On finite groups of isometries of handlebodies in arbitrary dimensions and finite extensions of Schottky groups

It is known that the order of a finite group of diffeomorphisms of a 3-dimensional handlebody of genus g > 1 is bounded by the linear polynomial 12(g-1), and that the order of a finite group of diffeomorphisms of a 4-dimensional handlebody (or equivalently, of its boundary 3-manifold), faithful on the fundamental group, is bounded by a quadratic polynomial in g (but not by a linear one). In the present paper we prove a generalization for handlebodies of arbitrary dimension d, uniformizing handlebodies by Schottky groups and considering finite groups of isometries of such handlebodies. We prove that the order of a finite group of isometries of a handlebody of dimension d acting faithfully on the fundamental group is bounded by a polynomial of degree d/2 in g if d is even, and of degree (d+1)/2 if d is odd, and that the degree d/2 for even d is best possible. This implies then analogous polynomial Jordan-type bounds for arbitrary finite groups of isometries of handlebodies (since a handlebody of dimension d > 3 admits S^1-actions, there does not exist an upper bound for the order of the group itself ).Comment: 13 pages; this is the final version to appear in Fund. Mat

Novel Genotypes of the Subtropical Grass \u3cem\u3eEragrostis Curvula\u3c/em\u3e for the Analysis of Apomixis (Diplospory)

Eragrostis curvula (Schrad.) Nees is a variable grass native to Southern Africa. Its several forms, known as lovegrasses, were introduced to Australia, USA and Argentina as forage perennial grasses. Apomixis is a common trait in the genus Eragrostis, with diplospory being the most frequent type. Sexual reproduction also occurs in Eragrostis, although not frequently. Since most tetraploid Eragrostis lines are apomictic, the generation of a sexual tetraploid strain is a requirement for linkage analysis of the gene(s) governing the apomictic character. Furthermore, isogenic lines of the same ploidy, reproducing alternatively by sexuality or apomixes, represent an ideal system for comparative transcriptome analysis. The aim of this work was the generation and characterization of two novel genotypes of E. curvula: a dihaploid strain obtained in vitro from an apomictic cultivar and a tetraploid plant derived from the dihaploid after chromosome duplication

Italian national data bank of stillbirth vs. SIDS.

Sudden perinatal death, which includes antepartum death (from 22 completed weeks of gestation), intrapartum death and early neonatal death (occurring within seven completed days of life), and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), represents one of the major sociomedical and scientific problems still lacking a solution in today\u2019s medicine.1 However, little effort is being made to find a cause of these deaths, as there is no standard method of performing an autopsy in these victims, and no database exists from which researchers can draw autopsy results. Therefore, the need to submit the young victims to necropsy procedures through a standardized protocol is unanimously recognized, and the chance of preventing perinatal unexpected death and SIDS relies mainly on a better knowledge of the underlying alterations of organs and etiopathogenetic mechanisms. Similarly, for diagnostic purposes, an accurate and careful examination of the circumstantial, environmental, and familial situation within which the death occurred is extremely important. All the information related to victims of sudden and unexplained fetal death and SIDS will soon be made available in Italy through a specific data bank established under the Law 31/2006 \u201cRegulations for Diagnostic Post Mortem Investigation in Victims of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and Unexpected Fetal Death.\u201d2 This law mandates that infants who die suddenly within one year of life, and fetuses that die after 22 weeks of gestation without any apparent cause, must be rapidly submitted\u2014with the consent of both parents\u2014to diagnostic postmortem investigation.3 Information about the pregnancy, fetal development and delivery, and, in the case of SIDS, the environmental and familial situation in which the death occurred\u2014in addition to information related to risk factors\u2014must be collected by the obstetriciangynecologist, neonatologist, pediatrician, and pathologist involved in the case and recorded in the registry of the data bank. In addition, to facilitate the collection and analysis of the data, this data bank will allow the Lino Rossi Research Center in collaboration with the Epidemiology Center of the Italian National Health Institute to update the population through public education and prevention programs aimed at decreasing the incidence of stillbirth and SIDS

SAT0739-HPR Patients' preferences toward characteristics of treatment with biological agents differ according to experience with their rheumatic disease and treatment received or prescribed: results from the cara study

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Patients’, physicians’, nurses’, and pharmacists’ preferences on the characteristics of biologic agents used in the treatment of rheumatic diseases

Objective: To estimate preferences in relevant treatment characteristics evaluated by different groups involved in the management of patients with rheumatic diseases. Subjects and methods: We surveyed patients with rheumatic diseases, and rheumatologists, nurses, and pharmacists with experience in treatment with/provision of biologic drugs for these patients. Through a discrete choice experiment, participants evaluated 16 possible scenarios in which pairs of similarly efficacious treatments were described with six characteristics: 1) frequency of administration; 2) mode and place of administration; 3) manner, helpfulness, efficiency, and courtesy of health personnel; 4) frequency of reactions at the site of drug administration; 5) severity of generalized undesired/allergic reactions; and 6) additional cost. The direction and strength of preferences toward each characteristic level and the relative importance of each characteristic were estimated through a random-effects conditional logistic regression model. Results: In total, 513 patients, 110 rheumatologists, 51 nurses, and 46 pharmacists from 30 centers in Italy participated. Characteristics 3, 4, and 6 were the most important for every subgroup; 1 was least important for patients and rheumatologists, 2 was least important for pharmacists, and 2 and 5 were least important for nurses. For characteristic 2, pharmacists preferred subcutaneous self-injection with a syringe; nurses preferred assisted infusion at an infusion center close to the patient\u2019s home; patients and rheumatologists preferred subcutaneous self-injection with a pen. Conclusion: The different preferences for some characteristics shown by the different groups can play an important role, together with purely clinical aspects, in the choice and consequent benefit of treatments, contributing also to a more satisfactory use of resources

Delayed diagnosis of coeliac disease increases cancer risk

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Licens

Functional Specialization of the Plant miR396 Regulatory Network through Distinct MicroRNA–Target Interactions

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are ∼21 nt small RNAs that regulate gene expression in animals and plants. They can be grouped into families comprising different genes encoding similar or identical mature miRNAs. Several miRNA families are deeply conserved in plant lineages and regulate key aspects of plant development, hormone signaling, and stress response. The ancient miRNA miR396 regulates conserved targets belonging to the GROWTH-REGULATING FACTOR (GRF) family of transcription factors, which are known to control cell proliferation in Arabidopsis leaves. In this work, we characterized the regulation of an additional target for miR396, the transcription factor bHLH74, that is necessary for Arabidopsis normal development. bHLH74 homologs with a miR396 target site could only be detected in the sister families Brassicaceae and Cleomaceae. Still, bHLH74 repression by miR396 is required for margin and vein pattern formation of Arabidopsis leaves. MiR396 contributes to the spatio-temporal regulation of GRF and bHLH74 expression during leaf development. Furthermore, a survey of miR396 sequences in different species showed variations in the 5′ portion of the miRNA, a region known to be important for miRNA activity. Analysis of different miR396 variants in Arabidopsis thaliana revealed that they have an enhanced activity toward GRF transcription factors. The interaction between the GRF target site and miR396 has a bulge between positions 7 and 8 of the miRNA. Our data indicate that such bulge modulates the strength of the miR396-mediated repression and that this modulation is essential to shape the precise spatio-temporal pattern of GRF2 expression. The results show that ancient miRNAs can regulate conserved targets with varied efficiency in different species, and we further propose that they could acquire new targets whose control might also be biologically relevant

Preliminary notes on the karst of Sierra Mixteca-Zapoteca, South Tehuacan, Oxaca, Mexico

for the first time a karstologic study of the Sierra Mixteca-Zapoteca has been carreid out. The direct exploration of some deep canyons led to the discovery of several caves the morphologies of which are here discusse