Search

Cynthia Al Hageh,1,* Stephanie Chacar,1,2,* Michella Ghassibe-Sabbagh,3 Daniel E Platt,4 Andreas Henschel,5 Hamdan Hamdan,1,2 Dominique Gauguier,6,7 Yara El Murr,3 Eman Alefishat,8,9 Elie Chammas,10 Siobhán O’Sullivan,1 Antoine Abchee,11 Moni Nader,2,9 Pierre A Zalloua1,9,12 1Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; 2Department of Physiology and Immunology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; 3Department of Natural Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, Lebanese American University, Beirut, Lebanon; 4Computational Biology Center, IBM TJ Watson Research Centre, Yorktown Hgts, NY, USA; 5Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; 6Université Paris Cité, INSERM UMR 1124, Paris, 75006, France; 7McGill University and Genome Quebec Innovation Centre, Montreal, QC, H3A 0G1, Canada; 8Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; 9Center for Biotechnology, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, 127788, United Arab Emirates; 10School of Medicine, Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon; 11Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; 12Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Pierre A Zalloua; Moni Nader, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Khalifa University for Science and Technology, PO Box 127788, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Email pierre.zalloua@ku.ac.ae; moni.nader@ku.ac.aeBackgrounds and Aims: The role of Lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) in increasing the risk of cardiovascular diseases is reported in several populations. The aim of this study is to investigate the correlation of high Lp(a) levels with the degree of coronary artery stenosis.Methods: Two hundred and sixty-eight patients were enrolled for this study. Patients who underwent coronary artery angiography and who had Lp(a) measurements available were included in this study. Binomial logistic regressions were applied to investigate the association between Lp(a) and stenosis in the four major coronary arteries. The effect of LDL and HDL Cholesterol on modulating the association of Lp(a) with coronary artery disease (CAD) was also evaluated. Multinomial regression analysis was applied to assess the association of Lp(a) with the different degrees of stenosis in the four major coronary arteries.Results: Our analyses showed that Lp(a) is a risk factor for CAD and this risk is significantly apparent in patients with HDL-cholesterol ≥ 35 mg/dL and in non-obese patients. A large proportion of the study patients with elevated Lp(a) levels had CAD even when exhibiting high HDL serum levels. Increased HDL with low Lp(a) serum levels were the least correlated with stenosis. A significantly higher levels of Lp(a) were found in patients with > 50% stenosis in at least two major coronary vessels arguing for pronounced and multiple stenotic lesions. Finally, the derived variant (rs1084651) of the LPA gene was significantly associated with CAD.Conclusion: Our study highlights the importance of Lp(a) levels as an independent biological marker of severe and multiple coronary artery stenosis.Keywords: lipoprotein(a), cardiovascular diseases, stenosis

Principal Component Analysis (PCA) is a powerful multivariate tool allowing the projection of data in low-dimensional representations. Nevertheless, datapoint distances on these low-dimensional projections are challenging to interpret. Here, we propose a computationally simple heuristic to transform a map based on standard PCA (when the variables are asymptotically Gaussian) into an entropy-based map where distances are based on mutual information (MI). Moreover, we show that in certain instances our proposed scaled PCA can improve cluster identification. Rescaling principal component-based distances using MI results in a representation of relative statistical associations when, as in genetics, it is applied on bit measurements between individuals' genomic mutual information. This entropy-rescaled PCA, while preserving order relationships (along a dimension), quantifies relative distances into information units, such as “bits”. We illustrate the effect of this rescaling using genomics data derived from world populations and describe how the interpretation of results is impacted.

Right-lateral transform motion associated with the Pacific-North American plate boundary in the modern-day San Francisco Bay Area occurs across a series of sub-parallel fault zones. Much of this motion is accommodated east of the San Andreas Fault by the faults of the East Bay fault system. A major tool for reconstructing the spatial and temporal history of fault motion is the correlation of offset Neogene volcanic rocks. These Neogene volcanics within the California Coast Ranges formed in association with the slab gap that grew as the Mendocino Triple Junction migrated northward. Some of the volcanic centres have been variably offset by subsequent strike-slip faulting. A felsic volcanic unit exposed in Berkeley, CA, known as the Northbrae rhyolite has variably been interpreted to be one of these Neogene volcanic units or to be a Mesozoic volcanic unit associated with the Coast Range ophiolite. A new U-Pb zircon date of 11.10 (Formula presented.) 0.09 Ma confirms the Neogene volcanic interpretation. This date is indistinguishable from previously published Ar/Ar dates from the Burdell Mountain volcanics of the North Bay region as well as a new U-Pb zircon date of 11.07 (Formula presented.) 0.10 Ma. In addition to the indistinguishable ages, similarities in bulk lithology, zircon crystallization/dissolution textures, and zircon trace element geochemistry are consistent with these rhyolites being associated with the same volcanic centre. This correlation implies that 40 (Formula presented.) 5 km of right-lateral offset occurred to the west of the modern-day position of the Hayward-Rodgers Creek fault zone. This offset represents (Formula presented.) 20% of the total offset along the East Bay fault system. A proto-Hayward Fault with a different geometry than that of the present-day played a significant role in the evolution of the fault system. This result highlights the dynamic spatiotemporal variability of strike-slip faults along transform margins.

ABSTRACT: The onset of lactation is characterized by marked increases in calcium (Ca) metabolism. Recently emphasis was placed on understanding the profile and dynamics of blood Ca and serotonin in the peripartal cow in response to this change using a randomized 2 × 2 factorial design. The aims of our study were to determine (1) how a prepartum DCAD diet and the magnitude of Ca decline at the onset of lactation alter circulating blood serotonin and ionized Ca concentration dynamics in the periparturient cow, and (2) the relationship of Ca versus serotonin during the peripartal period. Thirty-two multiparous Holstein cows were blocked by parity (2 vs. >2) to ensure equal parity number across the experiment, previous 305 d milk yield, and expected parturition date and randomly allocated to positive (+120 mEq/kg; +DCAD) or negative (−120 mEq/kg; −DCAD) DCAD diets from 251 d of gestation until parturition (n = 16/diet). Immediately after calving cows were continuously infused for 24 h with (1) an intravenous solution of 10% dextrose or (2) Ca gluconate (CaGlc) to maintain blood ionized Ca concentrations at 1.2 mM (normocalcemia), forming the following 4 treatment groups: negative DCAD and CaGlc (NCa), negative DCAD and dextrose (NDex), positive DCAD and CaGlc (PCa), and positive DCAD and dextrose (PDex; n = 8/treatment). Blood was sampled every 6 h from 102 h before parturition until 96 h postparturition. During the continuous infusion period (the 24 h immediately following parturition) cows were sampled every 30 min. Cows fed a −DCAD diet prepartum had greater circulating serotonin concentrations pre- and postpartum. Time series analyses demonstrated that the pooled mean effect size (ES) of the relationship between ionized Ca and serotonin 36 h before parturition was significantly positive (ES = 0.164) prepartum. We also observed that the overall pooled mean ES of the relationship between prepartum blood pH 24 h prior and serotonin was significantly positive (ES = 0.111); however, for individual treatment groups, relationships were identified between blood pH and serotonin 18 and 6 h before only for the NDex group. Our data suggest that serotonin is an important factor in the regulation of Ca homeostasis during the prepartal period and that the mechanism may be integrated with blood pH.

The present study investigates whether alternatively and traditionally certified teachers differ in their teaching quality. We conducted doubly latent multilevel analysis using a large-scale dataset with student ratings on the quality of instruction provided by 1550 traditionally and 135 alternatively certified secondary school mathematics teachers in Germany. Findings show no evidence of differences in teaching quality between alternatively and traditionally certified teachers. Independent of the type of certification, novice teachers scored lower on classroom management than experienced teachers. Findings suggest that beginning teachers--whether alternatively or traditionally certified--need to be better prepared for classroom management before starting to teach.

Purpose: To elucidate the connection between MRI relaxation properties of articular cartilage and tissue composition, in terms of collagen and chondroitin sulfate (CS). Additional aims were to determine the effect of different magnetic field strengths, as well as the effect of concentrations of the components on relaxation properties. Methods: A series of MRI phantoms consisting of gels containing collagen and chondroitin sulfate were prepared with final concentrations of collagen in the range 20-60 mg/g and the CS concentration in the range 0-40 mg/g. R1 (= 1/T1) and R2 (= 1/T2) values of the phantoms were measured at three different MRI field strengths (1.5, 3.0 and 9.4 T), R1ρ (= 1/T1ρ) values were measured at 9.4 T. Results: Relaxation rates generally increased with increasing concentration of either of the compounds. R1 values generally increased with CS, and at clinically used magnetic fields, namely 1.5 T and 3.0 T, with collagen concentration. At 9.4 T, R2 values also showed an increase with collagen concentration that could not be clearly identified at lower field strengths. R1ρ values increased with both collagen and CS concentration but the amplitude of the spin-lock pulse only had a limited effect on relaxation rates above 100 Hz. Conclusions: Our results suggest that R1, R2, and R1ρ are modulated by collagen and CS concentrations, with collagen likely dominating at physiological concentrations.

Contexto: A leishmaniose visceral (LV) expandiu-se geograficamente devido à urbanização, migração rural-urbana, adaptação do vetor ao ambiente doméstico e presença do cão como reservatório. Em São Paulo, especialmente no centro-oeste paulista, área endêmica de Leishmaniose tegumentar (LT), a doença demanda estudos epidemiológicos e geográficos. Sistemas de Informação Geográfica (SIGs) auxiliam na identificação de fatores ambientais associados à LV. Desenvolvimento: Analisou-se a distribuição espacial da LV na região do DRS Marília (1999-2018), focando nos municípios de Adamantina e Marília. Resultados: A LV surgiu na região em 2003, em Adamantina e Guarantã. A LT está presente em 74,2% dos municípios do DRS. Em 26 municípios, confirmou-se o vetor Lu. longipalpis, com LV canina em 92,3% e humana em 80,7%. Adamantina e Marília apresentam distribuição similar de casos caninos e humanos.

O artigo resulta da pesquisa O neoliberalismo e o sujeito de si mesmo: Um estudo sobre a racionalidade neoliberal e o pathos da melancolização, conduzida no Programa de Pós-Graduação em Psicologia da Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro. A partir da conexão entre a perspectiva da filosofia política e da psicanálise, investigamos a constituição do sujeito neoliberal e a especificidade de seu pathos. Os acontecimentos políticos que atravessaram o cenário político e psicossocial brasileiro são nosso ponto de partida para interrogar sobre os processos psíquicos que estão na base da constituição da racionalidade neoliberal. Defendemos a hipótese de que a formação da racionalidade neoliberal se nutre da mobilização de um sentimento muito preciso — por nós denominados de melancolização. E é uma parte do desenvolvimento da hipótese, que objetivamos apresentar ao longo deste artigo.

Literacy skill development was identified as an area of need for underprivileged students in a school district. A digital storytelling workshop was conceived as a way to strengthen university ties with the Professional Development School (PDS) and the local library, while providing an engaging, essential, skills-focused summer literacy workshop for under-served youth in the community. To examine the efficacy of the workshop and to determine whether participants gained valuable skills, researchers examined the following questions: (1) Do students who participate in the creation of digital stories develop enhanced communications skills by learning to organize their ideas, ask questions, express opinions, and construct narratives?; and (2) Do students benefit from digital storytelling to learn to create stories for an audience, and present their ideas and knowledge in an individual and meaningful way? From the data presented, it is evident that the participants greatly benefitted from the workshop; however, that was not the only success resulting from the workshop. The collaboration between the university, the PDS and the library was a resounding success and has laid the foundation for many more successful collaborations in the future.