Pleomorphic sarcoma

67-year-old female who was referred from her general practitioner because of uncontrolled right popliteal knee pain which was very severe and continuously deteriorating. She could not bend her knee and sleep because of the pain. She could only walk on tiptoes with increased pain on weight bearing. Originally the popliteal swelling was thought to be a baker’s cyst. Arthroscopy showed no changes and MRI showed a large, primarily solid lesion in the popliteal fossa measuring 6x6x9 cms. This was biopsied and histopathology showed a sarcoma and an above knee amputation had to be performed. The patient is now well undergoing physiotherapy and occupational therapy to get back to her life.peer-reviewe

Environmental topology and water availability modulates the catalytic activity of beta-Galactosidase entrapped in a nanosporous silicate matrix

In the present work we studied the catalytic activity of E. coli β-Gal confined in a nanoporous silicate matrix (Eβ-Gal) at different times after the beginning of the sol-gel polymerization process. Enzyme kinetic experiments with two substrates (ONPG and PNPG) that differed in the rate-limiting steps of the reaction mechanism for their β-Gal-catalyzed hydrolysis, measurements of transverse relaxation times (T2) of water protons through 1H-NMR, and scanning electron microscopy analysis of the gel nanostructure, were performed. In conjunction, results provided evidence that water availability is crucial for the modulation observed in the catalytic activity of β-Gal as long as water participate in the rate limiting step of the reaction (only with ONPG). In this case, a biphasic rate vs. substrate concentration was obtained exhibiting one phase with catalytic rate constant (kcA), similar to that observed in solution, and another phase with a higher and aging-dependent catalytic rate constant (kcB). More structured water populations (lower T2) correlates with higher catalytic rate constants (kcB). The T2-kcB negative correlation observed along the aging of gels within the 15-days period assayed reinforces the coupling between water structure and the hydrolysis catalysis inside gels.Fil: Burgos, Martha Ines. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas; ArgentinaFil: Velasco, Manuel Isaac. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Física Enrique Gaviola. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Física Enrique Gaviola; ArgentinaFil: Acosta, Rodolfo Héctor. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Física Enrique Gaviola. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Física Enrique Gaviola; ArgentinaFil: Perillo, Maria Angelica. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas; Argentin

Evaluating speech synthesis intelligibility using Amazon Mechanical Turk

Microtask platforms such as Amazon Mechanical Turk (AMT) are increasingly used to create speech and language resources. AMT in particular allows researchers to quickly recruit a large number of fairly demographically diverse participants. In this study, we investigated whether AMT can be used for comparing the intelligibility of speech synthesis systems. We conducted two experiments in the lab and via AMT, one comparing US English diphone to US English speaker-adaptive HTS synthesis and one comparing UK English unit selection to UK English speaker-dependent HTS synthesis. While AMT word error rates were worse than lab error rates, AMT results were more sensitive to relative differences between systems. This is mainly due to the larger number of listeners. Boxplots and multilevel modelling allowed us to identify listeners who performed particularly badly, while thresholding was sufficient to eliminate rogue workers. We conclude that AMT is a viable platform for synthetic speech intelligibility comparisons

Molecular identification of different trypanosome species and subspecies in tsetse flies of northern Nigeria

Background: Animal African Trypanosomiasis (AAT) is caused by several species of trypanosomes including Trypanosoma congolense, T. vivax, T. godfreyi, T. simiae and T. brucei. Two of the subspecies of T. brucei also cause Human African Trypanosomiasis. Although some of them can be mechanically transmitted by biting flies; these trypanosomes are all transmitted by tsetse flies which are the cyclical vectors of Trypanosoma congolense, T. godfreyi, T. simiae and T. brucei. We present here the first report assessing the prevalence of trypanosomes in tsetse flies in Nigeria using molecular tools. Methods: 488 tsetse flies of three species, Glossina palpalis palpalis, G. tachinoides and G. morsitans submorsitans were collected from Wuya, Niger State and Yankari National Park, Bauchi State in 2012. Trypanosomes were detected and identified using an ITS1 PCR assay on DNA purified from the ‘head plus proboscis’ (H + P) and abdomen (ABD) parts of each fly. Results: T. vivax and T. congolense Savannah were the major parasites detected. Trypanosomes prevalence was 7.1 % in G. p. palpalis, 11.9 % in G. tachinoides and 13.5 % in G. m. submorsitans. Prevalences of T. congolense Savannah ranged from 2.5 to 6.7 % and of T. vivax were approximately 4.5 %. Trypanosoma congolense Forest, T. godfreyi and T. simiae were also detected in the site of Yankari. The main biological and ecological determinants of trypanosome prevalence were the fly sex, with more trypanosomes found in females than males, and the site, with T. congolense subspp. being more abundant in Yankari than in Wuya. As expected, the trypanosome species diversity was higher in Yankari National Park than in the more agricultural site of Wuya where vertebrate host species diversity is lower. Conclusions: Our results show that T. congolense Savannah and T. vivax are the main species of parasite potentially causing AAT in the two study sites and that Yankari National Park is a potential reservoir of trypanosomes both in terms of parasite abundance and species diversity

Consumer’s profile and quality evaluation of poultry traded in Brasília - DF

O presente estudo teve como objetivo caracterizar demograficamente os consumidores de carne de frango do Distrito Federal e avaliar a percepção dos mesmos sobre atributos de qualidade da carne comercializada em supermercados da região. Para realização da pesquisa 385 questionários foram aplicados em consumidores de carne de frango no momento da compra em supermercados e hipermercados da cidade de Brasília. O questionário era composto por perguntas relacionadas à caracterização e identificação do perfil do consumidor, bem como por perguntas voltadas à identificação dos atributos considerados mais importantes pelos consumidores no momento da compra da carne de frango. Foi observado que 53% dos compradores são mulheres, possuem no mínimo curso superior completo e recebem mais de 5000 reais mensais, 70% têm filhos e tem entre 26 e 55 anos de idade. Os cinco atributos considerados mais importantes em ordem de prioridade são: aspectos sanitários, características sensoriais, a preservação do produto no supermercado, o risco de fraude e o manejo de resíduos no sistema produtivo. O preço foi apenas o 6º colocado. Questões como rastreabilidade/certificação, marca, origem, bem-estar animal foram considerados menos importantes pelos consumidores. A renda teve efeito significativo na maneira como esse consumidor observa questões relacionadas ao aspecto sanitário e rótulos. ______________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACTThis research aimed to identify the profile of poultry consumers of Distrito Federal and to evaluate the perception these consumers have of meat quality. To obtain the data, 385 consumers were interviewed in super and hipermarkets in the city of Brasília. The questionnaire was composed by questions aiming to characterize the consumers and also by questions aiming to identify the most important quality attributes, considering the consumers’ view point. It was observed that 53% of the consumers were highly educated women, with a salary higher than 5000 reais per month, 70% had children, and were between 26 and 55 years of age. The five most important quality attributes were: sanitary aspects, sensorial characteristics, product conservation in the market, fraud, residues disposal. Price was only mentioned in sixth place. Traceability/certification, brand, origin, animal well-fare were considered less important by these consumers. Income has a positive and significant effect on how these consumers perceive questions related to sanitary aspects and label information

Human cytochrome P450 2B6 genetic variability in Botswana: a case of haplotype diversity and convergent phenotypes

Identification of inter-individual variability for drug metabolism through cytochrome P450 2B6 (CYP2B6) enzyme is important for understanding the di erences in clinical responses to malaria and HIV. This study evaluates the distribution of CYP2B6 alleles, haplotypes and inferred metabolic phenotypes among subjects with di erent ethnicity in Botswana. A total of 570 subjects were analyzed for CYP2B6 polymorphisms at position 516G>T (rs3745274), 785A>G (rs2279343) and 983T>C (rs28399499). Samples were collected in three districts of Botswana where the population belongs to Bantu (Serowe/Palapye and Chobe) and San-related (Ghanzi) ethnicity. The three districts showed di erent haplotype composition according to the ethnic background but similar metabolic inferred phenotypes, with 59.12%, 34.56%, 2.10% and 4.21% of the subjects having, respectively, an extensive, intermediate, slow and rapid metabolic pro le. The results hint at the possibility of a convergent adaptation of detoxifying metabolic phenotypes despite a di erent haplotype structure due to the di erent genetic background. The main implication is that, while there is substantial homogeneity of metabolic inferred phenotypes among the country, the response to drugs metabolized via CYP2B6 could be individually associated to an increased risk of treatment failure and toxicity. These are important facts since Botswana is facing malaria elimination and a very high HIV prevalence

Dilemmas and Impasses in Public Health Policies Directed at People Who Make Use of Alcohol and Other Drugs in Brazil

The first Brazilian public policies directed at people who make use of alcohol and other drugs focused on criminalization and punishment. In 1932, medicine and its strategies of governmentality began to work within this field. The Penal Code of 1941 brought the ideal of abstinence to the Brazilian public arena, which was then broadly disseminated by the legislation up until 2006, when a new mental health policy began to be implemented for this population. In this chapter, we analyze the tensions between models that focus on care and those that have a safety perspective in programs for users of alcohol and other drugs in the central region of the city of São Paulo. We analyzed public domain documents: documentary material on the legal landmarks of policies; revision of literature; and news in Brazilian media about governmental actions in this area. Results of the analysis indicate that the tension between harm reduction models and the abstinence model persisted in governmental actions over the years. Regarding the central region, there was a diversification in the offer of treatment models and approaches. But these models took form as a market dispute: for sellable goods, employability of professionals, and the interests of the pharmaceutical industry

Reconstitution Paléoenvironnementale des Formations Maastrichtiennes, Cénomaniennes et Albiennes Basée sur les Données Sédimentologiques et Ichnologiques Issues des Carottes du Puits FIM-1X dans le Bassin Sédimentaire Offshore de la Cote d’Ivoire

Les études sédimentologiques et ichnologiques détaillées du puits FIM-1X ont été effectuées. Les analyses physiques ont été réalisées sur les échantillons de carottes. L'objectif principal est de caractériser la diversité de faciès rencontrés dans les formations maastrichtiennes, cénomaniennes et albiennes afin de déterminer les différents paléoenvironnement rencontrés dans le puits FIM-1X du bassin offshore de Côte d’Ivoire. Les résultats sédimentologiques indiquent que les successions lithologiques des échantillons de carottes comprennent quatre grands groupes de lithofaciès : galets (PS), grès propre (S), sable argileux (SM) et argile (HM, ML, MJ & M). Ces groupes de lithofaciès ont ensuite été subdivisés en faciès constitutifs basés principalement sur des structures sédimentaires. Le groupe des galets comprend uniquement les granules. Le groupe de grès propre comprend trois faciès : grès massif, grès laminé et grès à rides. Le groupe de sable argileux comprend deux faciès à savoir les sables argileux laminés et déformés. Le groupe d’argile comprend trois faciès principaux, à savoir les structures hétérolithiques à dominance argileuses, les argiles calcareuses, et les argiles pures. Une diversité d'ichnofossiles a été identifiée dans les carottes, notamment : Ophiomorpha, Palaeophycus, Thalassinoides, Spyrophyton et Scolicia. L’intégration des données sédimentaires (faciès de granules, grès, sable argileux et argile) et des ichnofossiles reconnues a permis de caractériser des environnements de chenaux du front deltaïque, de complexe chenaux – levées et de milieux marins côtiers (Shoreface) dans ces formations carottés d’âge Maastrichtien, Cénomanien at Albiens. Ces conditions d'environnements bien préservés pourraient constituer de possibles bons réservoirs d'hydrocarbures. Detailed sedimentological and ichnological studies of FIM-1X well were performed. Physical analyses were carried out on the core samples. The main target is to characterize the diversity of facies encountered in the Maastrichtian, Cenomanian and Albian formations in order to determine the different paleoenvironments encountered in the FIM-1X well of the Côte d'Ivoire offshore basin. The sedimentological results indicate that the lithological successions of the core samples include four major groups of lithofacies: pebbles (PS), clean sandstone (S), muddy sandstone (SM) and mudstone (HM, ML, MJ & M). These lithofacies groups were then subdivided into constituent facies based mainly on sedimentary structures. The group of pebbles includes only the granules. The clean sandstone group includes three facies: massive sandstone, laminated sandstone and ripple sandstone. The muddy sandstone group includes two facies namely the laminated and deformed muddy sandstone. The mudstone group includes three main facies, namely heterolithic structures predominantly mudstone, calcareous mudstone, and pure mudstone. A variety of ichnofossils have been identified in cores, including: Ophiomorpha, Palaeophycus, Thalassinoides, Spyrophyton and Scolicia. The integration of sedimentary data (granule, sandstone, muddy sandstone and mudstone facies) and recognized ichnofossils made it possible to characterize the environments of delta front channels, complex channels - levees and shallow marine environments (Shoreface) in these Maastrichtian, Cenomanian and Albian formations. These well preserved environments conditions could be a possible good hydrocarbon reservoirs

Stomatin-like Protein 2 Links Mitochondria to T-Cell Receptor Signalosomes at the Immunological Synapse and Enhances T-Cell Activation

T cell activation through the antigen receptor (TCR) requires sustained signalling from microclusters in the peripheral region of the immunological synapse (IS). The bioenergetics of such prolonged signaling have been linked to the redistribution of mitochondria to the IS. Here, we report that stomatin-like protein-2 (SLP-2) plays an important role in this process by bridging polarized mitochondria to these signaling TCR microclusters or signalosomes in the IS in a polymerized actin-dependent manner. In this way, SLP-2 helps to sustain TCR-dependent signalling and enhances T cell activation