Genome-wide Integrative Analysis of Zika-Virus-Infected Neuronal Stem Cells Reveals Roles for MicroRNAs in Cell Cycle and Stemness.

Zika virus (ZIKV) infection is implicated in severe fetal developmental disorders, including microcephaly. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) post-transcriptionally regulate numerous processes associated with viral infection and neurodegeneration, but their contribution to ZIKV pathogenesis is unclear. We analyzed the mRNA and miRNA transcriptomes of human neuronal stem cells (hNSCs) during infection with ZIKV MR766 and Paraiba strains. Integration of the miRNA and mRNA expression data into regulatory interaction networks showed that ZIKV infection resulted in miRNA-mediated repression of genes regulating the cell cycle, stem cell maintenance, and neurogenesis. Bioinformatics analysis of Argonaute-bound RNAs in ZIKV-infected hNSCs identified a number of miRNAs with predicted involvement in microcephaly, including miR-124-3p, which dysregulates NSC maintenance through repression of the transferrin receptor (TFRC). Consistent with this, ZIKV infection upregulated miR-124-3p and downregulated TFRC mRNA in ZIKV-infected hNSCs and mouse brain tissue. These data provide insights into the roles of miRNAs in ZIKV pathogenesis, particularly the microcephaly phenotype

Total Mercury Levels In The Coastal Environment Of Qatar (Arabian Gulf)

The levels of total Mercury (t-Hg) were determined in various segments of the marine environment of Qatar. Several coastal stations, both on the East as well as the West coast of Qatar were worked for t-Hg in seawater, sediments and biological matrices. Nearly 20 stations were worked within the EEZ of Qatar, on the east coast, wherein seawater samples were collected at different depths for t-Hg along with surface sediments and resident biota. Seawater samples were not filtered and results given are for total dissolved Hg. Sediment samples were analyzed for leachable as well as t-Hg contents. A wide range of 22-198 ng/L values were obtained for the seawater samples, 0.098-317 ug/g dry wt. in sediments and 0.008-0.093 ug/g dry wt. in biota were measured. The leachable fractions amounted to a range of 3-18% of the t-Hg in sediments. The results do not indicate any elevated levels but are discussed in the light of the geographical distribution of stations and sampling sites with respect to their location and possible input sources

Distribution and amplification of interstitial telomeric sequences (ITSs) in Australian dragon lizards support frequent chromosome fusions in Iguania

Telomeric sequences are generally located at the ends of chromosomes; however, they can also be found in non-terminal chromosomal regions when they are known as interstitial telomeric sequences (ITSs). Distribution of ITSs across closely related and divergent species elucidates karyotype evolution and speciation as ITSs provide evolutionary evidence for chromosome fusion. In this study, we performed physical mapping of telomeric repeats by fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) in seven Australian dragon lizards thought to represent derived karyotypes of squamate reptiles and a gecko lizard with considerably different karyotypic feature. Telomeric repeats were present at both ends of all chromosomes in all species, while varying numbers of ITSs were also found on microchromosomes and in pericentromeric or centromeric regions on macrochromosomes in five lizard species examined. This suggests that chromosomal rearrangements from ancestral squamate reptiles to Iguania occurred mainly by fusion between ancestral types of acrocentric chromosomes and/or between microchromosomes, leading to appearance of bi-armed macrochromosomes, and in the reduction of microchromosome numbers. These results support the previously proposed hypothesis of karyotype evolution in squamate reptiles. In addition, we observed the presence of telomeric sequences in the similar regions to heterochromatin of the W microchromosome in Pogona barbata and Doporiphora nobbi, while sex chromosomes for the two species contained part of the nucleolar organiser regions (NORs). This likely implies that these ITSs are a part of the satellite DNA and not relics of chromosome fusions. Amplification of telomeric repeats may have involved heterochromatinisation of sex-specific W chromosomes and play a role in the organisation of the nucleolus

Economic Strength and Micropolitan Statistical Areas: Looking Beyond Generalities

Facility location decisions serve an important role in setting up efficient and cost-effective supply chains. While metropolitan areas may appear an obvious choice for many companies, nonmetropolitan areas deserve consideration. In the past, nonmetropolitan areas have been broadly classified as “rural” with reports of economic decline. This research looks beyond the general category of nonmetropolitan by dividing the area into micropolitan statistical areas and non-core statistical areas. The authors use U.S. Census data from the years 2010 to 2016 to analyze changes in population, median household income, retail employment, and retail salaries in Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi. Companies can use this more refined information approach to help identify specific counties outside metropolitan statistical areas that demonstrate growth and may provide suitable facility locations

A Passivity-Preserving Frequency-Weighted Model Order Reduction Technique

© 2004-2012 IEEE. Frequency-weighted model order reduction techniques aim to yield a reduced order model whose output matches that of the original system in the emphasized frequency region. However, passivity of the original system is only known to be preserved in the single-sided weighted case. A frequency-weighted model order reduction technique is proposed, which guarantees the passive reduced models in the double-sided weighted case. A set of easily computable error bound expressions are also presented

The Economic Impact of Lower Extremity Amputations in Diabetics. a Retrospective Study From a Tertiary Care Hospital of Faisalabad, Pakistan

Background: Among the various complications of diabetes, lower-extremity amputation due to diabetic foot is a common problem. In Pakistan, 6-7% of patients with diabetes suffer from diabetic foot ulceration. Objectives: Our primary objective was to explore the frequency of diabetic foot amputations, and the secondary objective was to calculate the economic burden of these preventable surgeries on the health budget of the provincial government. Materials & Methods: It was a retrospective cross-sectional observational study conducted after obtaining approval from the Ethical Review Committee of Allied hospital, Faisalabad Medical University. The data of diabetic foot patients who underwent amputations between July 2017 and December 2017 were retrieved from three Surgical Units (I, II & III), using a purposive sampling technique. All amputations carried out for reasons other than diabetic foot were excluded. The direct medical cost of one diabetic foot amputation was calculated via a local survey of the various private hospitals of Faisalabad. The indirect costs in terms of loss of productivity and disability costs, transport costs, rehabilitation costs were not included in this study. The data were evaluated by using SPSS Version 23. Results: A total of 85 patients were included in our study. The male to female ratio was 2.7 to 1. The mean direct treatment cost for minor amputation was PKR 46926.00 ± 11730.90 ($382.35 ± 95.58), and the mean direct treatment cost for major amputation was PKR 53720.00 ± 12401.24 ($437.71 ± 101.40). Out of 85 amputations, 63 (74%) were major amputations, and the remaining 22 (26%) were minor amputations. The total cost for 63 major amputations was PKR 3,384,360 ($27568.91) and for 22 minor amputation was PKR 1,032,372 ($8409.67). The net cost came out to be PKR 4,416,732 ($35978.59) for all the 85 cases being reported in a tertiary care hospital of Faisalabad for six months. Conclusion: Diabetic foot, a preventable complication of long-term diabetes mellitus, has an economic burden on the hospital budget, which, if adequately addressed via primary prevention programme, can yield not just economical but medical benefits as well

Novel direct synthesis of mesoporous tin dioxide network intact up to 500°C

This project is supported by PAAET project no. BE-­‐13-­‐08 in collaboration with Kuwait University and the University of York. The support of the research administration of Kuwait University to the XPS instrument (Project No. GS02/08) is acknowledged.We present a direct soft templating method to synthesise mesoporous tin dioxide network that maintains a porous structure after calcination at 400 °C and 500 °C and has a relatively high BET surface area of 220 and 100 m2 g-1, respectively. TEM, BET and XRD results confirm that both crystal and pore sizes increase as a result of increasing the temperatures during the calcination step. This method is highly reproducible.PostprintPeer reviewe

Nudging within learning health systems: next generation decision support to improve cardiovascular care

The increasing volume and richness of healthcare data collected during routine clinical practice have not yet translated into significant numbers of actionable insights that have systematically improved patient outcomes. An evidence-practice gap continues to exist in healthcare. We contest that this gap can be reduced by assessing the use of nudge theory as part of clinical decision support systems (CDSS). Deploying nudges to modify clinician behaviour and improve adherence to guideline-directed therapy represents an underused tool in bridging the evidence-practice gap. In conjunction with electronic health records (EHRs) and newer devices including artificial intelligence algorithms that are increasingly integrated within learning health systems, nudges such as CDSS alerts should be iteratively tested for all stakeholders involved in health decision-making: clinicians, researchers, and patients alike. Not only could they improve the implementation of known evidence, but the true value of nudging could lie in areas where traditional randomized controlled trials are lacking, and where clinical equipoise and variation dominate. The opportunity to test CDSS nudge alerts and their ability to standardize behaviour in the face of uncertainty may generate novel insights and improve patient outcomes in areas of clinical practice currently without a robust evidence base