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Previous studies indicate that CNS administration of oxytocin (OT) reduces body weight in high fat diet-induced obese (DIO) rodents by reducing food intake and increasing energy expenditure (EE). We recently demonstrated that hindbrain (fourth ventricular [4V]) administration of OT elicits weight loss and elevates interscapular brown adipose tissue temperature (TIBAT, a surrogate measure of increased EE) in DIO mice. What remains unclear is whether OT-elicited weight loss requires increased sympathetic nervous system (SNS) outflow to IBAT. We hypothesized that OT-induced stimulation of SNS outflow to IBAT contributes to its ability to activate BAT and elicit weight loss in DIO mice. To test this hypothesis, we determined the effect of disrupting SNS activation of IBAT on the ability of 4V OT administration to increase TIBAT and elicit weight loss in DIO mice. We first determined whether bilateral surgical SNS denervation to IBAT was successful as noted by ≥ 60% reduction in IBAT norepinephrine (NE) content in DIO mice. NE content was selectively reduced in IBAT at 1-, 6- and 7-weeks post-denervation by 95.9 ± 2.0, 77.4 ± 12.7 and 93.6 ± 4.6% (P

Previous studies indicate that CNS administration of oxytocin (OT) reduces body weight in high fat diet-induced obese (DIO) rodents by reducing food intake and increasing energy expenditure (EE). We recently demonstrated that hindbrain (fourth ventricular [4V]) administration of OT elicits weight loss and elevates interscapular brown adipose tissue temperature (TIBAT, a surrogate measure of increased EE) in DIO mice. What remains unclear is whether OT-elicited weight loss requires increased sympathetic nervous system (SNS) outflow to IBAT. We hypothesized that OT-induced stimulation of SNS outflow to IBAT contributes to its ability to activate BAT and elicit weight loss in DIO mice. To test this hypothesis, we determined the effect of disrupting SNS activation of IBAT on the ability of 4V OT administration to increase TIBAT and elicit weight loss in DIO mice. We first determined whether bilateral surgical SNS denervation to IBAT was successful as noted by ≥ 60% reduction in IBAT norepinephrine (NE) content in DIO mice. NE content was selectively reduced in IBAT at 1-, 6- and 7-weeks post-denervation by 95.9 ± 2.0, 77.4 ± 12.7 and 93.6 ± 4.6% (P

Previous studies indicate that CNS administration of oxytocin (OT) reduces body weight in high fat diet-induced obese (DIO) rodents by reducing food intake and increasing energy expenditure (EE). We recently demonstrated that hindbrain (fourth ventricular [4V]) administration of OT elicits weight loss and elevates interscapular brown adipose tissue temperature (TIBAT, a surrogate measure of increased EE) in DIO mice. What remains unclear is whether OT-elicited weight loss requires increased sympathetic nervous system (SNS) outflow to IBAT. We hypothesized that OT-induced stimulation of SNS outflow to IBAT contributes to its ability to activate BAT and elicit weight loss in DIO mice. To test this hypothesis, we determined the effect of disrupting SNS activation of IBAT on the ability of 4V OT administration to increase TIBAT and elicit weight loss in DIO mice. We first determined whether bilateral surgical SNS denervation to IBAT was successful as noted by ≥ 60% reduction in IBAT norepinephrine (NE) content in DIO mice. NE content was selectively reduced in IBAT at 1-, 6- and 7-weeks post-denervation by 95.9 ± 2.0, 77.4 ± 12.7 and 93.6 ± 4.6% (P<0.05), respectively and was unchanged in inguinal white adipose tissue, pancreas or liver. We subsequently measured the effects of acute 4V OT (1, 5 µg ≈ 0.99, 4.96 nmol) on TIBAT in DIO mice following sham or bilateral surgical SNS denervation to IBAT. We found that the high dose of 4V OT (5 µg ≈ 4.96 nmol) elevated TIBAT similarly in sham mice as in denervated mice. We subsequently measured the effects of chronic 4V OT (16 nmol/day over 29 days) or vehicle infusions on body weight, adiposity and food intake in DIO mice following sham or bilateral surgical denervation of IBAT. Chronic 4V OT reduced body weight by 5.7 ± 2.23% and 6.6 ± 1.4% in sham and denervated mice (P<0.05), respectively, and this effect was similar between groups (P=NS). OT produced corresponding reductions in whole body fat mass (P<0.05). Together, these findings support the hypothesis that sympathetic innervation of IBAT is not necessary for OT-elicited increases in BAT thermogenesis and reductions of body weight and adiposity in male DIO mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Flexible and lightweight Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) thin-film solar cells are promising for versatile applications, but there is limited understanding of stress-induced changes. In this study, the charge carrier generation and trapping behavior under mechanical stress was investigated using flexible CIGS thin-film solar cells with various alkali treatments. Surface current at the CIGS surface decreased by convex bending, which occurs less with the incorporation of alkali metals. The formation energy of the carrier generating defects increased in convex bending environments clarifying the degradation of the surface current. Moreover, alkali-related defects had lower formation energy than the intrinsic acceptors, mitigating current degradation in mechanical stress condition. The altered defect energy levels were attributed to the deformation of the crystal structure under bending states. This study provides insights into the mitigating of strain-induced charge degradation for enhancing the performance and robustness of flexible CIGS photovoltaic devices.

Abstract With the rapid development of technology and media, people’s experiences of other cultures have shifted from direct only to a combination of direct and virtual experiences. This study investigated how global consumers directly and indirectly experience other cultures, mediated by YouTube. It focused on the consumer experience of the Korean traditional costume, the Hanbok. YouTube content focusing on Hanbok experiences was collected to understand the direct Hanbok experiences, while viewers’ reactions to YouTube content (i.e., views, likes, and comments) were collected to understand indirect Hanbok experiences. The analysis involved two steps. First, the latent Dirichlet allocation topic modeling algorithm in Python was used to extract topics from direct and indirect Hanbok experiences. Second, simple regression analysis was conducted using numerical data derived from textual data through linguistic inquiry and word count to examine the relationship between direct Hanbok experiences via YouTube and viewer engagement as an indicator of indirect Hanbok experiences. The results showed that YouTubers’ Hanbok experiences were categorized into seven topics, namely novelty, sensory, daily, cultural, trial, pleasing, and intellectual experiences. Indirect Hanbok experiences were identified based on dimensions of consumer engagement, such as social, cognitive, learning, behavioral, and affective engagement. The regression analysis results revealed that cultural and affective Hanbok experiences significantly impacted consumer engagement. This study expanded the scope of research by exploring indirect cultural experiences mediated by a media platform.

Background: The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) Monograph conducted a systematic review of the relationship between asbestos and ovarian cancer. However, there may have been information bias due to the undue weight given to few articles. To address this limitation, the present study performed a meta-analysis integrating studies published both before and after the 2012 IARC Monograph on Asbestos, with the aim of investigating the association between asbestos exposure and ovarian cancer. Methods: A comprehensive search of major journal databases was conducted to identify studies examining the relationship between asbestos exposure and ovarian cancer, including those featured in the 2012 IARC Monograph on Asbestos. A meta-analysis on asbestos exposure and cancer risk was performed. Results: The meta-analysis of studies published after the 2012 IARC Monograph on Asbestos found a summary Standardized Mortality Ratio (SMR) of 2.04 (95% CI: 1.03—4.05; p = 0.0123; 5 studies), with a significant degree of heterogeneity among the studies (I2 = 72.99%). The combined analysis of 15 studies before and after the 2012 IARC Monograph showed an overall summary SMR of 1.72 (95% CI: 1.43—2.06; p = 0.0349; 15 studies), with a moderate degree of heterogeneity (I2 = 42.99%). Conclusion: This meta-analysis provides evidence of a significant association between asbestos exposure and ovarian cancer mortality. While the possibility of misdiagnosis in earlier studies cannot be completely ruled out, recent findings suggest a robust correlation between asbestos exposure and ovarian cancer. This highlights the importance of sustained efforts to minimize asbestos exposure and protect public health.

Given the persistent occurrence of foodborne illnesses linked to both raw and processed vegetables, understanding microbial behavior in these foods under distribution conditions is crucial. This study aimed to develop predictive growth models for Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes in raw (mung bean sprouts, onion, and cabbage) and processed vegetables (shredded cabbage salad, cabbage and onion juices) at various temperatures, ranging from 4 to 36 °C. Growth models were constructed and validated using isolated strains of Salmonella spp. (S. Bareilly, S. Enteritidis, S. Typhimurium) and L. monocytogenes (serotypes 1/2a and 1/2b) from diverse food sources. The minimum growth temperatures for Salmonella varied among different vegetable matrices: 8 °C for mung bean sprouts, 9 °C for both onion and cabbage, and 10 °C for ready-to-eat (RTE) shredded cabbage salad. Both pathogens grew in cabbage juice at temperatures above 17 °C, while neither demonstrated growth in onion juice, even at 36 °C. Notably, Salmonella spp. exhibited faster growth than L. monocytogenes in all tested samples. At 8 °C, the lag time (LT) and specific growth rate (SGR) for Salmonella spp. in mung bean sprouts were approximately tenfold longer and threefold slower, respectively, compared to those at 10 °C. A decrease in refrigerator storage temperature by 1 or 2 degrees significantly prevented the growth of Salmonella in raw vegetables. These findings offer valuable insights into assessing the risk of foodborne illness associated with the consumption of raw and processed vegetables and inform management strategies in mitigating these risks.

Abstract Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTSSe) solar cells have resource distribution and economic advantages. The main cause of their low efficiency is carrier loss resulting from recombination of photo‐generated electron and hole. To overcome this, it is important to understand their electron‐hole behavior characteristics. To determine the carrier separation characteristics, we measured the surface potential and the local current in terms of the absorber depth. The elemental variation in the intragrains (IGs) and at the grain boundaries (GBs) caused a band edge shift and bandgap (Eg) change. At the absorber surface and subsurface, an upward Ec and Ev band bending structure was observed at the GBs, and the carrier separation was improved. At the absorber center, both upward Ec and Ev and downward Ec‐upward Ev band bending structures were observed at the GBs, and the carrier separation was degraded. To improve the carrier separation and suppress carrier recombination, an upward Ec and Ev band bending structure at the GBs is desirable.

Background and Objective: Friction between the archwire and bracket is the main problem during tooth movement. Self-ligating bracket systems have become common in recent years. The aim of this study was to investigate and compare the effect of active and passive esthetic self-ligating brackets on static frictional force with different orthodontic archwires under wet conditions. Methods: This in vitro study included 180 ceramic self-ligating brackets, 90 passive brackets (Damon Clear), and 90 active brackets (Empower Clear), which were tested for frictional resistance using three different types of 0.018-inch archwires, namely copper NiTi archwires and two esthetic archwires (Epoxy- and rhodium-coated NiTi archwires). According to the types of brackets and archwires, six groups of ten were defined. An experimental model with three non-leveled brackets in wet condition using artificial saliva was adopted. The friction test was conducted by Instron Tinius Olsen testing device. The test was performed at a room temperature ranging from 24-25°C. Findings: Empower clear with Cu NiTi archwire showed the highest mean value of static frictional force with the mean value of (327.85±53.43) and Damon clear with epoxy coated NiTi archwire showed the lowest mean value (58.06±10.87). There were significant differences in the static frictional forces generated in both bracket systems when coupled with the Epoxy wires (p=0.000) and when coupled with the CuNiTi and Rhodium archwires (p=0.001). Conclusion: The result of this study showed that the Damon Clear brackets produce lower frictional forces than Empower Clear brackets and Epoxy-coated NiTi archwires can produce lower static frictional force compared to Rhodium-coated NiTi and CuNiTi archwires.

Background and Objective: Non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) is one of the causes of male infertility. Male infertility can be induced by changes in the expression pattern of a significant number of genes in spermatogenic cells. So, analysis of gene expression profiles of testicular tissues is essential in these patients. Since DAZ1 is an essential gene in spermatogenesis, this study aimed to evaluate the role of DAZ1 gene expression in NOA Iraqi males. Methods: This cross-sectional study enrolled a total of 50 infertile men with NOA attending Teba IVF and genetic Centre from December 2018 to December 2019. All patients had bilateral testicular sperm aspirate (TESA) under local anesthesia and biopsy. The quantitative detection and gene expression analysis of DAZ1 were carried out using the qPCR technique. The correlations between DAZ1 expression levels, testicular spermatogenic patterns, and clinical hormonal indicators were evaluated. The patients' histological phenotype and hormonal profile were also evaluated in gene expression data. Findings: The mean age of the patients was 35.1±6.6 years. DAZ1 gene expression was different in faulty spermatogenesis testes. Hypospermatogenesis patients had the greatest expression level of DAZ1. DAZ1 transcript expression was significantly lower in the six spermatogenic samples without germ cells or Sertoli cells (p

Thang Tran Tat,1 Ky Ngo Duc,2 Phuong Pham Hong,3 Huynh Nguyen Sa,1 Kien Nguyen Trung,4 Ha Nguyen Thi Thu,5 Khoa Le Ha,6 Dung Nguyen Huu,7 Thang Thai Doan,8 Thang Le Viet5 1Department of Cornea and Conjunctiva, Nghe An Eye Hospital, Nghe An, Vietnam; 2Department of Endocrinology, Nghe An Friendship General Hospital, Nghe An, Vietnam; 3Department of Cardiology, Nghe An Friendship General Hospital, Nghe An, Vietnam; 4Hematology and Blood Transfusion Center, Military Hospital 103, Vietnam Military Medical University, Ha Noi, Vietnam; 5Organ Transplantation Center, Military Hospital 103, Vietnam Military Medical University, Ha Noi, Vietnam; 6Hanoi Medical University, Ha Noi, Vietnam; 7Hemodialysis Center, Bach Mai Hospital, Ha Noi, Vietnam; 8Department of Epidemiology, TTH Vinh General Hospital, Nghe An, VietnamCorrespondence: Thang Le Viet, Military Hospital 103, Vietnam Military Medical University, 261 Phung Hung, Ha Dong, Ha Noi, Vietnam, Tel +84982249968, Email lethangviet@yahoo.co.ukAim: To determine the prevalence of dry eye (DE) and some related factors in patients with type 2 diabetic nephropathy (T2DN).Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study on 338 people, who were divided into 2 groups: 169 T2DN patients and 169 patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetic mellitus (T2DM) without renal complications as a control group. The Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) and test fluorescein tear-film break-up time (TBUT) were done in all 338 subjects. Patients with OSDI scores < 13 and TBUT values equal to or under 10 seconds were diagnosed with dry eye.Results: The prevalence of DE in T2DN patients was significantly higher than T2DM group (55.6% versus 37.3%). The T2DN groups with dry eye had a median duration of DM, the proportion of hypertension, peripheral nerve complications, anemia, proportion of using insulin, and concentration of plasma glucose, HbA1C, urea, creatinine, CRP-hs significantly higher than those of T2DN without dry eye. Advanced age, high HbA1C level, and decreased eGFR were independent factors associated with dry eye in T2DN patients.Conclusion: Dry eye was a common condition associated with advanced age, high HbA1C levels, and decreased GFR in T2DN patients.Keywords: type 2 diabetic nephropathy, dry eye, glomerular filtration rate, hemoglobin A1C

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is caused by mutation causing absence of dystrophin. Biomarker studies have mostly focused on identification of signatures that discriminate DMD patients from unaffected individuals; however, associations of biomarkers with clinical performance are lacking despite their potential benefit to clinical trials. We aimed to identify serum proteins that are associated with functional tests and clinically relevant milestones in DMD. We present a retrospective, multi-center study of 288 serum samples from 79 DMD patients (mean age 10.8y, SD 3.2, mean follow-up 3.4 years) followed at University of Florida (UF) and 405 serum samples from 74 DMD patients (mean age 8.4y, SD 3.4, mean follow-up 5.7 years) at Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC). SomaScan assay was used to analyze ∼7000 proteins. Samples were collected during yearly visits to the outpatient clinic at LUMC and during research visits at UF. Clinical data included age, steroid use, NSAA, 10 meter run velocity (10MRV), 6-minute walk test (6MWT), and PUL2.0. Three disease milestones were considered: loss of ambulation (LoA), loss of overhead reach (OHR) and loss of hand to mouth function (HTM). 183 proteins were associated with age and steroid treatment with concordant directional change across the 2 cohorts. Associations with age were larger in the LUMC cohort, while associations with steroids were larger in the UF cohort. This is in line with daily steroid dosing at UF and intermittent treatment at LUMC. Associations with steroid treatment included previously reported MMP3 and new identified proteins such as IGLL1. 350 proteins were associated with longitudinal trajectories of NSAA, 10mrv, 6MWT and/or PUL2.0 across both cohorts. Survival analysis showed that proteins such as RGMA and ART3 could significantly predict disease milestones. The identified biomarkers were validated across two independent cohorts, increasing their likelihood of translation for the broader DMD population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies indicate that central administration of oxytocin (OT) reduces body weight (BW) in high fat diet-induced obese (DIO) rodents by reducing energy intake and increasing energy expenditure (EE). Previous studies in our lab have shown that administration of OT into the fourth ventricle (4V; hindbrain) elicits weight loss and stimulates interscapular brown adipose tissue temperature (T IBAT ) in DIO rats. We hypothesized that OT-elicited stimulation of sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activation of IBAT contributes to its ability to activate BAT and reduce BW in DIO rats. To test this, we determined the effect of disrupting SNS activation of IBAT on OT-elicited stimulation of T IBAT and reduction of BW in DIO rats. We first confirmed that bilateral surgical SNS denervation to IBAT was successful based on having achieved ≥ 60% reduction in IBAT norepinephrine (NE) content from DIO rats. NE content was selectively reduced in IBAT by 94.7 ± 2.7, 96.8 ± 1.8 and 85.9 ± 6.1% ( P <0.05) at 1, 6 and 7-weeks post-denervation, respectively, and was unchanged in liver or inguinal white adipose tissue. We then measured the impact of bilateral surgical SNS denervation to IBAT on the ability of acute 4V OT (1, 5 μg) to stimulate T IBAT in DIO rats. We found that the high dose of 4V OT (5 μg) stimulated T IBAT similarly between sham and denervated rats ( P =NS) and that the effects of 4V OT to stimulate T IBAT did not require beta-3 adrenergic receptor signaling. We subsequently measured the effect of bilateral surgical denervation of IBAT on the effect of chronic 4V OT (16 nmol/day) or vehicle infusion to reduce BW, adiposity, and energy intake in DIO rats. Chronic 4V OT reduced BW gain by -7.2 ± 9.6 g and -14.1 ± 8.8 g in sham and denervated rats ( P <0.05 vs vehicle treatment), respectively, and this effect was similar between groups ( P =NS). These effects were associated with reductions in adiposity and energy intake ( P <0.05). Collectively, these findings support the hypothesis that sympathetic innervation of IBAT is not required for central OT to increase BAT thermogenesis and reduce BW gain and adiposity in male DIO rats.

Background: To clarify if blood proteins can predict disease progression among individuals at clinical high-risk of severe mental illness (CHR-SMI), we developed a statistical model incorporating clinical and blood protein markers to distinguish the transition group (who developed severe mental illness) (CHR-SMI-T) and from non-transition group (CHR-SMI-NT) at baseline., Methods: Ninety individuals (74 at CHR-SMI: 16 patients) were monitored for ≤4 years and were the focus of predictive models. Three predictive models (1 [100 clinical variables], 2 [158 peptides], and 3 [100 clinical variables +158 peptides]) were evaluated using area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) values. Clinical and protein feature patterns were evaluated by linear mixed-effect analysis within the model at 12 and 24 months among patients who did (CHR-SMI-T) and did not transition (CHR-SMI-NT) and the entire group., Result: Eighteen CHR-SMI individuals with major psychiatric disorders (first episode psychosis: 2; bipolar II disorder: 13; major depressive disorder; 3) developed disorders over an average of 17.7 months. The combined model showed the highest discriminatory performance (AUROC = 0.73). Cytosolic malate dehydrogenase and transgelin-2 levels were lower in the CHR-SMI-T than the CHR-SMI-NT group. Complement component C9, inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor heavy chain H4, von Willebrand factor, and C-reactive protein were lower in the patient than the CHR-SMI-NT group. These differences were non-significant after FDR adjustment., Limitations: Small sample, no control for medication use., Conclusion: This exploratory study identified clinical and proteomic markers that might predict severe mental illness early onset, which could aid in early detection and intervention. Future studies with larger samples and controlled variables are needed to validate these findings., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest YMA receives research support from or serves as a speaker for Janssesn Korea Ltd., Lundbeck Korea Co. Ltd., and Korea Otsuka Pharmaceutical. The remaining authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Mutations in the CLCNKB gene (1p36), encoding a basolateral chloride channel, ClC-Kb, cause type 3 Bartter's syndrome. We identified a family with a mixed Bartter's / Gitelman's phenotype and early-onset kidney failure and employing a candidate gene approach, discovered a homozygous mutation (CLCNKB c.499G>T [p.Gly167Cys]) in exon 6 of CLCNKB in the index patient. We then validated these results with Sanger and whole exome sequencing. Compared to wild-type ClC-Kb, the Gly167Cys mutant conducted less current and impaired, complex N-linked glycosylation in vitro. We demonstrated that loss of Gly-167, rather than gain of a mutant Cys, impairs complex glycosylation but that surface expression remains intact. Moreover, Asn364 was necessary for channel function and complex glycosylation. Morphologic evaluation of human kidney biopsies revealed typical basolateral localization of mutant Gly167Cys ClC-Kb in cortical distal tubular epithelia. However, we detected attenuated expression of distal sodium transport proteins, changes in abundance of distal tubule segments, and hypokalemia-associated intracellular condensates from the index patient compared to control nephrectomy specimens. The present data establish what we believe, are novel regulatory mechanisms of ClC-Kb activity and demonstrate nephron remodeling in man, caused by mutant ClC-Kb, with implications for renal electrolyte handling, blood pressure control, and kidney disease.