An introduction to Graph Data Management

A graph database is a database where the data structures for the schema and/or instances are modeled as a (labeled)(directed) graph or generalizations of it, and where querying is expressed by graph-oriented operations and type constructors. In this article we present the basic notions of graph databases, give an historical overview of its main development, and study the main current systems that implement them

Ultrasonographic Identification of Muscle Atrophy in Hamstring Muscles after Anterior Cruciate Ligament Repair among Soccer Players: A Case-control Study

Objectives To measure the CSA of the HST musculature measured with ultrasonography in soccer players undergoing ACLR and compare limb differences with healthy controls. Methods A case-control study was performed with patients after anterior cruciate ligament repair (ACLR) and healthy controls in which cross-sectional areas (CSA) obtained using a model TE7 ultrasound machine (MINDRAY ®, USA) in B mode (4.2 to 13 MHz) with a multifrequency linear array transducer (L12-4S). Three CSA images were taken of the semitendinosus muscle (ST) and the long head of the biceps femoris (BFlh), at a distance of 30% and 70% of the ischial tuberosity insertion. Mean differences between groups were analyzed using SPSS v.20 (IBM®, USA), and statistical analyses were performed using non-parametric techniques to determine differences between groups (Student's t-test) and Cohen's correlation coefficient to quantify effect size. Results 14 ACLR operated 17 ± 5.4 months ago and 12 healthy controls (W = 6; M = 20M; 24.5 ± 3.92 years; BMI = 25.1 ± 2.32 kg/m2) were recruited. There were differences between groups in CSA-ST70 (Post-ACLR = 1.43 ± 1.029 cm2 vs Control 2.65 ± 0.664 cm2, T Student = -3.68, 95% CI [-Inf, -0.648], P < 0. 001, ES = -1.418), but not in CSA-ST30 (Post-ACLR = 8.42 ± 1.596 cm2 vs Control 9.16 ± 0.945 cm2, T Student = -1.535; 95% CI [-Inf, -0.0793], P = 0. 068, ES = -0.5607), CSA-BFlh30 (Post-ACLR = 8.79 ± 1.47 cm2 vs Control 8.87 ± 2.312 cm2, T Student = -0.123; 95% CI [-Inf, 1.1049], P = 0.452, ES = -0. 049) or CSA-BFlh70 (Post-ACLR = 6.91 ± 1.011 cm2 vs Control 7.01 ± 1.453 cm2, T Student = -0.214; 95% CI [-Inf, 0.6795], P = 0.416, ES = -0.0783). Conclusion Ultrasound measurement of the CSA can be an image marker to identify muscle weakness or atrophy that predicts functional loss early

Study Literature Review Efektivitas Latihan Lompat Gawang Terhadap Peningkatan Vertical Jump pada Atlet Volly

Latar Belakang: Pemain bola volly yang baik harus mempunya dukungan kondisi fisik yang baik. Salah satu komponen kondisi fisik yang mendukung serta memungkinkan melakukan gerakan dengan cepat dan mudah yaitu mempunyai daya ledak otot tungkai. Dengan memiliki daya ledak otot tungkai yang kuat, pemain akan dapat melakukan loncatan yang maksimal. Maka dari itu fisioterapi berperan penting dalam kasus ini yaitu dengan memberikan latihan lompat gawang (hurdle hopping) untuk meningkatkan tinggi lompatan pada atlet volly. Tujuan: Untuk mengetahui apakah ada pengaruh Latihan Lompat Gawang (Hurdle Hopping) terhadap peningkatan Vertical Jump pada atlet volly. Metode Penelitian: Menggunakan metode Narrative Review, yaitu dengan mengumpulkan sepuluh artikel penelitian, dengan melakukan identifikasi kata kunci menggunakan format PICO serta menentukan kriteria inklusi dan ekslusi untuk menentukan artikel yang akan dipilih. Pencarian artikel dilakukan pada tiga database (Google Scholar, PubMed dan Science Direct). Hasil Penelitian: Dari 48 jurnal didapatkan sebanyak 10 jurnal penelitian terkait latihan lompat gawang (hurdle hopping) untuk dilakukan review. Setelah dilakukan review 8 jurnal melaporkan hasil yang signifikan terhadap peningkatan vertical jump. Namun, dua artikel melaporkan hasil yang tidak signifikan terhadap peningkatan vertical jump pada atlet volly. Kesimpulan: beberapa artikel penelitian membuktikan bahwa intervensi tersebut terbukti berpengaruh terhasdap peningkatan vertical jump pada atlet volly. Tetapi tidak semua artikel penelitian memberikan hasil yang signifikan. Saran: Peneliti selanjutnya dapat meneliti mengenai tema ini dengan metode penelitian lain, seperti eksperimental agar intervensi terbukti dapat meningkatkan tinggi lompatan pada atlet volly

Fructooligosaccharide production by Penicillium expansum

Fructooligosaccharides (FOS) production by Penicillium expansum was evaluated. In a first stage, the best conditions for P. expansum growth and sporulation were established with potato/dextrose/ agar being the most suitable medium at between 22 and 25°C, giving good growth and good sporulation. The inocula from this medium were used for FOS production using shake-flask cultures, and yielded 0.58 g FOS/g sucrose (3.25 g FOS/l.h), demonstrating the potential of this strain for sucrose conversion to FOS.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) - SFRH/BPD/38212/200

Degradation of metalaxyl and folpet by filamentous fungi isolated from Portuguese (Alentejo) vineyard soils

Degradation of xenobiotics by microbial populations is a potential method to enhance the effectiveness of ex situ or in situ bioremediation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of repeated metalaxyl and folpet treatments on soil microbial communities and to select soil fungal strains able to degrade these fungicides. Results showed enhanced degradation of metalaxyl and folpet in vineyards soils submitted to repeated treatments with these fungicides. Indeed, the greatest degradation ability was observed in vineyard soil samples submitted to greater numbers of treatments. Respiration activities, as determined in the presence of selective antibiotics in soil suspensions amended with metalaxyl and folpet, showed that the fungal population was the microbiota community most active in the degradation process. Batch cultures performed with a progressive increase of fungicide concentrations allowed the selection of five tolerant fungal strains: Penicillium sp. 1 and Penicillium sp. 2, mycelia sterila 1 and 3, and Rhizopus stolonifer. Among these strains, mycelium sterila 3 and R. stolonifer presented only in vineyard soils treated with repeated application of these fungicides and showed tolerance >1,000 mg l−1 against commercial formulations of metalaxyl (10 %) plus folpet (40 %). Using specific methods for inducing sporulation, mycelium sterila 3 was identified as Gongronella sp. Because this fungus is rare, it was compared using csM13-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with the two known species, Gongronella butleri and G. lacrispora. The high tolerance to metalaxyl and folpet shown by Gongronella sp. and R. stolonifer might be correlated with their degradation ability. Our results point out that selected strains have potential for the bioremediation of metalaxyl and folpet in polluted soil sites

The nuclear envelope protein, LAP1B, is a novel protein phosphatase 1 substrate

Protein phosphatase 1 (PP1) binding proteins are quintessential regulators, determining substrate specificity and defining subcellular localization and activity of the latter. Here, we describe a novel PP1 binding protein, the nuclear membrane protein lamina associated polypeptide 1B (LAP1B), which interacts with the DYT1 dystonia protein torsinA. The PP1 binding domain in LAP1B was here identified as the REVRF motif at amino acids 55-59. The LAP1B:PP1 complex can be immunoprecipitated from cells in culture and rat cortex and the complex was further validated by yeast co-transformations and blot overlay assays. PP1, which is enriched in the nucleus, binds to the N-terminal nuclear domain of LAP1B, as shown by immunocolocalization and domain specific binding studies. PP1 dephosphorylates LAP1B, confirming the physiological relevance of this interaction. These findings place PP1 at a key position to participate in the pathogenesis of DYT1 dystonia and related nuclear envelope-based diseases.publishe

Discovery of new depigmenting compounds and their efficacy to treat hyperpigmentation: evidence from in vitro study

Human skin pigmentation is a result of constitutive and facultative pigmentation. Facultative pigmentation is frequently stimulated by UV radiation, pharmacologic drugs, and hormones whereby leads to the development of abnormal skin hyperpigmentation. To date, many state-of-art depigmenting compounds have been studied using in vitro model to treat hyperpigmentation problems for cosmetic dermatological applications; little attention has been made to compare the effectiveness of these depigmenting compounds and their mode of actions. In this present article, new and recent depigmenting compounds, their melanogenic pathway targets, and modes of action are reviewed. This article compares the effectiveness of these new depigmenting compounds to modulate several melanogenesis-regulatory enzymes and proteins such as tyrosinase (TYR), TYR-related protein-1 (TRP1), TYR-related protein-2 (TRP2), microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and N-terminal kinases (JNK) and mitogen-activated protein kinase p38 (p38 MAPK). Other evidences from in vitro assays such as inhibition on melanosomal transfer, proteasomes, nitric oxide, and inflammation-induced melanogenesis are also highlighted. This article also reviews analytical techniques in different assays performed using in vitro model as well as their advantages and limitations. This article also provides an insight on recent finding and re-examination of some protocols as well as their effectiveness and reliability in the evaluation of depigmenting compounds. Evidence and support from related patents are also incorporated in this present article to give an overview on current patented technology, latest trends, and intellectual values of some depigmenting compounds and protocols, which are rarely highlighted in the literatures

Quantization of Midisuperspace Models

We give a comprehensive review of the quantization of midisuperspace models. Though the main focus of the paper is on quantum aspects, we also provide an introduction to several classical points related to the definition of these models. We cover some important issues, in particular, the use of the principle of symmetric criticality as a very useful tool to obtain the required Hamiltonian formulations. Two main types of reductions are discussed: those involving metrics with two Killing vector fields and spherically symmetric models. We also review the more general models obtained by coupling matter fields to these systems. Throughout the paper we give separate discussions for standard quantizations using geometrodynamical variables and those relying on loop quantum gravity inspired methods.Comment: To appear in Living Review in Relativit

An intriguing shift occurs in the novel protein phosphatase 1 binding partner, TCTEX1D4: evidence of positive selection in a pika model

T-complex testis expressed protein 1 domain containing 4 (TCTEX1D4) contains the canonical phosphoprotein phosphatase 1 (PPP1) binding motif, composed by the amino acid sequence RVSF. We identified and validated the binding of TCTEX1D4 to PPP1 and demonstrated that indeed this protein is a novel PPP1 interacting protein. Analyses of twenty-one mammalian species available in public databases and seven Lagomorpha sequences obtained in this work showed that the PPP1 binding motif 90RVSF93 is present in all of them and is flanked by a palindromic sequence, PLGS, except in three species of pikas (Ochotona princeps, O. dauurica and O. pusilla). Furthermore, for the Ochotona species an extra glycosylation site, motif 96NLS98, and the loss of the palindromic sequence were observed. Comparison with other lagomorphs suggests that this event happened before the Ochotona radiation. The dN/dS for the sequence region comprising the PPP1 binding motif and the flanking palindrome highly supports the hypothesis that for Ochotona species this region has been evolving under positive selection. In addition, mutational screening shows that the ability of pikas TCTEX1D4 to bind to PPP1 is maintained, although the PPP1 binding motif is disrupted, and the N- and C-terminal surrounding residues are also abrogated. These observations suggest pika as an ideal model to study novel PPP1 complexes regulatory mechanisms.publishe