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Se realiza un análisis métrico y morfológico de la dentición y metapodios del material de Ursus deningeri excavado en la Cueva Santa Isabel en Ranero (Bizkaia). Los resultados obtenidos se comparan con los de otras poblaciones ibéricas de U. deningeri (La Lucia en Quintanilla, Cantabria ; Cueva Mayor (sima de los Huesos) en Atapuerca, Burgos y Lezetxiki en Mondragón, Gipuzkoa) y de Ursus speleaus (Eiros en Triacastela, Lugo ; La Lucía, La Pasada en Guriezo, Cantabria ; Lezetxiki, Arrikrutz en Oñati, Gipuzkoa ; Ekain en Deba, Gipuzkoa ; Troskaeta en Ataun, Gipuzkoa ; Coro Tracito, Tella-Sin, Huesca ; El Toll en Moia, Barcelona y el Reguerillo en Patones, Madrid). El análisis morfológico y métrico revela que las muestras de oso de Santa Isabel se agrupan bien con las de U. deningeri de La Lucia y de la Sima de los huesos, pero con caracteres ligeramente más evolucionados a los de esta última, existiendo una gran distancia métrica morfológica con las poblaciones de U. spelaeus. El análisis de la racemización del ácido del colágeno de la dentina de las poblaciones de oso de las cavernas de la Península Ibérica ha permitido establecer que los osos de la Cueva de Santa Isabel son sincrónimos, o tal vez, algo más antiguos que los de la Sima de los Huesos. La ligera discrepancia existente entre la bioestratigrafía deducida a partir de la morfología dental y la obtenida mediante análisis de la racemización del ácido aspártico, se podría explicar por diferencias en las condiciones tafonómicas del yacimiento y/o un inferior número de muestras para el yacimiento de Santa Isabel.

Water, which is essential for the existence of life, has almost a hundred properties that distinguish it from other liquids. In this paper, we will focus on its density, which, unlike the absolute majority of other liquids, increases with increasing temperature in the vicinity of the solid–liquid transition, for a wide range of pressures, including ambient pressure. Our approach will present an analytical thermodynamic formulation for this problem that has, as a novelty, the introduction of a variable exclusion volume. The excluded volume will be considered a thermodynamic variable, that is, it depends on the system's thermal conditions. This approach will be applied to the two-liquid theory of water, which claims that water molecules can be assembled into two different kinds of clusters. At a given state, the relative numbers of these aggregates can be very sensitive to thermal variations, and, as the excluded volume for each of them is different, when their relative number changes, the total excluded volume also changes. We will show how to gather the ideas of a non-constant excluded volume with the two-liquid theory of water into a new, elegant, and non-trivial analytical expression for the density of water. In the end, we compare our expression with experimental data and show that it provides an exact understanding of the anomalous behavior of water density. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Se reseñan estudios de Matemática Aplicada, desarrollados entre 1973 y 2014, en el Instituto de Ciencia Animal y publicados en la Revista Cubana de Ciencia Agrícola. Las temáticas de estas contribuciones versan sobre la estimación y prueba de hipótesis, diseños experimentales, informática y sistemas automatizados, técnicas de muestreo y tamaño de muestra, modelación y simulación matemática, econometría y métodos multivariados. En el período citado, el porcentaje de artículos por temática fue 8.4, 11.6, 5.3, 16.8, 27.4, 13.7 y 16.8, respectivamente. Las más publicadas fueron modelación y simulación, técnicas de muestreo y tamaño de muestra y métodos multivariados. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study reviews advances in Applied Mathematics, developed between 1973 and 2014, at the Instituto de Ciencia Animal, and published in the Cuban Journal of Agricultural Science. These contributions are about estimation and hypothesis testing, experimental designs, informatics and automatic systems, sampling techniques and sample size, mathematical simulation and modeling, econometrics and multivariate methods. During the cited period, the percentages of articles per subject were 8.4, 11.6, 5.3, 16.8, 27.4, 13.7 and 16.8, respectively. Modeling and simulating, sampling techniques and sample size, and multivariate methods were the most published subjects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to demonstrate the potentialities of the data envelopment analysis (DEA) and its value for interpreting milk production, the efficiency frontier of the selected Basic Units of Cooperative Production (BUCP) is presented. The application of the econometric tools to interpret the results easier and take decisions and show an effective comparison in efficiency terms whether for the use of resources or maximization of results is presented. For developing this research, the techniques of the data envelopment analysis (DEA) were used and the weight assignment of the variables through the statistical model of impact measuring (SMIM) was corrected. The SPSS V.1 9.0 (2010) software was used for the data processing according to the SMIM and the Frontier Analyst to conduct the DEA. Besides, calculation sheets from Excel were used to form the matrix of original data. The information of six BUCP between January 2008 and August 2010 was used, gathering information monthly. The variables explaining higher percentage in the system variability were known, and the technical efficiency and the efficiency frontier according to the variables selected were determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Since the 1980s, Spain experienced two decades of sharply increasing breast cancer incidence. Declines in breast cancer incidence have recently been reported in many developed countries. We examined whether a similar downturn might have taken place in Spain in recent years.Methods: Cases of invasive female breast cancer were drawn from all population-based Spanish cancer registries that had at least 10 years of uninterrupted registration over the period 1980-2004. Overall and age-specific changes in incidence rates were evaluated using change-point Poisson models, which allow for accurate detection and estimation of trend changes. All statistical tests were two-sided.Results: A total of 80,453 incident cases of invasive breast cancer were identified. Overall age- and registry-adjusted incidence rates rose by 2.9% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.7% to 3.1%) annually during the 1980s and 1990s; there was a statistically significant change in this trend in 2001 (95% CI = 1998 to 2004; P value for the existence of a change point <.001), after which incidence declined annually by 3.0% (95% CI = 1.8% to 4.1%). This trend differed by age group: There was a steady increase in incidence for women younger than 45 years, an abrupt downturn in 2001 for women aged 45-64 years, and a gradual leveling off in 1995 for women aged 65 years or older. Separate analyses for registries that had at least 15 years of uninterrupted registration detected a statistically significant interruption of the previous upward trend in breast cancer incidence in provinces that had aggressive breast cancer screening programs and high screening participation rates, including Navarra (change point = 1991, P < .001), Granada (change point = 2002, P = .003), Bizkaia (change point = 1998, P < .001), Gipuzkoa (change point = 1998, P = .001), and Araba (change point = 1997, P = .002).Conclusions: The recent downturn in breast cancer incidence among Spanish women older than 45 years is best explained by a period effect linked to screening saturation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Se utilizaron 112 pollos machos del híbrido EB-34, desde su nacimiento hasta los 42 d de edad, para valorar la posibilidad de sustituir de forma total al maíz de importación por harina de yuca de producción nacional en dietas para pollos de ceba, debido al aumento del precio del maíz en el mercado mundial. Se realizó análisis de varianza, según diseño de clasificación simple, con dos tratamientos (sistema maíz- soya y yuca- soya) y siete repeticiones. La viabilidad de los pollos fue óptima en todos los tratamientos (98.21 %). El peso vivo a los 42 d fue significativamente mayor (P < 0.05) en el sistema maíz-soya (1801g/ave) con respecto al de yuca-soya (1754 g/ave) El consumo de alimento no difirió entre tratamientos (3544 y 3522), tampoco la conversión alimentaria (1.97 y 2.00). En el sistema maíz-soya hubo un mayor peso de las porciones comestibles (P < 0.05) que en el de yuca-soya: peso de la canal (1134 y 1059 g/ave) del cuello (85 y 76 g/ave) de las vísceras comestibles (91.61y 79.5 g/ave) peso de la pechuga (306 y 280 g/ave) y de los muslos más encuentro (392 y 365g/ave). No obstante, con el sistema yuca-soya se pudieron producir pollos de ceba para el consumo humano, en un sistema intensivo de producción, en el que se sustituyó el sistema maíz-soya. Los atractivos principales fueron la calidad de la carne (dureza, aroma y sabor) y los resultados económicos positivos que se lograron al reducir el costo de la tonelada de porciones comestibles en 112.26 USD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One-hundred and twelve male chickens of the EB-34 hybrid were used from birth up to 42 d of age to assess the possibility of substituting totally imported corn by nationally produced cassava meal in broiler diets, due to the rise in corn prices in the world's market. An analysis of variance was performed according to one-way classification design with two treatments (corn-soybean and cassava-soybean system) and seven repetitions. Broiler viability was optimum in all treatments (98.21 %). Liveweight at 42 d was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the corn-soybean system (1801 g/bird), compared with the cassava-soybean (1754 g/bird). Feed intake did not differ between treatments (3544 and 3522), as well as feed conversion (1.97 and 2.00). In the corn-soybean system, there was higher relevance of the edible parts (P < 0.05) than in the cassava-soybean: weight of carcass (1134 and 1059 g/bird), neck (85 and 76 g/bird), edible viscera (91.61 and 79.5 g/bird), breast (306 and 280 g/bird), and drumstick plus thigh (392 and 365 g/bird). However, broiler chickens were produced for human intake with the cassava-soybean system under intensive production substituting the corn-soybean system. The main attractions were the meat quality (hardness, smell, and flavor), and the positive economic outcomes by reducing the cots of one ton of edible parts in 112.26 USD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Krause's corpuscles are typical of cutaneous mucous epithelia, like the lip vermillion or the glans clitoridis, and are associated with rapidly adapting low-threshold mechanoreceptors involved in gentle touch or vibration. PIEZO1 and PIEZO2 are transmembrane mechano-gated proteins that form a part of the cationic ion channels required for mechanosensitivity in mammalian cells. They are involved in somatosensitivity, especially in the different qualities of touch, but also in pain and proprioception. In the present study, immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence were used to analyze the occurrence and cellular location of PIEZO1 and PIEZO2 in human clitoral Krause's corpuscles. Both PIEZO1 and PIEZO2 were detected in Krause's corpuscles in both the axon and the terminal glial cells. The presence of PIEZOs in the terminal glial cells of Kraus's corpuscles is reported here for the first time. Based on the distribution of PIEZO1 and PIEZO2, it may be assumed they could be involved in mechanical stimuli, sexual behavior, and sexual pleasure.

Introduction: As Hearing loss and dementia affect people with the same profile, several epidemiological studies have evaluated their relationship. However, the link between age-related hearing loss and Alzheimer's disease is still unclear., Methods: We selected subjects with no history of exposure to loud noises, blasts, head trauma with hearing loss, or sudden sensorineural hearing loss from a cohort intended to study preclinical phases of Alzheimer's disease. Participants are volunteers over 55 years without cognitive impairment. We correlated the results of an objective auditory evaluation with brain amyloid and p-tau181 levels and with the outcomes of a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment., Results: Fifty-five subjects at different stages of the Alzheimer's disease continuum were evaluated. There were no statistically significant correlations between amyloid-β and p-tau levels and any of the objective auditory measures. A weak but significant correlation was found between amyloid-β values and the Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly. The neuropsychological domains more correlated to hearing loss were executive function and processing speed., Discussion: Age-related hearing loss is not linked to any pathological markers of Alzheimer's disease nor to neuropsychological domains typically affected in this disease. The Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly has an important component of subjectivity and further studies are needed to explore its relationship with amyloid-β levels., (© 2023. Fondazione Società Italiana di Neurologia.)

Hairline reduction surgery, also known as aesthetic forehead reduction, is a surgical procedure that aims to reduce the upper facial third and improve facial harmony. This article describes the anatomy of hairline advancement surgery and the surgical technique used by the author. The study included 21 patients from 2019 to 2023, and the forehead reduction length was on average 22.48 ± 2.64 mm. The most common complaint was hypoesthesia of the scalp, present in 100% of patients, resolving in all cases by 2 months after surgery. Forehead reduction surgery is among the procedures that provide more satisfaction to patients due to the great changes that it can achieve., Competing Interests: None declared., (Thieme. All rights reserved.)

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a technology that is evolving rapidly and is changing the world and medicine as we know it. After reviewing the PROSPERO database of systematic reviews, there is no article related to this topic in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery. The objective of this article was to review the literature regarding AI applications in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery.A systematic review of the literature about AI in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery using the following keywords: Artificial Intelligence, robotics, plastic surgery procedures, and surgery plastic and the following databases: PubMed, SCOPUS, Embase, BVS, and LILACS. The inclusion criteria were articles about AI in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery. Articles written in a language other than English and Spanish were excluded. In total, 17 articles about AI in facial plastic met the inclusion criteria; after eliminating the duplicated papers and applying the exclusion criteria, these articles were reviewed thoroughly. The leading type of AI used in these articles was computer vision, explicitly using models of convolutional neural networks to objectively compare the preoperative with the postoperative state in multiple interventions such as facial lifting and facial transgender surgery.In conclusion, AI is a rapidly evolving technology, and it could significantly impact the treatment of patients in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery. Legislation and regulations are developing slower than this technology. It is imperative to learn about this topic as soon as possible and that all stakeholders proactively promote discussions about ethical and regulatory dilemmas., Competing Interests: None declared., (Thieme. All rights reserved.)

The carotid body is a major peripheral chemoreceptor that senses changes in arterial blood oxygen, carbon dioxide, and pH, which is important for the regulation of breathing and cardiovascular function. The mechanisms by which the carotid body senses O 2 and CO 2 are well known; conversely, the mechanisms by which it senses pH variations are almost unknown. Here, we used immunohistochemistry to investigate how the human carotid body contributes to the detection of acidosis, analyzing whether it expresses acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs) and determining whether these channels are in the chemosensory glomic cells or in the afferent nerves. In ASIC1, ASIC2, and ASIC3, and to a much lesser extent ASIC4, immunoreactivity was detected in subpopulations of type I glomus cells, as well as in the nerves of the carotid body. In addition, immunoreactivity was found for all ASIC subunits in the neurons of the petrosal and superior cervical sympathetic ganglia, where afferent and efferent neurons are located, respectively, innervating the carotid body. This study reports for the first time the occurrence of ASIC proteins in the human carotid body, demonstrating that they are present in glomus chemosensory cells (ASIC1 < ASIC2 > ASIC3 > ASIC4) and nerves, presumably in both the afferent and efferent neurons supplying the organ. These results suggest that the detection of acidosis by the carotid body can be mediated via the ASIC ion channels present in the type I glomus cells or directly via sensory nerve fibers., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

The use of Xenopus oocytes in electrophysiological and biophysical research constitutes a long and successful story, providing major advances to the knowledge of the function and modulation of membrane proteins, mostly receptors, ion channels, and transporters. Earlier reports showed that these cells are capable of correctly expressing heterologous proteins after injecting the corresponding mRNA or cDNA. More recently, the Xenopus oocyte has become an outstanding host-cell model to carry out detailed studies on the function of fully-processed foreign membrane proteins after their microtransplantation to the oocyte. This review focused on the latter overall process of transplanting foreign membrane proteins to the oocyte after injecting plasma membranes or purified and reconstituted proteins. This experimental approach allows for the study of both the function of mature proteins, with their native stoichiometry and post-translational modifications, and their putative modulation by surrounding lipids, mostly when the protein is purified and reconstituted in lipid matrices of defined composition. Remarkably, this methodology enables functional microtransplantation to the oocyte of membrane receptors, ion channels, and transporters from different sources including human post-mortem tissue banks. Despite the large progress achieved over the last decades on the structure, function, and modulation of neuroreceptors and ion channels in healthy and pathological tissues, many unanswered questions remain and, most likely, Xenopus oocytes will continue to help provide valuable responses.

Background: Small clear synaptic-like vesicles fill axon terminals of mechanoreceptors. Their functional significance is controversial and probably includes release of neurotransmitters from afferent axon terminals. Synaptophysin, a major protein of the synaptic vesicle membrane, is present in presynaptic endings of the central and peripheral nervous systems. It is also expressed in mechanosensory neurons which extend into skin forming sensory corpuscles. Nevertheless, synaptophysin occurrence in these structures has never been investigated., Methods: Here we used immunohistochemistry to detect synaptophysin in adult human dorsal root ganglia, cutaneous Meissner and Pacinian corpuscles and Merkel cell-neurite complexes from foetal to elderly period. Moreover, we analyzed whether synaptophysin co-localizes with the mechano-gated protein PIEZO2., Results: Synaptophysin immunoreactivity was observed in primary sensory neurons (36 ± 6%) covering the entire soma size ranges. Axons of Meissner's and Pacinian corpuscles were positive for synaptophysin from 36 and 12 weeks of estimated gestational age respectively, to 72 years old. Synaptophysin was also detected in Merkel cells (from 14 weeks of estimated gestational age to old age). Additionally in adult skin, synaptophysin and PIEZO2 co-localized in the axon of Meissner and Pacinian corpuscles, Merkel cells as well as in some axons of Merkel cell-neurite complexes., Conclusion: Present results demonstrate that a subpopulation of primary sensory neurons and their axon terminals forming cutaneous sensory corpuscles contain synaptophysin, a typical presynaptic vesicle protein. Although the functional relevance of these findings is unknown it might be related to neurotransmission mechanisms linked to mechanotransduction., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest regarding the publication of this paper., (Copyright © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier GmbH.. All rights reserved.)

As an essential component of mechano-gated ion channels, critically required for mechanotransduction in mammalian cells, PIEZO2 is known to be characteristically expressed by Merkel cells in human skin. Here, we immunohistochemically investigated the occurrence of Piezo channels in a case series of Merkel cell carcinoma. A panel of antibodies was used to characterize Merkel cells, and to detect PIEZO2 expression. All analyzed tumors displayed PIEZO2 in nearly all cells, showing two patterns of immunostaining: membranous and perinuclear dot-like. PIEZO2 co-localized with cytokeratin 20, chromogranin A, synaptophysin and neurofilament. Moreover, neurofilament immunoreactive structures resembling nerve-Merkel cell contacts were occasionally found. PIEZO2 was also detected in cells of the sweat ducts. The role of PIEZO2 in Merkel cell carcinoma is still unknown, but it could be related with the mechanical regulation of the tumor biology or be a mere vestige of the Merkel cell derivation.

Rivers act as a natural source of greenhouse gases (GHGs). However, anthropogenic activities can largely alter the chemical composition and microbial communities of rivers, consequently affecting their GHG production. To investigate these impacts, we assessed the accumulation of CO 2 , CH 4 , and N 2 O in an urban river system (Cuenca, Ecuador). High variation of dissolved GHG concentrations was found among river tributaries that mainly depended on water quality and land use. By using Prati and Oregon water quality indices, we observed a clear pattern between water quality and the dissolved GHG concentration: the more polluted the sites were, the higher were their dissolved GHG concentrations. When river water quality deteriorated from acceptable to very heavily polluted, the mean value of pCO 2 and dissolved CH 4 increased by up to ten times while N 2 O concentrations boosted by 15 times. Furthermore, surrounding land-use types, i.e., urban, roads, and agriculture, could considerably affect the GHG production in the rivers. Particularly, the average pCO 2 and dissolved N 2 O of the sites close to urban areas were almost four times higher than those of the natural sites while this ratio was 25 times in case of CH 4 , reflecting the finding that urban areas had the worst water quality with almost 70% of their sites being polluted while this proportion of nature areas was only 12.5%. Lastly, we identified dissolved oxygen, ammonium, and flow characteristics as the main important factors to the GHG production by applying statistical analysis and random forests. These results highlighted the impacts of land-use types on the production of GHGs in rivers contaminated by sewage discharges and surface runoff., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Dorsal preservation rhinoplasty (DPR) has recently received significant academic attention in part due to theoretical benefits over excisional surgical methods. The purpose of this study was to assess the global practice patterns regarding this technique. Materials and Methods: An 11-item questionnaire was electronically distributed to regional academies/societies representing rhinoplasty surgeons worldwide. Respondent exposure to and use of DPR were assessed based on geographic location. Results: Eight hundred thirty-six responses were received. Despite early publications on DPR originating largely from Western Europe and the United States, Turkey and Mexico have the greatest use of DPR techniques currently. The familiarity across many regions with preservation techniques appear to be secondary to courses and conferences rather than incorporation into training. Mexico demonstrates the greatest exposure to DPR during training. One hundred twenty-five respondents had previously used but abandoned dorsal preservation techniques. Poor results, less predictability, and complications (largely hump recurrence) are cited as common reasons for this. Conclusion: There is variability in the global practice of DPR across regions and this will likely continue to evolve.

Today non-Caucasian patients comprise an important group of patients seeking rhinoplasty. The term non-Caucasian is used interchangeably to speak about patients of ethnic origin. It becomes important to understand the interplay of culture, race, and ethnicity when evaluating patients and defining what their aesthetic ideals are and what will be needed for surgery. An integrated approach and management of the non-Caucasian patient is presented in which medical and surgical options are explored. The final goal when treating non-Caucasian patients should be trying to help patients achieve their aesthetic ideal in the best possible fashion., Competing Interests: Author disclosure statement No financial interests exist. No funding was received for this article., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Pannexins are channel proteins displaying functional similarities to gap junctions in vertebrates and are regarded as transmembrane ATP-releasing channels. A member of this family, denominate pannexin1, has been detected in the epidermis and cutaneous adnexal structures. Here we used immunohistochemistry to investigate whether human digital Merkel cells express this protein since ATP is postulated as a neurotransmitter in the Merkel cell-axon complexes low-threshold mecahoreceptors. Pannexin1 immunoreactivity was found in cytokeratine 20-, chromogranin A- and synaptophysin-positive cells placed at the basal layer of the epidermis. Cell displaying pannexin1 immunoreactivities were thus identified as Merkel cells and showed close contact with nerve profiles. Light pannexin1 immunoreactivity in dermal blood vessels was also verified. Present results demonstrate for the first time the expression of pannexin1 in human digital Merkel cells supporting the idea that ATP can be involved directly or indirectly in the mechanotransductional process at Merkel-axon complexes., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

Background: Seizure relapses are the leading cause of admission to emergency rooms (ER) in people with epilepsy., Objective: To analyze administrative and clinical factors associated with the duration between seizure relapses in people with epilepsy admitted to the Neurological Institute of Colombia (Medellin) between July 2018 and July 2019., Materials and Methods: A retrospective follow-up study of 156 patients over 18 years old, diagnosed with epilepsy, and treated for over a year. The outcome variable was the time between seizure relapses, identified through the record of ER attendances. In addition, difficulties in the prescription filling process (delay, omission, or brand change) and clinical characteristics were analyzed as potential associated influence factors. The statistical analysis was performed using the Prentice, Williams & Peterson-Gap Time survival model for recurrent events. Finally, Adjusted Hazard Ratios (aHR) with 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) are also presented., Results: One hundred fifty-six patients were analyzed. Their average age of diagnosis was 15.5 years (SD = 22.5), the median number of monthly seizures was 3 (SD = 9.3), and 50.6% were women. Moreover, difficulties in the prescription filling process were associated with a time reduction between seizure relapses (aHR = 2.61; 95%CI 1.49-4.57), showing a similar impact as having a history of three or four types of events (aHR = 2.96; 95%CI 1.23-7.12) and neuropsychiatric comorbidity (aHR = 1.89; 95%CI 1.04-3.54)., Conclusion: Neuropsychiatric comorbidity, history of several types of events, and experiencing difficulties with prescription filling are associated with lower benefit from treatment to control seizure relapses., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Fritillaria bulbs are used in Traditional Chinese Medicine to treat several illnesses. Peimine (Pm), an anti-inflammatory compound from Fritillaria , is known to inhibit some voltage-dependent ion channels and muscarinic receptors, but its interaction with ligand-gated ion channels remains unexplored. We have studied if Pm affects nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), since they play broad functional roles, both in the nervous system and non-neuronal tissues. Muscle-type nAChRs were incorporated to Xenopus oocytes and the action of Pm on the membrane currents elicited by ACh ( I ACh s) was assessed. Functional studies were combined with virtual docking and molecular dynamics assays. Co-application of ACh and Pm reversibly blocked I ACh , with an IC 50 in the low micromolar range. Pm inhibited nAChR by: (i) open-channel blockade, evidenced by the voltage-dependent inhibition of I Ach , (ii) enhancement of nAChR desensitization, revealed by both an accelerated I ACh decay and a decelerated I ACh deactivation, and (iii) resting-nAChR blockade, deduced from the I ACh inhibition elicited by Pm when applied before ACh superfusion. In good concordance, virtual docking and molecular dynamics assays demonstrated that Pm binds to different sites at the nAChR, mostly at the transmembrane domain. Thus, Pm from Fritillaria bulbs, considered therapeutic herbs, targets nAChRs with high affinity, which might account for its anti-inflammatory actions.

Meissner's corpuscles are the most abundant sensory corpuscles in the glabrous skin of the male prepuce. They are type I, rapidly adapting, low-threshold mechanoreceptors, and their function is linked to the expression of the mechanoprotein piezo-type mechanosensitive ion channel component 2 (PIEZO2). Stimulation of genital Meissner's corpuscles gives rise to sexual sensations. It has been recently demonstrated that digital Meissner's corpuscles, Meissner-like corpuscles, and genital end bulbs have an endoneurium-like capsule surrounding their neuronal elements; that is, the axon and glial lamellar cells, and their axons, display PIEZO2 immunoreactivity. It is unknown whether this is also the case for preputial Meissner's corpuscles. Furthermore, the expression of certain proteins that have been found in Meissner's corpuscles at other anatomical locations, especially in the digits, has not been investigated in preputial Meissner's corpuscles. Here, we used immunohistochemistry to investigate the expression of axonal (neurofilament, neuron-specific enolase), glial (S100 protein, glial fibrillary acidic protein, vimentin), endoneurial (CD34), and perineurial (glucose transporter 1) markers in the preputial and digital Meissner's corpuscles of male participants aged between 5 and 23 years. Furthermore, we investigated the occurrence of the mechanoprotein PIEZO2 in male preputial Meissner's corpuscles. Human male prepuce contains numerous Meissner's corpuscles, which may be grouped or isolated and are regularly distributed in the dermal papillae. Lamellar glial cells display strong expression of S100 protein and vimentin but lack expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein. In addition, they show axonal PIEZO2 expression and have an endoneurial capsule, but no perineurial. Our results indicate that human male preputial Meissner's corpuscles share the immunohistochemical profile of digital Meissner's corpuscles, which is considered to be necessary for mechanotransduction. These data strongly suggest that the structure and function of Meissner's corpuscles are independent of their anatomical location., (© 2021 The Authors. Journal of Anatomy published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Anatomical Society.)

Surrounded by intense anthropogenic activities, urban polluted rivers have increasingly been reported as a significant source of greenhouse gases (GHGs). However, unlike pollution and climate change, no integrated urban water models have investigated the GHG production in urban rivers due to system complexity. In this study, we proposed a novel integrated framework of mechanistic and data-driven models to qualitatively assess the risks of GHG accumulation in an urban river system in different water management interventions. Particularly, the mechanistic model delivered elaborated insights into river states in four intervention scenarios in which the installation of a new wastewater treatment plant using two different technologies, together with new sewage systems and additional retention tanks, were assessed during dry and rainy seasons. From the insights, we applied fuzzy rule-based models as a decision support tool to predict the GHG accumulation risks and identify their driving factors in the scenarios. The obtained results indicated the important role of new discharge connection and additional storage capacity in decreasing pollutant concentrations, consequently, reducing the risks. Moreover, among the major variables explaining the GHG accumulation in the rivers, DO level was considerably affected by the reaeration capacity of the rivers that was strongly dependent on river slope and flow. Furthermore, river water quality emerged as the most critical variable explaining the pCO 2 and N 2 O accumulation that implied that the more polluted and anaerobic the sites were, the higher were their GHG accumulation. Given its simplicity and transparency, the proposed modeling framework can be applied to other river basins as a decision support tool in setting up integrated urban water management plans., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Due to regular influx of organic matter and nutrients, waste stabilization ponds (WSPs) can release considerable quantities of greenhouse gases (GHGs). To investigate the spatiotemporal variations of GHG emissions from WSPs with a focus on the effects of sludge accumulation and distribution, we conducted a bathymetry survey and two sampling campaigns in Ucubamba WSP (Cuenca, Ecuador). The results indicated that spatial variation of GHG emissions was strongly dependent on sludge distribution. Thick sludge layers in aerated ponds and facultative ponds caused substantial CO 2 and CH 4 emissions which accounted for 21.3% and 78.7% of the total emissions from the plant. Conversely, the prevalence of anoxic conditions stimulated the N 2 O consumption via complete denitrification leading to a net uptake from the atmosphere, i.e. up to 1.4±0.2 mg-N m -2 d -1 . Double emission rates of CO 2 were found in the facultative and maturation ponds during the day compared to night-time emissions, indicating the important role of algal respiration, while no diel variation of the CH 4 and N 2 O emissions was found. Despite the uptake of N 2 O, the total GHG emissions of the WSP was higher than constructed wetlands and conventional centralized wastewater treatment facilities. Hence, it is recommended that sludge management with proper desludging regulation should be included as an important mitigation measure to reduce the carbon footprint of pond treatment facilities., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

The clitoris is a leading player in female sexual arousal, if not the main protagonist. Despite this role, studies performed on this structure with specific neuroanatomical techniques are few. This study focuses on glans clitoris innervation, with special emphasis on sensory corpuscles and the presence of the mechanotransducer protein PIEZO2 in these structures. Six glans clitoris samples were obtained at autopsy covering an age spectrum between 52 and 83 years old. Several types of nerve terminations including free nerve endings, genital endbulbs as well as Meissner-like corpuscles and Pacinian corpuscles, but not Ruffini corpuscles, were found. Although corpuscular morphology in the glans clitoris was subtly different from the cutaneous digital counterparts, their basic composition was comparable for both Pacinian and Meissner-like corpuscles. Genital endbulbs showed heterogeneous morphology, and the axons usually exhibited a typical "wool ball" or "yarn ball" aspect. Some of them were lobulated and variably encapsulated by endoneurial elements (65%); from the capsule originate septa that divides the genital endbulbs, suggesting that they are found in clusters rather than as single corpuscles. In addition, most corpuscles in the glans clitoris showed axonal PIEZO2 immunoreactivity, thus, suggesting a mechanical role and molecular mechanisms of mechanosensibility similar to those of digital Meissner's corpuscles. Our results demonstrate that sensory corpuscles of the glans clitoris are similar to those of other glabrous skin zones, as most genital organs are characterized by clusters of corpuscles and the occurrence of the mechanoprotein PIEZO2 in the axons. These findings strongly suggest that PIEZO2 participates in erotic and sexual mechanical sensing., (© 2020 Anatomical Society.)

Sensory corpuscles of human skin are terminals of primary mechanoreceptive neurons associated with non-neuronal cells that function as low-threshold mechanoreceptors. Structurally, they consist of an extreme tip of a mechanosensory axon and nonmyelinating peripheral glial cells variably arranged according to the morphotype of the sensory corpuscle, all covered for connective cells of endoneurial and/or perineurial origin. Although the pathologies of sensitive corpuscles are scarce and almost never severe, adequate knowledge of the structure and immunohistochemical profile of these formations is essential for dermatologists and pathologists. In fact, since sensory corpuscles and nerves share a basic structure and protein composition, a cutaneous biopsy may be a complementary method for the analysis of nerve involvement in peripheral neuropathies, systemic diseases, and several pathologies of the central nervous system. Thus, a biopsy of cutaneous sensory corpuscles can provide information for the diagnosis, evolution, and effectiveness of treatments of some pathologies in which they are involved. Here, we updated and summarized the current knowledge about the immunohistochemistry of human sensory corpuscles with the aim to provide information to dermatologists and skin pathologists.

Ruffini's corpuscles are present as long fusiform encapsulated sensory structures in different tissues including the skin. Although physiological analyses strongly suggest their existence in glabrous digital skin, such localisation remains unconfirmed. Here, we have investigated the occurrence of typical Ruffini's corpuscles in 372 sections of human digital skin obtained from 186 subjects of both sexes and different ages (19-92 years). S100 protein, neuron-specific enolase and neurofilament proteins were detected, and the basic immunohistochemical profile of these corpuscles was analysed. Fewer than 0.3 Ruffini's corpuscles/mm 2 were detected, with density distribution across the fingers being F4 > F3 > F2 > F1 > F5 and absolute values being F2 > F1 > F3 > F4 > F5. Axons displayed neuron-specific enolase immunoreactivity, glial cells forming the core contained S100 protein, and the capsule was positive for CD34 but not Glut1, demonstrating an endoneurial origin. Present results demonstrate the existence of Ruffini's corpuscles in human glabrous digital skin at very low densities. Moreover, the identified Ruffini's corpuscles share the basic immunohistochemical characteristics of other dermal sensory corpuscles., (© 2020 Anatomical Society.)

This article is intended to engage international facial plastic and reconstructive surgeons so they can maximally benefit from the increased connectivity fostered by the Internet. Facial plastic surgeons are encouraged to participate in the educational programs being developed by the International Federation of Facial Plastic Surgery Societies. Many international surgeons grapple with the issues surrounding the development or expansion of their own facial plastic and reconstructive surgery practices. The Strategy Circle and suggestions on how to acquire knowledge and surgical skills are discussed. Practical recommendations to assist in transitioning a practice to facial plastic and reconstructive surgery are provided., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The vertebrate skin contains sensory corpuscles that are receptors for different qualities of mechanosensitivity like light brush, touch, pressure, stretch or vibration. These specialized sensory organs are linked anatomically and functionally to mechanosensory neurons, which function as low-threshold mechanoreceptors connected to peripheral skin through Aβ nerve fibers. Furthermore, low-threshold mechanoreceptors associated with Aδ and C nerve fibers have been identified in hairy skin. The process of mechanotransduction requires the conversion of a mechanical stimulus into electrical signals (action potentials) through the activation of mechanosensible ion channels present both in the axon and the periaxonal cells of sensory corpuscles (i.e., Schwann-, endoneurial- and perineurial-related cells). Most of those putative ion channels belong to the degenerin/epithelial sodium channel (especially the family of acid-sensing ion channels), the transient receptor potential channel superfamilies, and the Piezo family. This review updates the current data about the occurrence and distribution of putative mechanosensitive ion channels in cutaneous mechanoreceptors including primary sensory neurons and sensory corpuscles.

Minimally invasive cosmetic procedures are in increasing demand worldwide. Patients are constantly searching for office-based techniques that can help improve the signs of aging but without the morbidity of a surgical procedure. Thread lifting with polydioxanone (PDO) sutures is a cosmetic procedure where lax tissue is lifted and repositioned trying to create a more youthful looking facial contour. The threads are absorbable and come in different shapes and lengths. The rate of complications and the downtime of the procedure are low, which are something patients are looking for. Ideally, these procedures should be performed by trained specialists who have complete knowledge of the facial anatomy, thus enhancing and improving results. Thread lifting with PDO absorbable threads has become an excellent option for minimally invasive facial rejuvenation procedures with a high satisfaction among patients and very few complications. It is a new tool that can be introduced in the armamentarium of specialists who work in the field of facial plastic surgery and who can offer this option to their patients with improved outcomes., Competing Interests: None., (Thieme. All rights reserved.)