Association of the TCF7L2 rs12255372 (G/T) variant with type 2 diabetes mellitus in an Iranian population

In various populations worldwide, common variants of the TCF7L2 (Transcription factor 7-like 2) gene are associated with the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The aim was to investigate the association between rs12255372 (G/T) polymorphism in the TCF7L2 gene and T2DM in an Iranian population. 236 unrelated patients with T2DM, and 255 normoglycemic controls without diabetes were studied. The PCR-RFLP method was used for genotyping rs12255372 (G/T) polymorphism, and the SPSS version 18.0 for Windows for statistical analysis. The minor T allele of TCF7L2 rs12255372 was found to significantly increase the risk of T2DM, with an allelic odds ratio (OR) of 1.458 (95% CI 1.108-1.918, p = 0.007). A significant difference in TT genotype was observed between T2DM patients and normoglycemic controls (OR 2.038, 95% CI 1.147-3.623; p = 0.014). On assuming dominant and recessive models, ORs of 1.52 [95% CI (1.05-2.21) p = 0.026)] and 1.74 [95% CI (1.01-3.00) p = 0.043] were obtained, respectively, thereby implying that the co-dominant model would best fit the susceptible gene effect. This study further confirms the TCF7L2 gene as enhancing susceptibility to the development of T2DM. © 2012, Sociedade Brasileira de Genética

Pengaruh Ekstrak Kulit Jeruk Pamelo terhadap Infeksi Jamur Fusarium Oxysporum pada Tanaman Tomat

Jeruk Pamelo (Citrus grandis) memiliki kandungan senyawa kimia aktif berupa limonen 90% yang tertinggi dibandingkan dengan jenis jeruk lainnya. Limonen merupakan senyawa terpenoid yang dapat dimanfaatkan sebagai fungisida nabati. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh konsentrasi ekstrak jeruk Pamelo terhadap pertumbuhan tomat yang terinfeksi Fusarium oxysporum. Parameter yang diamati meliputi tinggi tanaman dan tingkat infeksi pada akar tomat. Ekstrak diambil dengan metode maserasi dan diaplikasikan pada tanaman umur 43 hst hingga 49 hst dengan konsentrasi 1%, 3%, 5%, 7% dan 9%. Infeksi patogen F. oxysporum pada tomat dilakukan saat umur 40 hst selama 48 jam diinkubasi dalam greenhouse. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa pemberian ekstrak kulit jeruk Pamelo tidak berbeda nyata secara signifikan terhadap pertumbuhan tinggi batang tanaman tomat, namun pada pengamatan infeksi akar menunjukkan bahwa pemberian ekstrak konsentrasi 1% mampu menghambat infeksi jamur F. oxysporum yang sebanding dengan fungisida kimia sintesis Antracol 0,3 %

Quantum Critical Point in the Spin Glass-Kondo Transition in Heavy Fermion Systems

The Kondo-Spin Glass competition is studied in a theoretical model of a Kondo lattice with an intra-site Kondo type exchange interaction treated within the mean field approximation, an inter-site quantum Ising exchange interaction with random couplings among localized spins and an additional transverse field in the x direction, which represents a simple quantum mechanism of spin flipping. We obtain two second order transition lines from the spin-glass state to the paramagnetic one and then to the Kondo state. For a reasonable set of the different parameters, the two second order transition lines do not intersect and end in two distinct QCP.Comment: 20 pages; 1 figure; to appear in Physical Review

The epidemiology of HIV infection in Morocco: systematic review and data synthesis.

Morocco has made significant strides in building its HIV research capacity. Based on a wealth of empirical data, the objective of this study was to conduct a comprehensive and systematic literature review and analytical synthesis of HIV epidemiological evidence in this country. Data were retrieved using three major sources of literature and data. HIV transmission dynamics were found to be focused in high-risk populations, with female sex workers (FSWs) and clients contributing the largest share of new HIV infections. There is a pattern of emerging epidemics among some high-risk populations, and some epidemics, particularly among FSWs, appear to be established and stable. The scale of the local HIV epidemics and populations affected show highly heterogeneous geographical distribution. To optimize the national HIV response, surveillance and prevention efforts need to be expanded among high-risk populations and in geographic settings where low intensity and possibly concentrated HIV epidemics are emerging or are already endemic

High-salinity growth conditions promote tat-independent secretion of tat substrates in Bacillus subtilis

The Gram-positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis contains two Tat translocases, which can facilitate transport of folded proteins across the plasma membrane. Previous research has shown that Tat-dependent protein secretion in B. subtilis is a highly selective process and that heterologous proteins, such as the green fluorescent protein (GFP), are poor Tat substrates in this organism. Nevertheless, when expressed in Escherichia coli, both B. subtilis Tat translocases facilitated exclusively Tat-dependent export of folded GFP when the twin-arginine (RR) signal peptides of the E. coli AmiA, DmsA, or MdoD proteins were attached. Therefore, the present studies were aimed at determining whether the same RR signal peptide-GFP precursors would also be exported Tat dependently in B. subtilis. In addition, we investigated the secretion of GFP fused to the full-length YwbN protein, a strict Tat substrate in B. subtilis. Several investigated GFP fusion proteins were indeed secreted in B. subtilis, but this secretion was shown to be completely Tat independent. At high-salinity growth conditions, the Tat-independent secretion of GFP as directed by the RR signal peptides from the E. coli AmiA, DmsA, or MdoD proteins was significantly enhanced, and this effect was strongest in strains lacking the TatAy-TatCy translocase. This implies that high environmental salinity has a negative influence on the avoidance of Tat-independent secretion of AmiA-GFP, DmsA-GFP, and MdoD-GFP. We conclude that as-yet-unidentified control mechanisms reject the investigated GFP fusion proteins for translocation by the B. subtilis Tat machinery and, at the same time, set limits to their Tat-independent secretion, presumably via the Sec pathway

Calorimetric and transport investigations of CePd_{2+x}Ge_{2-x} (x=0 and 0.02) up to 22 GPa

The influence of pressure on the magnetically ordered CePd_{2.02}Ge_{1.98} has been investigated by a combined measurement of electrical resistivity, $\rho(T)$, and ac-calorimetry, C(T), for temperatures in the range 0.3 K<T<10 K and pressures, p, up to 22 GPa. Simultaneously CePd_2Ge_2 has been examined by $\rho(T)$ down to 40 mK. In CePd_{2.02}Ge_{1.98} and CePd_2Ge_2 the magnetic order is suppressed at a critical pressure p_c=11.0 GPa and p_c=13.8 GPa, respectively. In the case of CePd_{2.02}Ge_{1.98} not only the temperature coefficient of $\rho(T)$, A, indicates the loss of magnetic order but also the ac-signal $1/V_{ac}\propto C/T$ recorded at low temperature. The residual resistivity is extremely pressure sensitive and passes through a maximum and then a minimum in the vicinity of p_c. The (T,p) phase diagram and the A(p)-dependence of both compounds can be qualitatively understood in terms of a pressure-tuned competition between magnetic order and the Kondo effect according to the Doniach picture. The temperature-volume (T,V) phase diagram of CePd_2Ge_2 combined with that of CePd_2Si_2 shows that in stoichiometric compounds mainly the change of interatomic distances influences the exchange interaction. It will be argued that in contrast to this the much lower p_c-value of CePd_{2.02}Ge_{1.98} is caused by an enhanced hybridization between 4f and conduction electrons.Comment: 9 pages, 7 figure

Manufacturing Process Analysis for Simultaneous Synthesis and Deposition of Turbostratic Graphene on Absorbers in Solar Thermal Collector Applications

The absorber section is a critical component in solar thermal collectors and is responsible for converting electromagnetic radiation into sensible thermal energy. The optical properties of the surface of the absorber dictates the effectiveness of this conversion. In this work, a manufacturing process is designed to provide bulk surface treatment for solar absorber plates in order to enhance their radiative properties. The process utilizes a novel approach of graphene synthesis and simultaneous deposition via high pressure blasting of graphite. The results show enhanced spectral, thermal and electrochemical performance of the absorber due to the turbostratic nature of graphene adhesion to its surface, especially when three blasting passes are used. The absorptivity of the absorber exhibited a 7% increase when three passes were applied on its surface. Using graphene has also enhanced the corrosion resistance of the absorber plate. This manufacturing system will provide a facile yet effective treatment of absorbers with various degrees of automation. Applied as a final layer, the process can be retrofitted to existing manufacturing facilities with minimum overhead costs

Manufacturing Process Analysis for Simultaneous Synthesis and Deposition of Turbostratic Graphene on Absorbers in Solar Thermal Collector Applications

The absorber section is a critical component in solar thermal collectors and is responsible for converting electromagnetic radiation into sensible thermal energy. The optical properties of the surface of the absorber dictates the effectiveness of this conversion. In this work, a manufacturing process is designed to provide bulk surface treatment for solar absorber plates in order to enhance their radiative properties. The process utilizes a novel approach of graphene synthesis and simultaneous deposition via high pressure blasting of graphite. The results show enhanced spectral, thermal and electrochemical performance of the absorber due to the turbostratic nature of graphene adhesion to its surface, especially when three blasting passes are used. The absorptivity of the absorber exhibited a 7% increase when three passes were applied on its surface. Using graphene has also enhanced the corrosion resistance of the absorber plate. This manufacturing system will provide a facile yet effective treatment of absorbers with various degrees of automation. Applied as a final layer, the process can be retrofitted to existing manufacturing facilities with minimum overhead costs