Expression and purification of functional human glycogen synthase-1:glycogenin-1 complex in insect cells

We report the successful expression and purification of functional human muscle glycogen synthase (GYS1) in complex with human glycogenin-1 (GN1). Stoichiometric GYS1:GN1 complex was produced by co-expression of GYS1 and GN1 using a bicistronic pFastBac™-Dual expression vector, followed by affinity purification and subsequent size-exclusion chromatography. Mass spectrometry analysis identified that GYS1 is phosphorylated at several well-characterised and uncharacterised Ser/Thr residues. Biochemical analysis, including activity ratio (in the absence relative to that in the presence of glucose-6-phosphate) measurement, covalently attached phosphate estimation as well as phosphatase treatment, revealed that recombinant GYS1 is substantially more heavily phosphorylated than would be observed in intact human or rodent muscle tissues. A large quantity of highly-pure stoichiometric GYS1:GN1 complex will be useful to study its structural and biochemical properties in the future, which would reveal mechanistic insights into its functional role in glycogen biosynthesis

The Surface Distribution of Oil Spills, the Environmental Status of the Visoka Oilfield, Its Rehabilitation Ways: Case Study

Visoka oilfield was explored in 1963 through the well G-622. In this oilfield had been drilled more than 170 production wells. Through all this years of its exploitation, mainly because of the outdated technology, the environmental pollution reached really dramatic values. The pollution extends on the Visoka village, affecting so the life for the entire community. The oil spills, the gas emissions and the formation water affected and polluted and ―k illed‖ the Gjanica River, its delta and the Adriatic coast in the Semani beach. Due to the technology and the completely wrong policies, used in the past, the wells had been equipped with a pit, whose actually are filled with oil, water and solid wastes. Now these mixtures are more similar with TAR‘s. This is the main evidence which proves that, the area had never been cleaned up properly. Actually the reservoir had been given in use to a foreigner company, based in a petroleum agreement. The concessionary has already preparing the rehabilitation plan. Based on the best international experience the cleaning up ways will be based on the oil spill treatment, mainly through dispersants, the water treatment through dispersants, filtrations processes and reinjection and the emissions cleaning up mainly through reinjection. The polluted soil will be treated through thermal methods, or will be deposited in a closed landfill. Evaluations, calculations and spatial distribution of the oil spills of the Gjanica River and Adriatic Sea are presented in this paper

Pojavnost genskog polimorfizma receptora 2039A>G folikularno stimulirajućeg hormona i rizik muške neplodnosti u albanskoj populaciji

The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of allele and genotype variants of the follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR) gene polymorphic region at position Asn680Ser in the Albanian male population and associate them with the clinical parameters of infertility. The study included 114 infertile men (mean age 35.04±5.85 years) stratified according to the level of spermatogenetic impairment (oligoasthenozoospermia, asthenozoospermia and normospermia) and 112 fertile men (mean age 36.44±7.05 years) with normal semen parameters. Genotyping of the FSHR gene at position 680 was performed by TaqMan genotyping assay. All the participants underwent semen analysis, and serum reproductive hormones (FSH, luteinizing hormone, prolactin and testosterone) were also measured. The FSHR Asn680Ser genotype frequencies were as follows: Asn/Ser 42%, Ser/Ser 33.9% and Asn/Asn 24.1% in the control group, and Asn/Ser 56.1%, Ser/Ser 22.8% and Asn/Asn 21.1% in the whole group of infertile men (χ2-test: P=0.08). There was no statistically significant correlation between serum hormone levels and semen characteristics or between fertility status and FSHR Asn680Ser gene variants in the control group and the group of infertile men. However, adjusted logistic regression analysis (age, body mass index, smoking and alcohol as covariates) revealed increased odds ratio for male infertility among heterozygous Asn/Ser genotype carriers associated with lower values of semen parameters (normal morphology, concentration, total sperm count and motility). In conclusion, our case-control study further confirmed previous reports on no significant association between the FSHR Asn680Ser polymorphisms and male infertility. Nevertheless, the data presented herein indicate that the Asn/Ser genotype may increase the risk of male infertility in Albanian population.Cilj ovoga istraživanja bio je odrediti pojavnost alela i varijante genotipa receptora folikularno stimulirajućeg hormona (FSHR) na poziciji Asn680Ser kod muškaraca albanske populacije u odnosu na kliničke parametre neplodnosti. Istraživanje je obuhvatilo 114 neplodnih muškaraca (srednja dob 35,04±5,85 godina) svrstanih prema razini oštećenja spermiograma (oligoastenozoospermija, astenozoospermija i normospermija) te 112 plodnih muškaraca (srednja dob 36,44±7,05 godina) s urednim nalazom spermiograma. Genotipizacija gena FSHR na poziciji 680 učinjena je primjenom TaqMan probe. Kod svih sudionika istraživanja učinjena je analiza sjemena i reprodukcijskih hormona uključujući FSH, luteinizirajući hormon, prolaktin i testosteron. U kontrolnoj skupini ispitanika kod FSHR Asn680Ser genotipa utvrđena pojavnost Asn/Ser bila je 42%, Ser/Ser 33,9% i Asn/Asn 24,1%, dok se u skupini neplodnih ispitanika incidencija kretala od 56,1% za Asn/Ser, 22,8% za Ser/Ser i 21,1% za Asn/Asn (χ2-test; p=0,08). Nije ustanovljena značajna statistička povezanost između razine hormona, karakteristika sjemena, stanja plodnosti u varijanti gena FSHR Asn680Ser u kontrolnoj skupini u odnosu na ispitanike u skupini neplodnih muškaraca. Ipak, primjenom prilagođene, logističke i regresijske analize (dob, indeks tjelesne mase, pušenje i alkohol kao kovarijable) utvrđeno je da postoji veća vjerojatnost javljanja muške neplodnosti kod nositelja heterozigota Asn/Ser koji su povezani sa sniženim vrijednostima parametara sjemena (morfologija, koncentracija, ukupan broj i pokretljivost). Zaključno možemo utvrditi da ovo istraživanje potvrđuje ranija izvješća kako ne postoji značajna povezanost između polimorfizma FSHR Asn680Ser i muške neplodnosti. Ipak, navedeni podaci upućuju na to da Asn/Ser genotip može povisiti rizik muške neplodnosti u albanskoj populaciji

Dynamic impact of banking performance on financial stability: Fresh evidence from southeastern Europe

This study addresses the issue of whether banking performance impacts financial stability in Southeastern European countries. To answer this question, the GMM approach has been applied in the analyses of the panel data over the period 2000-2015 for Southeastern Europe. The findings reveal the presence of significant positive long-run relationship between ROA, ROE, trade openness, and human capital, while government expenditures have negative impact on financial stability. Trade openness, human capital and government expenditures can keep the financial system stable as a whole. The Granger causality analysis discloses the main hypothesis where the banking system in this part of Europe accounts for more than 80% of the financial system. The study sheds light to the policymakers and research about the role of banking performance on financial stability for this region of Europe. © 2021 Sciendo. All rights reserved

FINANCIAL POLICIES, ERRORS AND REFLECTIONS ON GLOBAL CRISIS

ABSTRACT The current crisis has swept the world with special emphasis, most developed countries, those countries which have most gross -product world and you have a high level of living. Even those who are not experts can describe the consequences of the crisis to see the reality that is seen, but how far will it go this crisis is impossible to predict. Even the biggest experts have conjecture and large divergence, but agree on one thing: The devastating effects of this crisis will be more severe than ever before and cannot be predicted