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056 times (adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 2.056, 95% CI 1.681-2.514) and 1.306 times (adjusted OR = 1.306, 95% CI 1.075-1.587) more likely to have increased risks of MetS. Given these gender differences in health behaviors, developing tailored interventions could be beneficial in preventing MetS among middle-aged men and women.Glaucoma, the leading cause of irreversible blindness, is a heterogeneous group of diseases characterized by progressive loss of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and their axons and leads to visual loss and blindness. Risk factors for the onset and progression of glaucoma include systemic and ocular factors such as older age, lower ocular perfusion pressure, and intraocular pressure (IOP). Early signs of RGC damage comprise impairment of axonal transport, downregulation of specific genes and metabolic changes. The brain is often cited to be the highest energy-demanding tissue of the human body. The retina is estimated to have equally high demands. Tenapanor RGCs are particularly active in metabolism and vulnerable to energy insufficiency. Understanding the energy metabolism of the inner retina, especially of the RGCs, is pivotal for understanding glaucoma’s pathophysiology. Here we review the key contributors to the high energy demands in the retina and the distinguishing features of energy metabolism of the inner retina. The major features of glaucoma include progressive cell death of retinal ganglions and optic nerve damage. Therefore, this review focuses on the energetic budget of the retinal ganglion cells, optic nerve and the relevant cells that surround them.Aspergillus spp. is an opportunistic human pathogen that may cause a spectrum of pulmonary diseases. In order to establish infection, inhaled conidia must germinate, whereby they break dormancy, start to swell, and initiate a highly polarized growth process. To identify critical biological processes during germination, we performed a cross-platform, cross-species comparative analysis of germinating A. fumigatus and A. niger conidia using transcriptional data from published RNA-Seq and Affymetrix studies. A consensus co-expression network analysis identified four gene modules associated with stages of germination. These modules showed numerous shared biological processes between A. niger and A. fumigatus during conidial germination. Specifically, the turquoise module was enriched with secondary metabolism, the black module was highly enriched with protein synthesis, the darkgreen module was enriched with protein fate, and the blue module was highly enriched with polarized growth. More specifically, enriched functional categories identified in the blue module were vesicle formation, vesicular transport, tubulin dependent transport, actin-dependent transport, exocytosis, and endocytosis. Genes important for these biological processes showed similar expression patterns in A. fumigatus and A. niger, therefore, they could be potential antifungal targets. Through cross-platform, cross-species comparative analysis, we were able to identify biologically meaningful modules shared by A. fumigatus and A. niger, which underscores the potential of this approach.O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) is a single sugar post-translational modification (PTM) of intracellular proteins linking nutrient flux through the Hexosamine Biosynthetic Pathway (HBP) to the control of cis-regulatory elements in the genome. Aberrant O-GlcNAcylation is associated with the development, progression, and alterations in gene expression in cancer. O-GlcNAc cycling is defined as the addition and subsequent removal of the modification by O-GlcNAc Transferase (OGT) and O-GlcNAcase (OGA) provides a novel method for cells to regulate various aspects of gene expression, including RNA polymerase function, epigenetic dynamics, and transcription factor activity. We will focus on the complex relationship between phosphorylation and O-GlcNAcylation in the regulation of the RNA Polymerase II (RNAP II) pre-initiation complex and the regulation of the carboxyl-terminal domain of RNAP II via the synchronous actions of OGT, OGA, and kinases. Additionally, we discuss how O-GlcNAcylation of TATA-box binding protein (TBP) alters cellular metabolism. Next, in a non-exhaustive manner, we will discuss the current literature on how O-GlcNAcylation drives gene transcription in cancer through changes in transcription factor or chromatin remodeling complex functions. We conclude with a discussion of the challenges associated with studying O-GlcNAcylation and present several new approaches for studying O-GlcNAc regulated transcription that will advance our understanding of the role of O-GlcNAc in cancer.FIMEC (flat-top cylinder indenter for mechanical characterisation) is an instrumented indentation test employing a cylindrical punch. It has been used to determine the mechanical properties of metallic materials in several applications of industrial interest. This work briefly describes the technique and the theory of indentation with a flat-ended punch. The flat indentation of metals has been investigated through experimental tests, and an equation has been derived to calculate the yield stress from the experimental data in deep indentation. The approach is supported by many data on various metals and alloys. Some selected case studies are presented in the paper (i) crank manufacturing through pin squeeze casting; (ii) the evaluation of the local mechanical properties in a carter of complex geometry; (iii) the qualification of Al billets for extrusion; (iv) stress-relaxation tests on CuCrZr heat sinks; (v) the characterization of thick W coatings on CuCrZr alloy; (vi) the measure of the local mechanical properties of the molten-zone (MZ) and the heat-affected zone (HAZ) in welded joints. The case studies demonstrate the great versatility of the FIMEC test which provides information not available by employing conventional experimental techniques such as tensile, bending, and hardness tests. On the basis of theoretical knowledge and large amount of experimental data, FIMEC has become a mature technique for application on a large scale in industrial practice.