bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Remembering Christiaan Barnard in Philately
Authors: Hosain Nazmul , Anisuzzaman Md
Published: October 2023

Christiaan Barnard is famous for his legendary operation of first ever successful human heart transplantation performed on December 3, 1967 at the Groote Schuur hospital Cape Town, South Africa. The operation captured the World public imagination as no surgical procedure had ever before or since. Christian Barnard, a little known surgeon from apartheid South Africa suddenly became the focus of media attention. The Groote Schuur team captured the headlines of the world’s leading newspapers. However, forgotten are the names of those innumerable surgeons, cardiologists, basic scientists and researchers whose research works paved the pathway to transplant success. It may be difficult to estimate the level of world’s interest about the action of Christiaan Barnard and his team. One example is a commemorative postal stamp published to honor him by countries from different parts of the world. They include Bhutan, St. Helena, Romania, Commonwealth of Dominica, Mozambique and Republic of Congo and others. Yemen Arab Republic printed a series of stamps honoring Dr. Christiaan Barnard. African country Guine Bissau printed a beautiful stamp and first day coverportraying Barnard and a beautiful image of a little girl on a hospital bed with the teddy bear in her arms.Latin American country Paraguay gave Dr. Barnard a distinct honor by portraying him on a series along with Reverend Martin Luther King & President John F Kennedy. Christiaan Barnard was among the most celebrity surgeons of the world. Many countries have printed commemorative stamps to respect and celebrate his achievement. Ironically, many of these countries lack even the basic cardiac surgical facilities.
Cardiovasc j 2023; 16(1): 53-55
Evaluation and Mapping the Atmospheric Air Quality of Coastal Area in Bangladesh Using Remote Sensing and GIS Techniques
Authors: Hasan Md Mahmudul , Ahmed Asib
Published: October 2023

The coastal region of Bangladesh is increasingly suffering from air pollution in recent years. This study represents an analysis of the mean atmospheric column nitrogen dioxide (NO2), Sulphur di oxide (SO2), Ozone (O3), and carbon monoxide (CO) over the coastal area of Bangladesh during 2018-2022 period. Measurements of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), Sulphur di oxide (SO2), Ozone (O3) and carbon monoxide (CO) were obtained from recently launched Sentinel-5 Precursor spacecraft using Tropospheric Monitoring Instrument (Sentinel-5P TROPOMI). The aim of this study is to evaluate and visualize coastal air quality using relatively high-resolution data. PM2.5 was analyzed for the period of 1998-2019 year and the data was collected from the SEDAC website. The NO2, SO2, O3, PM2.5, and CO satellite data were then used in Google Earth Engine (GEE) and ArcGIS 10.7 software for further analysis and retrieval of the atmospheric data. The findings showed significantly high values for Khulna, Jashore, Satkhira, and Narail districts. From the NO2 observation, high values were identified in Chandpur, Shariatpur, and Lakshmipur with a highest average value of 74.2 μmol/m2. It was found that the SO2 and O3 were present significantly high over the Khulna, Bagerhat, Satkhira, and Narail districts. Particulate Matter PM2.5 exceeded BNAAQS value in every year since 1998 all over the coastal Districtswith an average value of 56 μg/m3. Years 2020 and 2021 were found much clean air than the other study years might be due to the Covid-19 Lockdown all over the country. From the trend analysis, it was found that most of the air pollutants showed an increasing trend. The interior coast was found more polluted than the exposed coast. The overall results of this study confirmed the capability of Sentinel-5P TROPOMI data to be used in monitoring the air quality over coastal areas of Bangladesh. This study highlights the widespread problem of air pollution in the coastal districts of Bangladesh and emphasizes the need for immediate action to tackle this issue.

The Dhaka University Journal of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Vol. 11(2), 2022, P 53-65
ANÁLISE DA RESPONSABILIDADE CIVIL OBJETIVA NO CONTEXTO JURISPRUDENCIAL DO TRIBUNAL SUPERIOR DO TRABALHO
Authors: Alberti Vantoir , Klaus Júnior Cláudio Antônio
Published: October 2023

A aplicação da teoria da responsabilidade civil objetiva no direito trabalhista passou a ser debatida com maior intensidade a partir da vigência do Código Civil de 2002, em razão do disposto no em seu artigo 927, parágrafo único. A partir do julgamento do Recurso Extraordinário n. 828.040 pelo Supremo Tribunal Federal restou pacificado entendimento de que é aplicável a responsabilidade objetiva nas hipóteses previstas em lei ou às atividades que expõem o trabalhador de forma habitual a risco especial com potencialidade maior que os demais membros da coletividade de sofrer acidente de trabalho ou adquirirem doença ocupacional. Dado este cenário, o objetivo do presente trabalho é identificar atividades que, atualmente, são consideradas de risco pela jurisprudência do Tribunal Superior do Trabalho. E, como resultado, pode-se afirmar que as atividades de manejo de gado, de transporte coletivo, repetitivas em estabelecimento bancário e frigorífico, transporte aéreo, no trânsito, na construção civil, em barragens e em fundição de ferro e aço são consideradas de risco pelo Tribunal Superior do Trabalho.
PALAVRAS CHAVE: Responsabilidade civil patronal. Responsabilidade objetiva. Aplicabilidade.
 
ABSTRACT
The application of the objective civil liability theory in labor law began to be debated with greater intensity after the Civil Code of 2002 came into force, due to the provisions of article 927,           sole paragraph. From the judgment of Extraordinary Appeal n. 828,040 by the Federal Supreme Court, the understanding that strict liability is applicable in the cases provided for by law or to activities that regularly expose the worker to a special risk with a greater potential than the other members of the community to suffer an accident at work or acquire a disease occupational. Given this scenario, the objective of this work is to identify activities that are currently considered risky by the jurisprudence of the Superior Labor Court. And, as a result, it can be said that the activities of handling livestock, public transport, repetitive activities in banking and cold storage, air transport, traffic, civil construction, dams and iron and steel foundries are considered of risk by the Superior Labor Court.
Keywords: Employer civil liability. Strict liability. Applicability.
Implementation of the Results of the Applied Scientific Research "Bibliogr. and Analytical Support of the Activities of the NAES of Ukraine Regarding Sci. and Methodolog. Support for the Modernization and and Reform of Edu. (2020-2022)"
Authors:   НАПН України,   ДНПБ України ім. В. О. Сухомлинського НАПН України,   Українська інженерно-педагогічна академія
Published: October 2023

The bibliographic index presents the scientific work of the employees of the Department of Scientific Information and Analytical Support of Education of the V.Sukhomlynskyi SSEL of Ukraine in the context of the implementation of the planned scientific research "Bibliographic and analytical support of the activities of the National Academy of Educational Sciences of Ukraine regarding the scientific and methodological support of the modernization and reform of education" (2020–2022) and characterizes the implementation of its applied results in the practice of the system of education and science. The bibliographic index presents the scientific work of the employees of the Department of Scientific Information and Analytical Support of Education of the DNPB of Ukraine named after V.O. Sukhomlynskyi in the context of the implementation of the planned scientific research "Bibliographic and analytical support of the activities of the National Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of Ukraine regarding the scientific and methodological support of the modernization and reform of education" (2020–2022) and characterizes the implementation of its applied results in the practice of the system of education and science. The publication is addressed to scientific, scientific-pedagogical, librarians, educators, education seekers, information and analytical services workers.
Acoustofluidics
Authors: Friend James
Published: October 2023

The propagation of acoustic waves in fluids and solids produces fascinating phenomena that have been studied since the late 1700s and through to today, where it is finding broad application in manipulating fluids and particles at the micro to nano-scale. Due to the recent and rapid increase in application frequencies and reduction in the scale of devices to serve this new need, discrepancies between theory and reality have driven new discoveries in physics that are underpinning the burgeoning discipline. While many researchers are continuing to explore the use of acoustic waves in microfluidics, some are exploring vastly smaller scales, to nanofluidics and beyond. Because many of the applications incorporate biological material—organelles, cells, tissue, and organs—substantial effort is also being invested in understanding how ultrasound interacts with these materials. Surprisingly, there is ample evidence that ultrasound can be used to directly drive cellular responses, producing a new research direction beyond the established efforts in patterning and agglomerating cells to produce tissue. We consider all these aspects in this mini-review after a brief introduction to acoustofluidics as an emerging research discipline.
Association of novel lipid indicators with the risk of stroke among participants in Central China: a population-based prospective study
Authors: Huang Qin , Yin Li , Liu Zeyu , Wei Minping , Feng Jie , Huang Qing , Liu Yunhai , Liu Zunjing , Xia Jian
Published: October 2023

Background

Several easily and inexpensively measured indicators of visceral adiposity dysfunction are currently available, but it remains unclear whether they are correlated with stroke risk in the community-dwelling population. We aimed to examine the longitudinal association of the triglyceridemic-waist phenotypes, the triglyceride glucose (TyG) index, as well as TyG-related indicators with stroke risk.

Methods

In this study, we conducted a prospective cohort study in Hunan, a region located in Central China, where the prevalence of stroke is relatively high. We included a total of 20185 subjects aged ≥40 years between November 2017 and December 2018. Triglyceride glucose-body mass index (TyG-BMI) and triglyceride glucose-waist circumference (TyG-WC) were calculated as multiplying TyG index by BMI and WC, respectively. Triglyceride waist phenotypes were categorized into four phenotypes: HTGW (elevated triglyceride and enlarged WC), NTNW (normal triglyceride and normal WC); HTNW (high triglyceride and normal WC), and NTGW (normal triglyceride and enlarged WC). We constructed a multivariable Cox regression model to assess the association between these novel lipid indicators and the risk of stroke. Subgroup analysis was conducted to test the robustness of our research findings. ROC curve was used for assessing the predictive ability of different stroke risk indices.

Results

After 2 years of follow- up, 135 participants experienced new stroke events. After adjusting for potential confounders, we found that participants with HTGW had higher likelihood of stroke (HR: 1.96, 95% CI: 1.21 to 3.16). However, we did not find significant associations for HTNW (HR: 1.42, 95% CI: 0.91 to 2.21) and NTGW (HR: 1.09, 95% CI 0.67 to 1.78). when compared to participants in the first TyG quartile, those in the fourth TyG quartile were associated with a 2.06-fold (95% CI: 1.22, 3.50) risk of stroke. Each 1-SD increase in TyG, TyG-BMI, and TyG-WC was associated with a higher risk of stroke, with adjusted HRs of 1.34 (95% CI: 1.11 to 1.61), 1.35 (95% CI: 1.14 to 1.59), and 1.23 (95% CI: 1.04 to 1.46), respectively. In subgroup analyses, those positive relationships appeared to be stronger among male participants with lower levels of physical activity and smoking.

Conclusion

HTGW, along with higher levels of TyG and TyG-related indicators, were found to be associated with an elevated risk of stroke. HTGW and these novel lipid indicators might be reliable indicators to identify populations at elevated risk of stroke.
Fungi as mutualistic partners in ant-plant interactions
Authors: Mayer Veronika E. , Voglmayr Hermann , Blatrix Rumsais , Orivel Jérôme , Leroy Céline
Published: October 2023

Associations between fungi and ants living in mutualistic relationship with plants (“plant-ants”) have been known for a long time. However, only in recent years has the mutualistic nature, frequency, and geographical extent of associations between tropical arboreal ants with fungi of the ascomycete order Chaetothyriales and Capnodiales (belonging to the so-called “Black Fungi”) become clear. Two groups of arboreal ants displaying different nesting strategies are associated with ascomycete fungi: carton-building ants that construct nest walls and galleries on stems, branches or below leaves which are overgrown by fungal hyphae, and plant-ants that make their nests inside living plants (myrmecophytes) in plant provided cavities (domatia) where ants cultivate fungi in small delimited “patches”. In this review we summarize the current knowledge about these unsuspected plant-ant-fungus interactions. The data suggest, that at least some of these ant-associated fungi seem to have coevolved with ants over a long period of time and have developed specific adaptations to this lifestyle.
Neutrophil extracellular traps formation and clearance is enhanced in fever and attenuated in hypothermia
Authors: Janko Jakub , Bečka Emil , Kmeťová Katarína , Hudecová Letícia , Konečná Barbora , Celec Peter , Bajaj-Elliott Mona , Pastorek Michal
Published: October 2023

Fever and hypothermia represent two opposite strategies for fighting systemic inflammation. Fever results in immune activation; hypothermia is associated with energy conservation. Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS) remains a significant cause of mortality worldwide. SIRS can lead to a broad spectrum of clinical symptoms but importantly, patients can develop fever or hypothermia. During infection, polymorphonuclear cells (PMNs) such as neutrophils prevent pathogen dissemination through the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) that ensnare and kill bacteria. However, when dysregulated, NETs also promote host tissue damage. Herein, we tested the hypothesis that temperature modulates NETs homeostasis in response to infection and inflammation. NETs formation was studied in response to infectious (Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus) and sterile (mitochondria) agents. When compared to body temperature (37°C), NETs formation increased at 40°C; interestingly, the response was stunted at 35°C and 42°C. While CD16+ CD49d+ PMNs represent a small proportion of the neutrophil population, they formed ~45-85% of NETs irrespective of temperature. Temperature increased formyl peptide receptor 1 (FPR1) expression to a differential extent in CD16+ CD49d- vs. CD49d+ PMNSs, suggesting further complexity to neutrophil function in hypo/hyperthermic conditions. The capacity of NETs to induce Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9)-mediated NF-κB activation was found to be temperature independent. Interestingly, NET degradation was enhanced at higher temperatures, which corresponded with greater plasma DNase activity in response to temperature increase. Collectively, our observations indicate that NETs formation and clearance are enhanced at 40°C whilst temperatures of 35°C and 42°C attenuate this response. Targeting PMN-driven immunity may represent new venues for intervention in pathological inflammation.
Two bullets in the gun: combining immunotherapy with chemotherapy to defeat neuroblastoma by targeting adrenergic-mesenchymal plasticity
Authors: D’Amico Silvia , Tempora Patrizia , Gragera Paula , Król Kamila , Melaiu Ombretta , De Ioris Maria Antonietta , Locatelli Franco , Fruci Doriana
Published: October 2023

Neuroblastoma (NB) is a childhood tumor that originates in the peripheral sympathetic nervous system and is responsible for 15% of cancer-related deaths in the pediatric population. Despite intensive multimodal treatment, many patients with high-risk NB relapse and develop a therapy-resistant tumor. One of the phenomena related to therapeutic resistance is intratumor heterogeneity resulting from the adaptation of tumor cells in response to different selective environmental pressures. The transcriptional and epigenetic profiling of NB tissue has recently revealed the existence of two distinct cellular identities in the NB, termed adrenergic (ADRN) and mesenchymal (MES), which can spontaneously interconvert through epigenetic regulation. This phenomenon, known as tumor plasticity, has a major impact on cancer pathogenesis. The aim of this review is to describe the peculiarities of these two cell states, and how their plasticity affects the response to current therapeutic treatments, with special focus on the immunogenic potential of MES cells. Furthermore, we will discuss the opportunity to combine immunotherapy with chemotherapy to counteract NB phenotypic interconversion.
An optimized procedure for preparation of conditioned medium from Wharton’s jelly mesenchymal stromal cells isolated from umbilical cord
Authors: Acuto Santina , Lo Iacono Melania , Baiamonte Elena , Lo Re Rosa , Maggio Aurelio , Cavalieri Vincenzo
Published: October 2023

Cell-free therapy based on conditioned medium derived from mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) has gained attention in the field of protective and regenerative medicine. However, the exact composition and properties of MSC-derived conditioned media can vary greatly depending on multiple parameters, which hamper standardization. In this study, we have optimized a procedure for preparation of conditioned medium starting from efficient isolation, propagation and characterization of MSCs from human umbilical cord, using a culture medium supplemented with human platelet lysate as an alternative source to fetal bovine serum. Our procedure successfully maximizes the yield of viable MSCs that maintain canonical key features. Importantly, under these conditions, the compositional profile and biological effects elicited by the conditioned medium preparations derived from these MSC populations do not depend on donor individuality. Moreover, approximately 120 L of conditioned medium could be obtained from a single umbilical cord, which provides a suitable framework to produce industrial amounts of toxic-free conditioned medium with predictable composition.
Reduced structural connectivity in non-motor networks in children born preterm and the influence of early postnatal human cytomegalovirus infection
Authors: Pretzel Pablo , Wilke Marko , Tournier J-Donald , Goelz Rangmar , Lidzba Karen , Hauser Till-Karsten , Groeschel Samuel
Published: October 2023

Introduction

Preterm birth is increasingly recognized to cause lifelong functional deficits, which often show no correlate in conventional MRI. In addition, early postnatal infection with human cytomegalovirus (hCMV) is being discussed as a possible cause for further impairments. In the present work, we used fixel-based analysis of diffusion-weighted MRI to assess long-term white matter alterations associated with preterm birth and/or early postnatal hCMV infection.

Materials and methods

36 former preterms (PT, median age 14.8 years, median gestational age 28 weeks) and 18 healthy term-born controls (HC, median age 11.1 years) underwent high angular resolution DWI scans (1.5 T, b = 2 000 s/mm2, 60 directions) as well as clinical assessment. All subjects showed normal conventional MRI and normal motor function. Early postnatal hCMV infection status (CMV+ and CMV−) had been determined from repeated screening, ruling out congenital infections. Whole-brain analysis was performed, yielding fixel-wise metrics for fiber density (FD), fiber cross-section (FC), and fiber density and cross-section (FDC). Group differences were identified in a whole-brain analysis, followed by an analysis of tract-averaged metrics within a priori selected tracts associated with cognitive function. Both analyses were repeated while differentiating for postnatal hCMV infection status.

Results

PT showed significant reductions of fixel metrics bilaterally in the cingulum, the genu corporis callosum and forceps minor, the capsula externa, and cerebellar and pontine structures. After including intracranial volume as a covariate, reductions remained significant in the cingulum. The tract-specific investigation revealed further reductions bilaterally in the superior longitudinal fasciculus and the uncinate fasciculus. When differentiating for hCMV infection status, no significant differences were found between CMV+ and CMV−. However, comparing CMV+ against HC, fixel metric reductions were of higher magnitude and of larger spatial extent than in CMV− against HC.

Conclusion

Preterm birth can lead to long-lasting alterations of WM micro- and macrostructure, not visible on conventional MRI. Alterations are located predominantly in WM structures associated with cognitive function, likely underlying the cognitive deficits observed in our cohort. These observed structural alterations were more pronounced in preterms who suffered from early postnatal hCMV infection, in line with previous studies suggesting an additive effect.
Words hurt: common and distinct neural substrates underlying nociceptive and semantic pain
Authors: Borelli Eleonora , Benuzzi Francesca , Ballotta Daniela , Bandieri Elena , Luppi Mario , Cacciari Cristina , Porro Carlo Adolfo , Lui Fausta
Published: October 2023

Introduction

Recent studies have shown that processing semantic pain, such as words associated with physical pain, modulates pain perception and enhances activity in regions of the pain matrix. A direct comparison between activations due to noxious stimulation and processing of words conveying physical pain may clarify whether and to what extent the neural substrates of nociceptive pain are shared by semantic pain. Pain is triggered also by experiences of social exclusion, rejection or loss of significant others (the so-called social pain), therefore words expressing social pain may modulate pain perception similarly to what happens with words associated with physical pain. This event-related fMRI study aims to compare the brain activity related to perceiving nociceptive pain and that emerging from processing semantic pain, i.e., words related to either physical or social pain, in order to identify common and distinct neural substrates.

Methods

Thirty-four healthy women underwent two fMRI sessions each. In the Semantic session, participants were presented with positive words, negative pain-unrelated words, physical pain-related words, and social pain-related words. In the Nociceptive session, participants received cutaneous mechanical stimulations that could be either painful or not. During both sessions, participants were asked to rate the unpleasantness of each stimulus. Linguistic stimuli were also rated in terms of valence, arousal, pain relatedness, and pain intensity, immediately after the Semantic session.

Results

In the Nociceptive session, the ‘nociceptive stimuli’ vs. ‘non-nociceptive stimuli’ contrast revealed extensive activations in SI, SII, insula, cingulate cortex, thalamus, and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. In the Semantic session, words associated with social pain, compared to negative pain-unrelated words, showed increased activity in most of the same areas, whereas words associated with physical pain, compared to negative pain-unrelated words, only activated the left supramarginal gyrus and partly the postcentral gyrus.

Discussion

Our results confirm that semantic pain partly shares the neural substrates of nociceptive pain. Specifically, social pain-related words activate a wide network of regions, mostly overlapping with those pertaining to the affective-motivational aspects of nociception, whereas physical pain-related words overlap with a small cluster including regions related to the sensory-discriminative aspects of nociception. However, most regions of overlap are differentially activated in different conditions.
Loss of TDP-43 function contributes to genomic instability in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Authors: Fang Minggang , Deibler Sara K. , Nana Alissa L. , Vatsavayai Sarat C. , Banday Shahid , Zhou You , Almeida Sandra , Weiss Alexandra , Brown Robert H. , Seeley William W. , Gao Fen-Biao , Green Michael R.
Published: October 2023

A common pathological hallmark of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is the cytoplasmic mislocalization and aggregation of the DNA/RNA-binding protein TDP-43, but how loss of nuclear TDP-43 function contributes to ALS and FTD pathogenesis remains largely unknown. Here, using large-scale RNAi screening, we identify TARDBP, which encodes TDP-43, as a gene whose loss-of-function results in elevated DNA mutation rate and genomic instability. Consistent with this finding, we observe increased DNA damage in induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and iPSC-derived post-mitotic neurons generated from ALS patients harboring TARDBP mutations. We find that the increase in DNA damage in ALS iPSC-derived neurons is due to defects in two major pathways for DNA double-strand break repair: non-homologous end joining and homologous recombination. Cells with defects in DNA repair are sensitive to DNA damaging agents and, accordingly, we find that ALS iPSC-derived neurons show a marked reduction in survival following treatment with a DNA damaging agent. Importantly, we find that increased DNA damage is also observed in neurons with nuclear TDP-43 depletion from ALS/FTD patient brain tissues. Collectively, our results demonstrate that ALS neurons with loss of nuclear TDP-43 function have elevated levels of DNA damage and contribute to the idea that genomic instability is a defining pathological feature of ALS/FTD patients with TDP-43 pathology.
Case Report: Stroke-like migraine attacks after radiation therapy syndrome: a rare complication 26 years after cranial radiotherapy
Authors: Duranikova Olga , Straka Igor , Melichercik Lubomir , Marcek Peter , Gmitterova Karin , Valkovic Peter
Published: October 2023

Stroke-like migraine attacks after radiation therapy (SMART) syndrome is a rare delayed complication of cranial radiotherapy, that may present decades after brain irradiation. Here we present a case of 41-year old patient with a history of grade 3 oligodendroglioma, epilepsy and migraine, 26 years after brain radiation therapy, who was admitted with right hemicranial headache, nausea, left homonymous hemianopsia, weakness of the left arm and left-sided hemihypesthesia. After considering alternate diagnoses, we ultimately diagnosed SMART syndrome. Despite its rare occurrence and unknown pathophysiology, there are more case reports of SMART syndrome reported due to advancements in oncology treatment and increasing patients’ survival rates. Therefore, diagnosis of SMART syndrome should always be considered in patients with a history of cranial radiation presenting with focal neurologic deficits and migraine, especially with a change in pattern of their usual migraine attack.
Therapeutic effects of KRM-II-81, positive allosteric modulator for α2/3 subunit containing GABAA receptors, in a mouse model of Dravet syndrome
Authors: Nakakubo Sachiko , Hiramatsu Yasuyoshi , Goto Takeru , Kimura Syuhei , Narugami Masashi , Nakajima Midori , Ueda Yuki , Shiraishi Hideaki , Manabe Atsushi , Sharmin Dishary , Cook James M. , Egawa Kiyoshi
Published: October 2023

Introduction: Dravet syndrome (DS) is an intractable epilepsy syndrome concomitant with neurodevelopmental disorder that begins in infancy. DS is dominantly caused by mutations in the SCN1A gene, which encodes the α subunit of a voltage-gated Na channel. Pre-synaptic inhibitory dysfunction is regarded as the pathophysiological mechanism, but an effective strategy for ameliorating seizures and behavioral problems is still under development. Here, we evaluated the effects of KRM-II-81, a newly developed positive allosteric modulator for α 2/3 subunit containing GABAA receptors (α2/3-GABAAR) in a mice model of DS both in vivo and at the neuronal level.

Methods: We used knock-in mice carrying a heterozygous, clinically relevant SCN1A mutation (background strain: C57BL/6 J) as a model of the DS (Scn1aWT/A1783V mice), knock-in mouse strain carrying a heterozygous, clinically relevant SCN1A mutation (A1783V). Seizure threshold and locomotor activity was evaluated by using the hyperthermia-induced seizure paradigm and open filed test, respectively. Anxiety-like behavior was assessed by avoidance of the center region in locomotor activity. We estimated a sedative effect by the total distance traveled in locomotor activity and grip strength. Inhibitory post synaptic currents (IPSCs) were recorded from a hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neuron in an acutely prepared brain slice.

Results: KRM-II-81 significantly increased the seizure threshold of Scn1aWT/A1783V mice in a dose-dependent manner. A low dose of KRM-II-81 specifically improved anxiety-like behavior of Scn1aWT/A1783V mice. A sedative effect was induced by relatively high dose of KRM-II-81 in Scn1aWT/A1783V mice, the dose of which was not sedative for WT mice. KRM-II-81 potentiated IPSCs by increasing its decay time kinetics. This effect was more prominent in Scn1aWT/A1783V mice.

Discussion: Higher activation of α2/3-GABAAR by KRM-II-81 suggests a compensatory modification of post synaptic inhibitory function against presynaptic inhibitory dysfunction in Scn1aWT/A1783V. The increased sensitivity for KRM-II-81 may be relevant to the distinct dose-dependent effect in each paradigm of Scn1aWT/A1783V mice.

Conclusion: Selective activation for α2/3-GABAAR by KRM-II-81 could be potential therapeutic strategy for treating seizures and behavioral problems in DS.
Converging circuits between pain and depression: the ventral tegmental area as a therapeutic hub
Authors: Flores-García Montse , Rizzo Arianna , Garçon-Poca Maria Zelai , Fernández-Dueñas Víctor , Bonaventura Jordi
Published: October 2023

Chronic pain and depression are highly prevalent pathologies and cause a major socioeconomic burden to society. Chronic pain affects the emotional state of the individuals suffering from it, while depression worsens the prognosis of chronic pain patients and may diminish the effectiveness of pain treatments. There is a high comorbidity rate between both pathologies, which might share overlapping mechanisms. This review explores the evidence pinpointing a role for the ventral tegmental area (VTA) as a hub where both pain and emotional processing might converge. In addition, the feasibility of using the VTA as a possible therapeutic target is discussed. The role of the VTA, and the dopaminergic system in general, is highly studied in mood disorders, especially in deficits in reward-processing and motivation. Conversely, the VTA is less regarded where it concerns the study of central mechanisms of pain and its mood-associated consequences. Here, we first outline the brain circuits involving central processing of pain and mood disorders, focusing on the often-understudied role of the dopaminergic system and the VTA. Next, we highlight the state-of-the-art findings supporting the emergence of the VTA as a link where both pathways converge. Thus, we envision a promising part for the VTA as a putative target for innovative therapeutic approaches to treat chronic pain and its effects on mood. Finally, we emphasize the urge to develop and use animal models where both pain and depression-like symptoms are considered in conjunction.
Effect of depression on phase coherence between respiratory sinus arrhythmia and respiration during sleep in patients with obstructive sleep apnea
Authors: Alzaabi Yahya , Khandoker Ahsan H.
Published: October 2023

Introduction: A high prevalence of major depressive disorder (MDD) among Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) patients has been observed in both community and clinical populations. Due to the overlapping symptoms between both disorders, depression is usually misdiagnosed when correlated with OSA. Phase coherence between respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) and respiration (λ RSA-RESP) has been proposed as an alternative measure for assessing vagal activity. Therefore, this study aims to investigate if there is any difference in λ RSA-RESP in OSA patients with and without MDD.

Methods: Electrocardiograms (ECG) and breathing signals using overnight polysomnography were collected from 40 OSA subjects with MDD (OSAD+), 40 OSA subjects without MDD (OSAD-), and 38 control subjects (Controls) without MDD and OSA. The interbeat intervals (RRI) and respiratory movement were extracted from 5-min segments of ECG signals with a single apneic event during non-rapid eye movement (NREM) [353 segments] and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep stages [298 segments]. RR intervals (RRI) and respiration were resampled at 10 Hz, and the band passed filtered (0.10–0.4 Hz) before the Hilbert transform was used to extract instantaneous phases of the RSA and respiration. Subsequently, the λ RSA-RESP between RSA and Respiration and Heart Rate Variability (HRV) features were computed.

Results: Our results showed that λ RSA-RESP was significantly increased in the OSAD+ group compared to OSAD- group during NREM and REM sleep. This increase was accompanied by a decrease in the low frequency (LF) component of HRV.

Discussion: We report that the phase synchronization index between RSA and respiratory movement could provide a useful measure for evaluating depression in OSA patients. Our findings suggest that depression has lowered sympathetic activity when accompanied by OSA, allowing for stronger synchronization between RSA and respiration.
Optimization of cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata L.) protoplast transformation for genome editing using CRISPR/Cas9
Authors: Stajič Ester , Kunej Urban
Published: October 2023

Genome editing techniques, such as Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats/CRISPR-associated systems (CRISPR/Cas9) are undoubtedly becoming an indispensable tool for improving food crops and tackling agricultural challenges. In the present study, key factors affecting transformation efficiency, such as PEG4000 concentration, incubation time, and plasmid amount were evaluated to achieve efficient delivery of CRISPR/Cas9 vector into cabbage protoplasts. Using amplicon sequencing, we confirmed a significant effect of PEG4000 concentration and incubation time on the induced target mutations. By optimizing the transformation protocol, editing efficiency of 26.4% was achieved with 40 µg of plasmid and 15 minutes incubation with 50% PEG4000. While these factors strongly affected the mutation rate, the viability of the transformed protoplasts remained high. Our findings would be useful for successful genome editing in cabbage and other brassicas, as well as in research areas such as gene function analysis and subcellular localization that rely on transient transformation methods in protoplasts.
The expectations of generation Z regarding the university educational act in Romania: optimizing the didactic process by providing feedback
Authors: Bratu Mihaela Laura , Cioca Lucian-Ionel , Nerisanu Raluca Andreea , Rotaru Mihaela , Plesa Roxana
Published: October 2023

In the university education system, the evaluation and provision of two-way teacher–student feedback are tools within the control function of educational management. Feedback can be defined as the process that takes place in the context of teacher–student interaction during university courses, both individually and in groups, for the development and achievement of the performance of the two actors involved through evaluation, appreciation, support, perception, and teaching. The research aims to develop an innovative feedback tool for the higher education engineering sector to support the improvement of learning outcome-oriented curricula and teaching activities to better meet the learning needs of Gen Z students while being relevant to the labor market and to society in general. The research had a number of subjects: 246 students (67.5% women, 32.5% men) and 7 teachers to whom two feedback instruments were applied (the SKS instrument and the standard instrument of Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu). After testing the four hypotheses, it was observed that the feedback provided by Gen Z is focused on four areas of competence: psychological, pedagogical, education management, and general impression. Each field includes a set of professional and transversal competencies. The SKS (STOP, KEEP, and START) evaluation form is more reliable in evaluating different disciplines than the standard evaluation form by providing a more homogenous type of feedback for each discipline or teacher.
Motor-language links in children with Down syndrome: a scoping review to revisit the literature with a developmental cascades lens
Authors: Karimi Atefeh , Nelson Eliza L.
Published: October 2023

Background

Children with Down syndrome (DS) typically have motor and language needs. Improving function is a shared goal for the rehabilitation therapy team, however physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech-language pathology professionals treat patients differently. This difference in care may mask developmental cascades whereby changes in one domain (e.g., motor) can have seemingly unexpected effects on another domain (e.g., language).

Objective

This scoping review identified papers where motor and language data have been reported together in children with DS and reinterpreted findings from a developmental cascades lens.

Design

Online databases were used to identify 413 papers published before October 2021 from which 33 papers were retained that reported both motor (gross and/or fine) and language (expressive and/or receptive) data in individuals with DS with a chronological age of 0–18 years.

Results

The majority of papers (79%) that reported motor and language data in children with DS did not examine their link, while 12% analyzed motor-language links, but using a cross-sectional or retrospective design. Only three papers (9%) utilized a longitudinal design to examine predictive links.

Conclusion

Motor functioning and language functioning have often been reported together, but not analyzed together, in studies of children with DS. The few studies that did analyze motor-language links largely replicated findings from other developmental populations where motor gains were positively linked to language gains. Analyzing links between domains when such data is available is needed to fully characterize developmental cascades in DS and may have broad clinical implications.
Effect of anti-inflammatory drugs on the storm of inflammatory factors in respiratory tract infection caused by SARS-CoV-2: an updated meta-analysis
Authors: Qin Zhiping , Li Yongbiao , Sun Wenjing , Lu Yangyang , Zhang Nana , Yang Rongfei , Liu Yiting , Tang Li , Liu Qingshan
Published: October 2023

Background

New reports suggest that anti-inflammatory drugs are widely used to treat respiratory tract infections caused by SARS-CoV-2. Anti-inflammatory drugs were the most frequently used treatment for the COVID-19-related cytokine storm in China. However, the efficacy of anti-inflammatory drugs has yet to be systematically analyzed, and clinicians are often uncertain which class of anti-inflammatory drug is the most effective in treating patients with respiratory tract infections caused by SARS-CoV-2, especially those with severe disease.

Methods

From 1 October 2022, relevant studies were searched in the PubMed, Embase, Medline, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases. A total of 16,268 publications were retrieved and collated according to inclusion and exclusion criteria, and sensitivity analyses were performed using STATA 14 software. Publication bias was assessed using funnel plots and Egger’s test. Study quality was assessed using the PEDro scale, and the combined advantage ratio was expressed as a 95% confidence interval (CI). In total, 19 randomized controlled trials were included in the study. STATA 14 software was used for all random effects model analyses, and the results are expressed as relative risk ratios (RR) with 95% CI.

Results

Quantitative analyses were performed on 14,514 patients from 19 relevant randomized controlled clinical trials. Pooled estimates (RR = 0.59, 95% CI 0.44–0.80) revealed that the use of anti-inflammatory drugs resulted in a significant reduction in mortality in patients with respiratory tract infection caused by SARS-CoV-2 compared with controls, and methylprednisolone (RR = 0.14, 95% CI 0.03–0.56) was more effective than other anti-inflammatory drugs. Anti-inflammatory drugs were effective in reducing mortality in critically ill patients (RR = 0.67, 95% CI 0.45–0.98) compared with non-critically ill patients (RR = 0.50, 95% CI 0.34–0.76); however, more clinical evidence is needed to confirm these findings.

Conclusion

The use of anti-inflammatory drugs in patients with respiratory infections caused by SARS-CoV-2 reduces patient mortality, especially in severe cases. In individual studies, methylprednisolone was more effective than other drugs.
Utilization of the internet for physical activity and diet information and its influence on pregnant women’s lifestyle habits in Qatar
Authors: Al-Dahshan Ayman , Kehyayan Vahe , Al-Kubaisi Noora , Selim Nagah
Published: October 2023

Background

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle during pregnancy is essential. With the increasing availability of the internet, pregnant women have access to a wealth of information related to physical activity (PA) and healthy diets.

Objectives

The study aims to investigate the extent of internet usage by pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in Qatar to obtain information about PA and healthy diets, identify associated factors, and evaluate the impact of this information on their lifestyle habits.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted in six randomly selected public antenatal clinics in Qatar. Pregnant women aged ≥18 years in any trimester were recruited using a probability sampling technique. Data were collected through self-administered questionnaires. Descriptive and analytic statistics were employed for data analysis.

Results

A total of 327 pregnant women (mean age of 29.5 years ± 4.0) completed and returned the questionnaire (response rate: 87.5%). Among the participants, 54.5% used the internet to obtain information about PA, while 72% sought online diet-related information. Factors such as age (26–35 years), tertiary education, employment status, and being primigravidae were associated with a higher likelihood of using the internet for healthy lifestyles information. Participants who reported using the internet for PA information a great deal were more likely to increase their PA during pregnancy compared to those who used it somewhat or very little (57.6, 26.8, and 5.0%, p < 0.001; respectively). Similarly, those who used the internet for diet information a great deal were more likely to increase their fruit and vegetable consumption compared to those who used it somewhat, or very little (84.2, 68.5, and 63.6%, p = 0.038; respectively). Also, participants who used the internet for diet information a great deal were more likely to decrease the amount of sugary and fatty foods they ate compared to women who used the internet somewhat or very little (61.4, 45.2, and 18.2%, p < 0.001; respectively) and (50.9, 30.4, and 18.2%, p = 0.001; respectively).

Conclusion

Many pregnant women use the internet to access information about PA and diet, and greater use is associated with more positive lifestyle changes. This study provides useful information to consider when designing intervention programs for pregnant women about adopting and maintaining healthy lifestyles.
Health behavior in Russia during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Peshkovskaya Anastasia , Galkin Stanislav
Published: October 2023

In this article, we report results from a nationwide survey on pandemic-related health behavior in Russia. A total of 2,771 respondents aged 18 to 82 were interviewed between January 21 and March 3, 2021. The survey included questions on perceived vulnerability to coronavirus, prevention-related health behavior, readiness for vaccination, and general awareness about COVID-19. Descriptive data showed that 21.2% of respondents reported high vulnerability to the coronavirus, and 25% expressed fear. Moreover, 38.7% of the surveyed individuals reported low trust in vaccination efficacy, and 57.5% were unwilling to take a vaccine, which was much higher than the official data. Based on the evidence obtained, four types of health behavior during the pandemic were constructed. Rational (29.3%) and denying (28.6%) behaviors prevailed in men, while women were found to more likely behave with a vaccine-hesitant demeanor (35.7%). Educational background affected the proportion of respondents with the denying type of health behavior, who were also of younger age. The rational behavioral type was found to be more common among respondents aged above 50 years and prevailed as well among individuals with university degrees. The middle-aged population of Russia was highly compliant with prevention-related health practices; however, vaccine hesitancy was also high among them. Furthermore, health behaviors varied significantly across the Federal Districts of Russia. We are convinced that our results contribute to existing public health practices and may help improve communication campaigns to cause positive health behaviors.
Challenges on the way to a circular economy from the perspective of the Austrian manufacturing industry
Authors: Holly Fabian , Kolar Guenther , Berger Manuel , Fink Stefan , Ogonowski Philip , Schlund Sebastian
Published: October 2023

Circular economy has become a prominent topic in scientific discourse and has gained significant presence as a strategic factor for business and industry. Both, as crucial enabler of a sustainable economy, and as lever for overcoming resource dependencies. Previous studies have identified multiple benefits of implementing circular principles, as well as enablers for a transformation to circular economy. However, studies with a focus on a specific industry and regional context that offer practical guidance for the transformation to a circular economy are still somewhat underrepresented. This paper addresses this gap by analyzing major obstacles to a transformation to circular economy, in the context of the Austrian manufacturing industry. It is based on a literature review, in which 369 articles were reviewed, complemented by a structured online survey in which 229 managers from 192 companies in the manufacturing industry participated. In the survey, the obstacles were ranked according to their relevance on two levels: assessing 10 clusters of obstacles on a higher level, followed by a deep-dive evaluation of specific obstacles within the clusters. Based on the research findings, it is evident that the circular economy plays a significant role in long-term corporate success and most surveyed companies recognize its strategic importance. The results also reveal that market and customer demand are the biggest drivers of a transformation to circular economy, followed by general concerns about the environment and regulatory pressure. The biggest barriers on the way toward circular economy are the need for more financial government support, challenges with setting up an effective circular supply chain, economic challenges resulting from customer behavior and barriers in the redesign of products. The interdisciplinarity of the challenges leads to a high complexity in the transformation process. This means that most of the major barriers are external, and therefore companies cannot tackle these barriers by themselves. Governments should consider developing more incentive systems to support companies in their transition to the circular economy. To effectively navigate the transition, companies should adopt integrated strategies that encompass supply chain optimization, in-depth analysis of customer buying behaviors, and investment in sustainable and recyclable product design.