Mineral maturity and crystallinity index are distinct characteristics of bone mineral

The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that mineral maturity and crystallinity index are two different characteristics of bone mineral. To this end, Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy (FTIRM) was used. To test our hypothesis, synthetic apatites and human bone samples were used for the validation of the two parameters using FTIRM. Iliac crest samples from seven human controls and two with skeletal fluorosis were analyzed at the bone structural unit (BSU) level by FTIRM on sections 2–4 lm thick. Mineral maturity and crystallinity index were highly correlated in synthetic apatites but poorly correlated in normal human bone. In skeletal fluorosis, crystallinity index was increased and maturity decreased, supporting the fact of separate measurement of these two parameters. Moreover, results obtained in fluorosis suggested that mineral characteristics can be modified independently of bone remodeling. In conclusion, mineral maturity and crystallinity index are two different parameters measured separately by FTIRM and offering new perspectives to assess bone mineral traits in osteoporosis

Sensibilidad y especificidad de E-test para la determinación de susceptibilidad antimicrobiana en aislamientos clínicos de Helicobacter pylori

Numerosos métodos han sido desarrollados para detectar la resistencia de Helicobacter pylori a los antimicrobianos. Aunque la dilución en agar es el método de referencia recomendado por el Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute, no es una técnica que resulte fácil de ejecutar en laboratorios de rutina. Por esta razón diversas técnicas surgen como alternativa de análisis, entre ellas la prueba de E-test. El objetivo de esta investigación fue comparar las características operativas del E-test con la prueba de referencia dilución en agar, para la determinación de susceptibilidad de Helicobacter pylori a amoxicilina, claritromicina y levofloxacina. Las características operativas de los estudios fueron obtenidas por medio de tablas de contingencia, el análisis se realizó en el programa RevMan 5®.   Un total de 68 referencias fueron analizadas; 8 cumplieron con los criterios de inclusión. Se analizaron como medidas de resumen “overall” la sensibilidad y especificidad de la prueba del E-test. El 87% de los artículos mostraron sensibilidad de 100%, y el 75% especificidad de 100%. La medida de resumen obtenida para sensibilidad fue de 99% (IC 95% 98 - 99%) y especificidad de 98% (IC95% 97 - 99%). El test de heterogeneidad mostró estudios homogéneos en sensibilidad y especificidad (p = 0.82) (p = 0.99). Las gráficas de “Funnel Plot” revelaron asimetría. La sensibilidad (99%) y especificidad (98%) de la técnica de E-test presentó excelente acuerdo, en especial para el antibiótico claritromicina, sin embargo no existe evidencia estadísticamente significativa para concluir que más del 90% de la literatura seleccionada, reporte valores de sensibilidad y especificidad del E-test superiores al 95% comparadas con la dilución en agar

Composite Fermion Metals from Dyon Black Holes and S-Duality

We propose that string theory in the background of dyon black holes in four-dimensional anti-de Sitter spacetime is holographic dual to conformally invariant composite Dirac fermion metal. By utilizing S-duality map, we show that thermodynamic and transport properties of the black hole match with those of composite fermion metal, exhibiting Fermi liquid-like. Built upon Dirac-Schwinger-Zwanziger quantization condition, we argue that turning on magnetic charges to electric black hole along the orbit of Gamma(2) subgroup of SL(2,Z) is equivalent to attaching even unit of statistical flux quanta to constituent fermions. Being at metallic point, the statistical magnetic flux is interlocked to the background magnetic field. We find supporting evidences for proposed holographic duality from study of internal energy of black hole and probe bulk fermion motion in black hole background. They show good agreement with ground-state energy of composite fermion metal in Thomas-Fermi approximation and cyclotron motion of a constituent or composite fermion excitation near Fermi-point.Comment: 30 pages, v2. 1 figure added, minor typos corrected; v3. revised version to be published in JHE

A comparison of the physical and chemical differences between cancellous and cortical bovine bone mineral at two ages

To assess possible differences between the mineral phases of cortical and cancellous bone, the structure and composition of isolated bovine mineral crystals from young (1–3 months) and old (4–5 years) postnatal bovine animals were analyzed by a variety of complementary techniques: chemical analyses, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and 31P solid-state magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR). This combination of methods represents the most complete physicochemical characterization of cancellous and cortical bone mineral completed thus far. Spectra obtained from XRD, FTIR, and 31P NMR all confirmed that the mineral was calcium phosphate in the form of carbonated apatite; however, a crystal maturation process was evident between the young and old and between cancellous and cortical mineral crystals. Two-way analyses of variance showed larger increases of crystal size and Ca/P ratio for the cortical vs. cancellous bone of 1–3 month than the 4–5 year animals. The Ca/(P + CO3) remained nearly constant within a given bone type and in both bone types at 4–5 years. The carbonate and phosphate FTIR band ratios revealed a decrease of labile ions with age and in cortical, relative to cancellous, bone. Overall, the same aging or maturation trends were observed for young vs. old and cancellous vs. cortical. Based on the larger proportion of newly formed bone in cancellous bone relative to cortical bone, the major differences between the cancellous and cortical mineral crystals must be ascribed to differences in average age of the crystals

Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviors Levels of Kuwaiti Adolescents: The Study of Health and Activity Among Adolescents in Kuwait.

BACKGROUND: There is only scarce number of studies available describing the lifestyle of adolescents living in Arab countries. Hence, we described physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviors patterns among Kuwaiti adolescents and the associations with parental education. METHODS: Cross-sectional data from 435 adolescents (201 boys and 234 girls) were collected from the Study of Health and Activity among Adolescents in Kuwait conducted between 2012 and 2013. Outcome variables included PA (ActiGraph GT1M accelerometers) and sedentary behaviors. Exposure variable was parental education. Descriptive and multiple logistic regression analyses were used to examine the association between parental education and outcome variables. RESULTS: Total sedentary time (minutes per day) was higher in girls [568.2 (111.6)] than in boys [500.0 (102.0)], whereas boys accumulated more minutes in light, moderate, and vigorous PA (all Ps ≤ .001). In total, 3.4% of adolescents spent ≥60 minutes per day of moderate to vigorous PA (by accelerometry), while only 21% met the screen time guidelines. Low/medium maternal education was associated with a higher odds of exceeding screen time guidelines (odds ratio = 2.09; 95% confidence interval, 1.09-4.02). CONCLUSIONS: Most Kuwaiti adolescents in this sample were physically inactive and exceeded screen time guidelines. Objective PA was not socially patterned, yet an inverse association between maternal education and screen time behaviors was found

Rhythmic glucose metabolism regulates the redox circadian clockwork in human red blood cells

Circadian clocks coordinate mammalian behavior and physiology enabling organisms to anticipate 24-hour cycles. Transcription-translation feedback loops are thought to drive these clocks in most of mammalian cells. However, red blood cells (RBCs), which do not contain a nucleus, and cannot perform transcription or translation, nonetheless exhibit circadian redox rhythms. Here we show human RBCs display circadian regulation of glucose metabolism, which is required to sustain daily redox oscillations. We found daily rhythms of metabolite levels and flux through glycolysis and the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP). We show that inhibition of critical enzymes in either pathway abolished 24-hour rhythms in metabolic flux and redox oscillations, and determined that metabolic oscillations are necessary for redox rhythmicity. Furthermore, metabolic flux rhythms also occur in nucleated cells, and persist when the core transcriptional circadian clockwork is absent in Bmal1 knockouts. Thus, we propose that rhythmic glucose metabolism is an integral process in circadian rhythms. © 2021, The Author(s)

A New Selective PPARγ Modulator Inhibits Triglycerides Accumulation during Murine Adipocytes’ and Human Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Differentiation

Understanding the molecular basis of adipogenesis is vital to identify new therapeutic targets to improve anti-obesity drugs. The adipogenic process could be a new target in the management of this disease. Our aim was to evaluate the effect of GMG-43AC, a selective peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor \u3b3 (PPAR\u3b3) modulator, during adipose differentiation of murine pre-adipocytes and human Adipose Derived Stem Cells (hADSCs). We differentiated 3T3-L1 cells and primary hADSCs in the presence of various doses of GMG-43AC and evaluated the differentiation efficiency measuring lipid accumulation, the expression of specific differentiation markers and the quantification of accumulated triglycerides. The treatment with GMG-43AC is not toxic as shown by cell viability assessments after the treatments. Our findings demonstrate the inhibition of lipid accumulation and the significant decrease in the expression of adipocyte-specific genes, such as PPAR\u3b3, FABP-4, and leptin. This effect was long lasting, as the removal of GMG-43AC from culture medium did not allow the restoration of adipogenic process. The above actions were confirmed in hADSCs exposed to adipogenic stimuli. Together, these results indicate that GMG-43AC efficiently inhibits adipocytes differentiation in murine and human cells, suggesting its possible function in the reversal of adipogenesis and modulation of lipolysis

Therapeutic effect of neural progenitor cells expanded in the 3D nano-engineered Nichoid substrate in a Parkinson’s disease preclinical model

3D microscaffoldsare becoming more and more relevant in regenerative medicine, as they lead to the creation of a structure similar to a physiologicalniche. An example is the nano-engineered Nichoid, a 3D structure in which the cells are able to proliferate. In this work,we investigated the proliferation and stemness properties of Er-NPCswhen grown inside the Nichoid, and their potential therapeutic application in the treatment of Parkinson\u2019s Disease.3D microscaffolds are becoming more and more relevant in regenerative medicine, as they lead to the creation of a structure similar to a physiological niche. An example is the nano-engineered Nichoid, a 3D structure in which the cells are able to proliferate. In this work, we investigated the proliferation and stemness properties of Er-NPCs when grown inside the Nichoid, and their potential therapeutic application in the treatment of Parkinson\u2019s Disease

Sex Disaggregated Gender-Based Labor Differentiation among the Elected Barangay Officials in the First District of Cavite

This study was conducted from July 2018 to December 2019 to determine gender role differentiation among elected Barangay (smallest administrative division in the Philippines) officials in the 1st district of Cavite in the Philippines. We used a purposive incidental technique, focusing on 137 samples of male and female Barangay officials. The first district of Cavite Province, consisting of the city of Cavite and municipalities of Noveleta, Kawit, and Rosario, has 134 Barangays with 1,072 elected Barangay seats; of these seats, women occupied 298 (27.8%). In reproductive, productive, community managing, and leisure-related activities, both the female and male elected officials were dominant when it came to choices and decisions within their respective households. Most legislated gender policies addressed the protection and welfare of children, curbing delinquent gangs, and substance dependence and abuse. (The male elected officials dominate access, control of, and benefits from the reproductive, productive, community managing, and leisure activities in their respective household.) Men have access to and control of vehicles and house repairs while women manage finances, and care for sick children. Other household problems, needs, and constraints included waste management, noise nuisances, and teenagers\u27 behaviors - also, (lack of proper knowledge on gender and development) also the difficulty in recalling new terminologies used during gender-related seminars. We suggest that the Barangay council attend orientation and training on the Harmonized Gender and Development Guide (HGDG) and be given materials (to) that would educate them on gender terminologies. Responsible parenting seminars would help families guide their youths; mothers would be given an important role in this program, and fathers, through all-male advocacy groups in the country like KATROPA, which would in turn strengthen family bonding

Method for volumetric assessment of edge-wear in ceramic-on-ceramic acetabular liners

This paper details a novel method to characterize and quantify edge wear patterns in ceramic-on-ceramic acetabular liners using a roundness measurement machine to measure the post-wear surface. A 3D surface map is produced which encompasses the measured surface covering the wear patch, the uncontrolled edge geometry and form of the bearing surface. The data is analysed to quantify linear penetration and volume. The developed method was applied in a blind study to a set of six 36 mm ceramic- on-ceramic acetabular cup liners that were measured and analysed to characterise the edge wear. The in-vitro linear wear penetration ranged from 10 μm to 30 μm. The computed volumetric wear results obtained from the blind roundness measurement study were compared against the measured gravimetric results indicating a strong correlation between the results (0.9846). This study has also highlighted that measured liners exhibited an area of localised edge wear locates above the bearing surface as well as a smearing effect on the bearing surface caused by debris from edge wear. A study was carried out to test the repeatability of the measurement method and the inter-operator variability of the analysis. The results of the study show a standard deviation for the entire measurement and analysis process of 0.009 mm3 for first user and 0.003 mm3 for second user over twenty datasets. Hence the method displays high repeatability of the measurement and analysis process between users. This method allows for the delineation of form and wear through the determination of local geometry changes on what is essentially a freeform surface. The edge geometry is only partially controlled from a GD&T perspective and its geometry relative to the bearing surface varies from part-to-part. This method whilst being subjective allows for the determination of wear in this area with a high level of repeatability. However the limitation of this method is that it can only measure 5mm wide band of the liner due to the limited gauge travel range of 2mm