Pseudo ainhum and facial malformation secondary to Streeter's dysplasia

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A Support Vector Machine for the Discrimination of MicroRNA Precursors from Other Genomic Hairpin Structures

Motivation: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are endogenous, small (~ 20 nt), single-stranded, non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) that result from the nuclear and cytoplasmic processing of transcribed precursor hairpin structures. They are increasingly recognized as playing crucial roles as post-transcriptional antisense regulators of gene expression through regulation of mRNA stability or translational efficiency. miRNAs, first reported in Caenorhabditis elegans, have been identified in the genomes of most higher organisms, including worms, flies, plants, mammals and recently in viruses. Functional studies have shown that miRNAs play important roles in processes such as, cell proliferation, fat metabolism, apoptosis, neuronal cell fate, insulin secretion, haematopoietic differentiation and developmental regulation. The detection of homologs of known miRNAs through comparative genomic approaches has proved relatively tractable. However, the ab-initio prediction of miRNA precursors through computational methods poses several additional difficulties, not least the fact that not all thermodynamically plausible transcribed hairpins are processed to yield mature miRNAs. It has not until now been possible to identify conserved sequence or structural elements that define consensus recognition elements for the enzymes that process miRNA precursors. In the light of these observations we wished to develop and improve methods for the discrimination of true miRNA precursor hairpins from spurious hairpins Methods: We have developed a SVM (Support Vector Machine) that considers up to 74 features associated with the primary and secondary structures and thermodynamic characteristics of candidate hairpin structures. We use a standard heuristic approach to optimize combinations of features used and train the SVM with sets of characterized hairpin miRNA precursors and known non-miRNA hairpins. Results: Our SVM shows highly promising results in the discrimination of true miRNA precursors from \u201cspurious\u201d hairpins (typically around 95% sensitivity) in various species. In particular, our levels of false positive predictions appear to be low relative to comparable methods

From research to clinical practice: a systematic review of the implementation of psychological interventions for chronic headache in adults

Background: Psychological interventions have been proved to be effective in chronic headache (CH) in adults. Nevertheless, no data exist about their actual implementation into standard clinical settings. We aimed at critically depicting the current application of psychological interventions for CH into standard care exploring barriers and facilitators to their implementation. Secondarily, main outcomes of the most recent psychological interventions for CH in adults have been summarized. Methods: We conducted a systematic review through PubMed and PsycINFO in the time range 2008-2018. A quality analysis according to the QATSDD tool and a narrative synthesis were performed. We integrated results by: contacting the corresponding author of each paper; exploring the website of the clinical centers cited in the papers. Results: Of the 938 identified studies, 28 papers were selected, whose quality largely varied with an average %QATSDD quality score of 64.88%. Interventions included CBT (42.85%), multi-disciplinary treatments (22.43%), relaxation training (17.86%), biofeedback (7.14%), or other interventions (10.72%). Treatments duration (1 day-9 months) and intensity varied, with a prevalence of individual-basis implementation. The majority of the studies focused on all primary headaches; 4 studies focused on medication-overuse headache. Most of the studies suggest interventions as effective, with the reduction in frequency of attacks as the most reported outcome (46.43%). Studies were distributed in different countries, with a prevalent and balanced distribution in USA and Europe. Ten researches (35.71%) were performed in academic contexts, 11 (39.28%) in clinical settings, 7 (25%) in pain/headache centres. Interventions providers were professionals with certified experience. Most of the studies were funded with private or public funding. Two contacted authors answered to our e-mail survey, with only one intervention implemented in the routine clinical practice. Only in three out of the 16 available websites a reference to the implementation into the clinical setting was reported. Conclusion: Analysis of contextual barriers/facilitators and cost-effectiveness should be included in future studies, and contents regarding dissemination/implementation of interventions should be incorporated in the professional training of clinical scientists. This can help in filling the gap between the existing published research and treatments actually offered to people with CH

Dinámica de aguas superficiales de tres períodos continuos de Landsat; diferencias subregionales en llanuras argentinas

[EN] The Pampean region in Argentina is an extensive plain characterized by abundant shallow lakes that fulfill many environmental, ecological, and social functions. This study aims to detect the multiannual lake area changes in this region during 2001-2009 using remote sensing, including lakes as small as ≥10,000 m2 or 1 ha. Landsat scenes of the wet (2008-2009), normal (2006), and dry (2008-2009) seasons were obtained, and using remote sensing techniques, the number and area of shallow lakes were calculated. The spatiotemporal variation of shallow lakes was studied in different climate periods in eight singular subregions. Spatial associations between annual precipitation and lake number and area were analyzed through the development of a Geographic Information System (GIS) at a subregional scale. During the study period the total lake area in the Pampean region decreased by 5257.39 km2 (62 %), but each subregion showed different responses to climatic events. In seven of them, the differences between climate periods prove to be statistically significant (P>0.01). The relationship between precipitation and lake number and area revealed the domain of positive association. We conclude that climate factors play a dominant role in lake changes across the Pampean plains. However, other factors such as origin, topographic and edaphic characteristics intensify or mitigate changes in surface hydrology.[ES] La Región Pampeana en Argentina es una extensa planicie caracterizada por abundantes lagunas que cumplen numerosas funciones ambientales, ecológicas y sociales. Este estudio tiene como objetivo detectar los cambios plurianuales del área lagunar en esta región durante el período 2001-2009 utilizando la teledetección, incluidos lagos tan pequeños como ≥ 10.000 m2 o 1 ha. Se obtuvieron escenas Landsat de las estaciones húmeda (2008-2009), normal (2006) y seca (2008-2009) y, mediante técnicas de teledetección, se calculó el número y el área de las lagunas. Se estudió su variación espacio-temporal en diferentes períodos climáticos en ocho subregiones singulares. Se analizaron las correlaciones espaciales entre la precipitación anual y el número y el área de los lagos mediante el desarrollo de un Sistema de Información Geográfica (SIG). Durante el período de estudio el área total de lagos en la región pampeana disminuyó en 5.257,39  km2 (62 %), pero cada subregión mostró diferentes respuestas a los eventos climáticos. En siete de ellos, las diferencias entre periodos climáticos resultan estadísticamente significativas (P>0,01). La relación entre la precipitación con el número y área de las lagunas reveló el dominio de asociaciones positivas. Si bien el clima juega un papel dominante en los cambios en las lagunas de planicie, otros factores, como el origen, las características topográficas y edáficas, intensifican o mitigan los cambios en la hidrología superficial.Authors would like to thank the Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas for supporting this study. Besides, to the United States Geological Survey for supplying the information analyzed in this study. This work was carried out with the aid of a grant from the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) CRN3038, which is supported by the US National Science Foundation (Grant GEO-1128040)Aliaga, VS.; Piccolo, M.; Perillo, G. (2021). Surface water extent dynamics from three periods of continuous Landsat time series; subregional differences across Argentine plains. Revista de Teledetección. 0(58):131-145. http://hdl.handle.net/10251/169769OJS13114505

Towards an integrated pipeline for the in-silico prediction of plant microRNAs and their precursors

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are endogenous, small (~ 20 nt), single-stranded, non-coding RNAs that result from the processing of transcribed precursor hairpin structures. They are increasingly recognized as playing crucial roles as post-transcriptional antisense regulators of gene expression through regulation of mRNA stability or translational efficiency. The detection of homologs of known miRNAs through comparative genomic approaches has proved relatively tractable. However, the ab-initio prediction of potentially lineage-specific miRNA precursors through computational methods poses several additional difficulties, not least the fact that not all thermodynamically plausible transcribed hairpins are processed to yield mature miRNAs. We have developed a Support Vector Machine that considers up to 78 features associated with the primary and secondary structures and thermodynamic characteristics of candidate hairpin structures. Our SVM is highly specific in the discrimination of true miRNA precursors from “spurious” hairpins with levels of false positive predictions that are low relative to comparable methods. We also show how our SVM functions as part of an in-silico pipeline for the prediction of novel miRNA precursors in plant genomes

Rosemary extract (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) supplementation into the diet of Nero Siciliano pigs: effects on lipid oxidation

During the growing-fattening period (93 days; ILW 33.5±6 kg to FLW 67±3 kg), 30 Nero Siciliano pigs were fed on a basal diet supplemented with (ROX group) or not (CTR group) a rosemary extract (1g?kg-1). At 1, 3 and 5 days after slaughtering, the oxidative stability of the Longissimus dorsi muscle was determined by using TBArs test. Moreover, on the individual samples of the muscle the lipid content, the fatty acid and the sterol composition were determined; the acidic composition of the lard, removed from backfat, was also studied. Data were subjected to ANOVA. The fat content of the muscle was unaffected by the dietary treatment as well as the oxidative stability whereas, significant differences (P²0.01) were observed for the polyunsaturated fatty acid content which showed the highest values in the meat as well as in the lard of the ROX group; PUFA/SFA ratio was also significantly highest in the muscle (P=0.004) and in the lard (P=0.017) of the ROX group, testifying a possible antioxidative activity of the rosemary extract. The sterol fraction (cholesterol, cholestanol, stigmasterol, beta-sitosterol and delta 5-avenasterol) of the Longissimus dorsi muscle was unaffected by the rosemary supplementation; a significant difference was observed only for the campesterol (CTR group=1.08, ROX group=0.90; P = 0.021)

Research Evidence and Implications on Migration Phenomena in Europe

This book provides a summary overview of the activities carried out by the Diversity and Migration Lab, which was set up within the scope of the FORTHEM international Alliance (Fostering Outreach within European Regions, Transnational Higher Education and Mobility), and concluded in September 2022

In situ polymerization of soil organic matter by oxidative biomimetic catalysis.

Background: Agricultural practices that enhance organic matter content in soil can play a central role in sequestering soil organic carbon (SOC) and reducing greenhouse gases emissions. Methods: We used a water-soluble iron-porphyrin to catalyze directly in situ oxidative polymerization of soil organic matter in the presence of H2O2 oxidant, with the aim to enhance OC stabilization, and, consequently, reduce CO2 emissions from soil. The occurred SOC stabilization was assessed by monitoring soil aggregate stability, OC distribution in water-soluble aggregates, soil respiration, and extraction yields of humic and fulvic acids. Results: Soil treatment with H2O2 and iron-porphyrin increased the physical stability of water-stable soil aggregates and the total OC content in small aggregates, thereby suggesting that the catalyzed oxidative polymerization increased OC in soil and induced a soil physical improvement. The significant reduction of CO2 respired by the catalyst- and H2O2-treated soil indicated an enhanced resistance of polymerized SOC to microbial mineralization. The catalyzed oxidative polymerization of SOC also significantly decreased the extraction yields of humic and fulvic acids from soil. Conclusions: The oxidative catalytic technology described here may become an efficient agricultural practice for OC sequestration in soils and contribute to mitigate global changes

Dermoscopy of uncommon variants of dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans

Darier-Ferrand dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) is a locally aggressive fibrohistiocytic tumour with a low metastatic potential.(1) Because of its rarity, slow progression and lack of early clinical clues, the diagnosis of DFSP is often delayed. Classical DFSP clinically appeared like an indurated, irregularly-shaped plaques exhibiting flesh to reddish-brown colour. Some lesions also showed thin teleangectasia on the surface (Fig. 1, a). This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved