk for exercise addiction (REA) and passion. This research examined whether levels of REA, volume of exercise (in weekly hours), and self-reported exercise intensities yield differences in obsessive passion and harmonious passion among individuals with long history of exercise. Respondents (n = 360) completed the Exercise Addiction Inventory, Passion Scale, and Borg Scale (assessing their usual exercise intensity), and reported their volume of exercise (hours per week). Regression analysis demonstrated that exercise intensity, obsessive passion, and harmonious passion were significant predictors (r2 = .381, p < .001) of the REA scores with obsessive passion being the strongest predictor (r2 = .318). Exercisers classified as at REA reported higher obsessive passion, harmonious passion, and exercise intensity (p ≤ .001) than those classified as symptomatic, who in turn scored higher on these measures (p ≤ .006) than asymptomatic exercisers. Participants reporting greater volumes of exercise also scored higher on obsessive passion, harmonious passion (p < .001), exercise intensity (p = .032), and REA scores (p = .042) than individuals who exercised less. Finally, women exercising between low and high intensities exhibited greater obsessive passion, as well as harmonious passion (p ≤ .005) than men reporting similar exercise intensities. These findings support the recently reported relationship between passion and REA. They also expand the current knowledge by demonstrating that obsessive passion and harmonious passion are greater in the individuals who exercise at higher volumes and with higher intensities

HIPK2 and extrachromosomal histone H2B are separately recruited by Aurora-B for cytokinesis

Cytokinesis, the final phase of cell division, is necessary to form two distinct daughter cells with correct distribution of genomic and cytoplasmic materials. Its failure provokes genetically unstable states, such as tetraploidization and polyploidization, which can contribute to tumorigenesis. Aurora-B kinase controls multiple cytokinetic events, from chromosome condensation to abscission when the midbody is severed. We have previously shown that HIPK2, a kinase involved in DNA damage response and development, localizes at the midbody and contributes to abscission by phosphorylating extrachromosomal histone H2B at Ser14. Of relevance, HIPK2-defective cells do not phosphorylate H2B and do not successfully complete cytokinesis leading to accumulation of binucleated cells, chromosomal instability, and increased tumorigenicity. However, how HIPK2 and H2B are recruited to the midbody during cytokinesis is still unknown. Here, we show that regardless of their direct (H2B) and indirect (HIPK2) binding of chromosomal DNA, both H2B and HIPK2 localize at the midbody independently of nucleic acids. Instead, by using mitotic kinase-specific inhibitors in a spatio-temporal regulated manner, we found that Aurora-B kinase activity is required to recruit both HIPK2 and H2B to the midbody. Molecular characterization showed that Aurora-B directly binds and phosphorylates H2B at Ser32 while indirectly recruits HIPK2 through the central spindle components MgcRacGAP and PRC1. Thus, among different cytokinetic functions, Aurora-B separately recruits HIPK2 and H2B to the midbody and these activities contribute to faithful cytokinesis

Electron affinities of the first- and second- row atoms: benchmark ab initio and density functional calculations

A benchmark ab initio and density functional (DFT) study has been carried out on the electron affinities of the first- and second-row atoms. The ab initio study involves basis sets of $spdfgh$ and $spdfghi$ quality, extrapolations to the 1-particle basis set limit, and a combination of the CCSD(T), CCSDT, and full CI electron correlation methods. Scalar relativistic and spin-orbit coupling effects were taken into account. On average, the best ab initio results agree to better than 0.001 eV with the most recent experimental results. Correcting for imperfections in the CCSD(T) method improves the mean absolute error by an order of magnitude, while for accurate results on the second-row atoms inclusion of relativistic corrections is essential. The latter are significantly overestimated at the SCF level; for accurate spin-orbit splitting constants of second-row atoms inclusion of (2s,2p) correlation is essential. In the DFT calculations it is found that results for the 1st-row atoms are very sensitive to the exchange functional, while those for second-row atoms are rather more sensitive to the correlation functional. While the LYP correlation functional works best for first-row atoms, its PW91 counterpart appears to be preferable for second-row atoms. Among ``pure DFT'' (nonhybrid) functionals, G96PW91 (Gill 1996 exchange combined with Perdew-Wang 1991 correlation) puts in the best overall performance. The best results overall are obtained with the 1-parameter hybrid modified Perdew-Wang (mPW1) exchange functionals of Adamo and Barone [J. Chem. Phys. {\bf 108}, 664 (1998)], with mPW1LYP yielding the best results for first-row, and mPW1PW91 for second-row atoms. Indications exist that a hybrid of the type $a$ mPW1LYP + $(1-a)$ mPW1PW91 yields better results than either of the constituent functionals.Comment: Phys. Rev. A, in press (revised version, review of issues concerning DFT and electron affinities added

An Average-Case Analysis for Rate-Monotonic Multiprocessor Real-time Scheduling

We introduce the "First Fit Matching Periods" algorithm for static-priority multiprocessor scheduling of periodic tasks with implicit deadlines and show that it yields asymptotically optimal processor assignments if utilization values are chosen uniformly at random. More precisely we prove that the expected waste is upper bounded by O(n^(3/4) * (log n)^(3/8)). Here the waste denotes the ratio of idle times, cumulated over all processors and n gives the number of tasks. The algorithm can be implemented to run in time O(n log n) and even in the worst case, an asymptotic approximation ratio of 2 is guaranteed. Experiments yield an expected waste proportional to n^0.70, indicating that the above upper bound on the expected waste is almost tight

Internet-based medical education: a realist review of what works, for whom and in what circumstances

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0

Identification of field caught Anopheles gambiae s.s. and Anopheles arabiensis by TaqMan single nucleotide polymorphism genotyping

BACKGROUND: Identification of Anopheles gambiae s.s. and Anopheles arabiensis from field-collected Anopheles gambiae s.l. is often necessary in basic and applied research, and in operational control programmes. The currently accepted method involves use of standard polymerase chain reaction amplification of ribosomal DNA (rDNA) from the 3' 28S to 5' intergenic spacer region of the genome, and visual confirmation of amplicons of predicted size on agarose gels, after electrophoresis. This report describes development and evaluation of an automated, quantitative PCR method based upon TaqMan™ single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping. METHODS: Standard PCR, and TaqMan SNP genotyping with newly designed primers and fluorophore-labeled probes hybridizing to sequences of complementary rDNA specific for either An. gambiae s.s. or An. arabiensis, were conducted in three experiments involving field-collected An. gambiae s.l. from western Kenya, and defined laboratory strains. DNA extraction was from a single leg, sonicated for five minutes in buffer in wells of 96-well PCR plates. RESULTS: TaqMan SNP genotyping showed a reaction success rate, sensitivity, and species specificity comparable to that of standard PCR. In an extensive field study, only 29 of 3,041 (0.95%) were determined to be hybrids by TaqMan (i.e., having rDNA sequences from both species), however, all but one were An. arabiensis by standard PCR, suggesting an acceptably low (ca. 1%) error rate for TaqMan genotyping in mistakenly identifying species hybrids. CONCLUSION: TaqMan SNP genotyping proved to be a sensitive and rapid method for identification of An. gambiae s.l. and An. arabiensis, with a high success rate, specific results, and congruence with the standard PCR method

Treatment of advanced, recurrent, resistant to previous treatments basal and squamous cell skin carcinomas with a synergistic formulation of interferons. Open, prospective study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Aggressive non-melanoma skin cancer (deeply infiltrating, recurrent, and morphea form lesions) are therapeutically challenging because they require considerable tissue loss and may demand radical disfiguring surgery. Interferons (IFN) may provide a non-surgical approach to the management of these tumors. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of a formulation containing IFNs-α and -γ in synergistic proportions on patients with recurrent, advanced basal cell (BCC) or squamous cell skin carcinomas (SCSC).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Patients with extensive, recurrent, resistant to other procedures BCC or SCSC received the IFN formulation peri- and intralesionally, three times per week for 3 weeks. They had been previously treated with surgery and/or radiotherapy or chemotherapy. Thirteen weeks after the end of treatment, the original lesion sites were examined for histological evidence of remaining tumor.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Sixteen elder (median 70 years-old) patients were included. They beared 12 BCC and 4 SCSC ranging from 1.5 to 12.5 cm in the longest dimension. At the end of treatment 47% CR (complete tumor elimination), 40% PR (>30% tumor reduction), and 13% stable disease were obtained. None of the patients relapsed during the treatment period. The median duration of the response was 38 months. Only one patient with complete response had relapsed until today. Principal adverse reactions were influenza-like symptoms well known to occur with interferon therapy, which were well tolerated.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The peri- and intralesional combination of IFNs-α and -γ was safe and showed effect for the treatment of advanced, recurrent and resistant to previous treatments of BCC and SCSC in elder patients. This is the first report of such treatment in patients with advance non-melanoma skin cancer. The encouraging result justifies further confirmatory trials.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>Current Controlled Trials RPCEC00000052.</p

Promoter polymorphism -119C/G in MYG1 (C12orf10) gene is related to vitiligo susceptibility and Arg4Gln affects mitochondrial entrance of Myg1

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>MYG1 </it>(<it>Melanocyte proliferating gene 1</it>, also C12orf10 in human) is a ubiquitous nucleo-mitochondrial protein, involved in early developmental processes and in adult stress/illness conditions. We recently showed that <it>MYG1 </it>mRNA expression is elevated in the skin of vitiligo patients. Our aim was to examine nine known polymorphisms in the <it>MYG1 </it>gene, to investigate their functionality, and to study their association with vitiligo susceptibility.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Nine single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the <it>MYG1 </it>locus were investigated by SNPlex assay and/or sequencing in vitiligo patients (n = 124) and controls (n = 325). <it>MYG1 </it>expression in skin biopsies was detected by quantitative-real time PCR (Q-RT-PCR) and polymorphisms were further analysed using luciferase and YFP reporters in the cell culture.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Control subjects with -119G promoter allele (rs1465073) exhibited significantly higher <it>MYG1 </it>mRNA levels than controls with -119C allele (<it>P </it>= 0.01). Higher activity of -119G promoter was confirmed by luciferase assay. Single marker association analysis showed that the -119G allele was more frequent in vitiligo patients (47.1%) compared to controls (39.3%, <it>P </it>< 0.05, OR 1.37, 95%CI 1.02-1.85). Analysis based on the stage of progression of the vitiligo revealed that the increased frequency of -119G allele occurred prevalently in the group of patients with active vitiligo (n = 86) compared to the control group (48.2% <it>versus </it>39.3%, <it>P </it>< 0.05; OR 1.44, 95%CI 1.02-2.03). Additionally, we showed that glutamine in the fourth position (in Arg4Gln polymorphism) completely eliminated mitochondrial entrance of YFP-tagged Myg1 protein in cell culture. The analysis of available EST, cDNA and genomic DNA sequences revealed that Myg1 4Gln allele is remarkably present in human populations but is never detected in homozygous state according to the HapMap database.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our study demonstrated that both <it>MYG1 </it>promoter polymorphism -119C/G and Arg4Gln polymorphism in the mitochondrial signal of Myg1 have a functional impact on the regulation of the <it>MYG1 </it>gene and promoter polymorphism (-119C/G) is related with suspectibility for actively progressing vitiligo.</p