Metabolic syndrome is linked to a mild elevation in liver aminotransferases in diabetic patients with undetectable non-alcoholic fatty liver disease by ultrasound

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Despite ongoing findings on the relationship between elevated levels of alanine and aspartate aminotransferases (ALT and AST) and metabolic syndrome (MetS), this association in diabetic patients without a known cause for liver enzymes elevation other than diabetes, per se, remains unclear. In this study, we aimed to assess the relationship between circulating liver enzymes and MetS in a relatively large sample of patients with diabetes.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A total of 670 diabetic patients, without known causes of hepatocellular injury, were enrolled. Patients with ultrasonographic signs of fatty liver disease were not included. Fasting blood samples were obtained and biochemical characteristics were measured. MetS was defined according to the international diabetes federation criteria.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Serum ALT and AST were significantly higher in patients with MetS (p < 0.001). High waist circumference and low HDL-cholesterol were significantly associated with elevated ALT (OR = 2.56 and 2.0, respectively) and AST (OR = 2.23 and 2.21, respectively). ALT and AST were significantly associated with MetS (OR = 2.17 and 2.31, respectively). These associations remained significant after multiple adjustments for age, sex, BMI, diabetes duration, HbA1c and medications. There was a significant (p < 0.01) positive association between the number of the MetS features and the level of ALT or AST.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>In diabetic patients without ultrasonographic evidence of fatty liver, elevated aminotransferases are independently associated with MetS. Despite negative ultrasound results in diabetic patients with MetS, the serum level of liver aminotransferases may be elevated and should be more thoroughly monitored.</p

Climatic and topographic changes since the Miocene influenced the diversification and biogeography of the tent tortoise (Psammobates tentorius) species complex in Southern Africa

Background: Climatic and topographic changes function as key drivers in shaping genetic structure and cladogenic radiation in many organisms. Southern Africa has an exceptionally diverse tortoise fauna, harbouring one-third of the world’s tortoise genera. The distribution of Psammobates tentorius (Kuhl, 1820) covers two of the 25 biodiversity hotspots in the world, the Succulent Karoo and Cape Floristic Region. The highly diverged P. tentorius represents an excellent model species for exploring biogeographic and radiation patterns of reptiles in Southern Africa. Results: We investigated genetic structure and radiation patterns against temporal and spatial dimensions since the Miocene in the Psammobates tentorius species complex, using multiple types of DNA markers and niche modelling analyses. Cladogenesis in P. tentorius started in the late Miocene (11.63–5.33 Ma) when populations dispersed from north to south to form two geographically isolated groups. The northern group diverged into a clade north of the Orange River (OR), followed by the splitting of the group south of the OR into a western and an interior clade. The latter divergence corresponded to the intensifcation of the cold Benguela current, which caused western aridifcation and rainfall seasonality. In the south, tectonic uplift and subsequent exhumation, together with climatic fuctuations seemed responsible for radiations among the four southern clades since the late Miocene. We found that each clade occurred in a habitat shaped by diferent climatic parameters, and that the niches difered substantially among the clades of the northern group but were similar among clades of the southern group. Conclusion: Climatic shifts, and biome and geographic changes were possibly the three major driving forces shaping cladogenesis and genetic structure in Southern African tortoise species. Our results revealed that the cladogenesis of the P. tentorius species complex was probably shaped by environmental cooling, biome shifts and topographic uplift in Southern Africa since the late Miocene. The Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) may have impacted the distribution of P. tentorius substantially. We found the taxonomic diversify of the P. tentorius species complex to be highest in the Greater Cape Floristic Region. All seven clades discovered warrant conservation attention, particularly Ptt-B–Ptr, Ptt-A and Pv-

Earth / Lands. Earthen Architecture in Southern Italy / Architetture in terra nell'Italia del Sud

Accettando gli stimoli provenienti dalle nostre preoccupazioni ambientali riscopriamo ora le architetture in terra delle regioni del mediterraneo, sperimentandole ancora in pochi nuovi progetti. Con un nuovo sguardo cosciente verso l\u2019ambiente possiamo riscoprire la terra come una nuova tecnologia, una nuova invenzione per la costruzione del XXI secolo. In epoca di globalizzazione abbiamo necessit\ue0 di valorizzare le culture locali e le costruzioni in terra, che sono tuttora la tecnologia dominante nei paesi non industrializzati e che possono essere oggetto di un processo di investimento di conoscenze quale \ue8 stato quello per il cemento armato nel XX secolo. La conservazione delle architetture in terra pu\uf2 avere successo solo se queste architetture continueranno ad essere una delle culture costruttive anche nel futuro: potremo conservare i valori di qualit\ue0 diffusa di patrimoni edilizi estesi solo se saranno cultura costruttiva \uabvivente\ubb. Il volume \ue8 stato recensito ne \u201cIl giornale dell\u2019architettura\u201d n. 102/2012.Encouraged by our concerns about the environment, we are now rediscovering earthen architecture in the Mediterranean region and experimenting in some few new projects. With a fresh environmentally aware look we can revive earth as a new technology, a new invention for the architecture of the twenty-first century. In this era of globalization we need to enhance local cultures and earthen architecture, still the dominant technology in many countries, but investment in knowledge is necessary to explore and develop its potential as was done for reinforced concrete in the twentieth century. Earthen architecture conservation can be successful only if such architecture is one of the future building technologies: we shall safeguard the values of diffused quality in a widespread architectural heritage only if they become a living building culture

A de novo paradigm for mental retardation.

Contains fulltext : 89284.pdf (publisher's version ) (Closed access)The per-generation mutation rate in humans is high. De novo mutations may compensate for allele loss due to severely reduced fecundity in common neurodevelopmental and psychiatric diseases, explaining a major paradox in evolutionary genetic theory. Here we used a family based exome sequencing approach to test this de novo mutation hypothesis in ten individuals with unexplained mental retardation. We identified and validated unique non-synonymous de novo mutations in nine genes. Six of these, identified in six different individuals, are likely to be pathogenic based on gene function, evolutionary conservation and mutation impact. Our findings provide strong experimental support for a de novo paradigm for mental retardation. Together with de novo copy number variation, de novo point mutations of large effect could explain the majority of all mental retardation cases in the population.01 december 201

Human metabolic correlates of body mass index

BACKGROUND: A high body mass index (BMI) is a major risk factor for several chronic diseases, but the biology underlying these associations is not well-understood. Dyslipidemia, inflammation, and elevated levels of growth factors and sex steroid hormones explain some of the increased disease risk, but other metabolic factors not yet identified may also play a role. DESIGN: In order to discover novel metabolic biomarkers of BMI, we used non-targeted metabolomics to assay 317 metabolites in blood samples from 947 participants and examined the cross-sectional associations between metabolite levels and BMI. Participants were from three studies in the United States and China. Height, weight, and potential confounders were ascertained by questionnaire (US studies) or direct measurement (Chinese study). Metabolite levels were measured using liquid-phase chromatography and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. We evaluated study-specific associations using linear regression, adjusted for age, gender, and smoking, and we estimated combined associations using random effects meta-analysis. RESULTS: The meta-analysis revealed 37 metabolites significantly associated with BMI, including 19 lipids, 12 amino acids, and 6 others, at the Bonferroni significance threshold (p<0.00016). Eighteen of these associations had not been previously reported, including histidine, an amino acid neurotransmitter, and butyrylcarnitine, a lipid marker of whole-body fatty acid oxidation. Heterogeneity by study was minimal (all P(heterogeneity) >0.05). In total, 110 metabolites were associated with BMI at the p<0.05 level. CONCLUSION: These findings establish a baseline for the BMI metabolome, and suggest new targets for researchers attempting to clarify mechanistic links between high BMIs and disease risk

Tetrapod diversity in the Atlantic Forest: Maps and gaps

The Atlantic Forest is a heterogeneous and complex vegetation mosaic caused by variety of climatic, geomorphological, and edaphic conditions. It has long been known that the Atlantic Forest has one of the most diversified biotas on the planet, presenting high levels of endemism. Here, we update the knowledge regarding terrestrial vertebrates occurring in the Atlantic Forest, focusing on endemic species and presenting its main spatial patterns of diversity. We also analyzed the main knowledge gaps associated with these species. We identified 2,645 species of Tetrapoda in the Atlantic Forest, being 719 species of amphibians, 517 species of reptiles, 1,025 species of birds, and 384 species of mammals. The uniqueness of its fauna is impressive even in a global scale, as 2.8% of the world's Tetrapoda species occurs only in the Atlantic Forest. For reptiles, this percentage is 1.3%, while for both birds and mammals, it hovers around 1.9%, but for amphibians, it reaches an impressive 6.6%. Spatially, most groups exhibit their highest species richness at the core of the Atlantic Forest, and this pattern becomes more evident when only endemic species are considered. Even with all its impressive diversity, 157 new Tetrapoda species were described in the Atlantic Forest in the last decade, mostly from poorly sampled regions or environments. An increase of sampling effort on these regions might increase the number of species on this biome, which already is one of the most diverse in the world.Federal University of the State of Rio de JaneiroFederal University of Santa MariaFederal University of São PauloFederal University of Rio de JaneiroEcological Research InstituteSão Paulo State UniversitySão Paulo State Universit