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The article presents a case study of a two-year-old girl, who was presented to the emergency department due to right eye deviation. The patient had underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) that shows right cerebellar mass with tonsillar herniation and obstructive hydrocephalus. The patient was diagnosed with pilocytic astrocytoma. The patient was treated with gross total tumour resection.

Understanding carbon (C) dynamics of the silvopastoral systems can help mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the C concentration and storage in above‐ and belowground tree biomass as well as in the soils of fodder banks of Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit, Guazuma ulmifolia (Lam.) or a combination of the both species. The above‐ and belowground biomass was quantified by the destructive sampling. We also obtained samples from soil pits, 20‐cm deep, and determined bulk density and organic carbon concentration. The mixed species banks produced more foliage dry matter (DM) (6.3 t DM/ha) than the pure fodder banks. The total living biomass stocks ranged from 31.5 to 33.5 t DM/ha and did not differ between fodder bank types. The tissue C concentration was greater in stems (45.1%) and roots (44.9%) compared to the foliage component (43.4%). Total soil carbon (TSC) in the 5–10 cm layer was greater in the fodder banks with legumes alone than in mixed species banks (35.7 vs. 30.8 t C/ha). TSC storage in the 15–20 cm layer was greater in the nonlegume fodder bank than in the legume fodder bank (39.8 vs. 34.5 t C/ha). However, to the 0–20 cm layer, TSC was similar for all fodder banks. Thus, the three types of fodder banks had similar total C storage in plant biomass and soil, but the production of foliage biomass was higher in the mixed species banks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Mexico's wage share in manufacturing has shown a downward trend. We discuss the main factors that have shaped this evolution during the period of 1994 to 2009 and we analyze this issue on the basis of Kalecki's theory of income distribution, but adapting to an open economy. We show that, changes in the degree of monopoly and in the composition of prime costs have had a great impact on income distribution. Further, trade opening has contributed to magnify the effect on manufacturing wage share of changes in the exchange rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Live fences have the potential to improve microclimatic conditions, moderate soil CO2 fluxes and function as carbon sinks. We quantified variation in soil CO2 fluxes from livestock silvopastoral systems under the canopies of live fences (LF), formed by Gliricidia sepium trees, or artificial fences (AF). We determined the responses of soil CO2 fluxes to environmental factors, including diurnal and seasonal variations in temperature and relative humidity in each fencing system. Measurements were made from April to June (dry season) and from July to September (rainy season), 2012. Fluxes were similar between the two livestock systems; LF emitted 1.00 μmol CO2/m2/s and AF 1.02 μmol CO2/m2/s. Soil temperatures at 5 cm depth were 3% warmer in AF than in LF, and relative humidity was 16% greater in LF than in AF. Seasonal variation in temperature greatly affected soil CO2 fluxes, which changed seasonally in parallel with temperature of the topsoil and relative humidity at 1 m height, peaking in late summer. Fluxes in LF and AF were greater in the rainy season (1.1 μmol CO2/m2/s, for both systems), when soil temperature was cooler and relative humidity was greatest, than during the dry season (0.9 μmol CO2/m2/s, for both systems). Soil fluxes were larger at night (00:00-06:00 h), when soil temperature was cooler and relative humidity greater, than during the morning (6:00-12:00 h), when soil temperature was warmer and relative humidity was less. The presence of G. sepium trees in LF did not influence soil CO2 fluxes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the case of a patient with lymph node melanosis. Topics discussed include metastasis of primary cutaneous melanoma to the lymph nodes after five years, the clinical presentation of the patient, and management of the patient via left inguinal lymphadenectomy and local radiotherapy.

Fusarium wilt, caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. melonis (Fom), is one of the most widespread and devastating melon diseases. This vascular disease is caused by the colonization of melon xylem vessels by any of the four Fom races reported (r0, r1, r2 and r1,2, subdivided into r1,2w and r1,2y). The macroscopic evaluation of disease symptoms (disease rating, DR) at several days post-inoculation (dpi) with Fom spores has been the traditional method to determine the resistance of melon accessions to this fungal pathogen. In this study, one isolate from each Fom race was transformed by Agrobacterium tumefaciens to constitutively express the green fluorescent protein ( GFP). Fom - GFP transformants, as virulent as the corresponding wildtype races, were selected to develop an inoculation assay based on the non-invasive evaluation of the fluorescence emitted by Fom- GFP. It was determined that melon root neck was the appropriate area to follow Fom- GFP and a fluorescence signal rating ( FSR) was established in parallel to DR determination. This method allowed the evaluation of GFP signal in the root neck of inoculated melon seedlings at 11-15 dpi. The GFP signal was scored in 62 melon accessions/breeding lines inoculated with different Fom- GFP, followed by evaluation of the macroscopic DR in the aerial part of melon seedlings at 20-28 dpi. Correlation analysis demonstrated a direct and significant relationship between FSR and DR. This method has shown to be an effective and reliable tool that can assist Fom resistance breeding programmes in melon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Na0.5K0.5NbO3 has been synthesized by the conventional solid-state reaction process. The crystal structures and phase transitions, at low and high temperature, determined from the Rietveld refinements of X-ray and neutron powder diffraction data are reported. The structure evolution of Na0.5K0.5NbO3 in the temperature range from 2 to 875 K shows the presence of three phase transitions. The first one, at ∼135 K, is discontinuous from the rhombohedral R3 c (No. 161) space group to the room-temperature orthorhombic Amm2 (No. 38) space group; the second is discontinuous from the orthorhombic to the tetragonal P4 mm space group (No. 99) at ∼465 K, and the third is continuous from the tetragonal to the cubic space group (No. 221) at ∼700 K. The obtained phase-transition sequence is R3 c→ Amm2 → P4 mm→ Pm m. No previous studies at low temperature have been carried out on the material with composition Na0.5K0.5NbO3. In the course of the determination of the three experimentally found phases, a novel method of refinement is presented. This is a step forward in the use of the symmetry-adapted modes as degrees of freedom in the refinement process: the parameterization of a direction in the internal space of the, in this case, sole irreducible representation, GM4−, responsible for the symmetry breaking from the parent cubic space group to the polar distorted low-symmetry phases. Eventually, this procedure enables the calculation of the spontaneous polarization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the study regarding the histopathological characteristics of three cases of myeloid/lymphoid or mixed lineage leukaemia (MLL) family genes MLL2 and MLL3 gene mutations. The first patient is a five-year old boy experiencing profound frontal headache associated with nausea and vomiting while the second patient is experiencing decreased appetite and headache. The study shows that MLL2/3 mutations add one more genetic variable for medulloblastoma subclassification.

We explore the potential of laser processing aluminium oxide (Al2O3)/amorphous silicon carbide (a-SiC x:H) stacks to be used at the rear surface of p-type crystalline silicon (c-Si) solar cells. For this stack, excellent quality surface passivation is measured with effective surface recombination velocities as low as 2 cm/s. By means of an infrared laser, the dielectric film is locally opened. Simultaneously, part of the aluminium in the Al2O3 film is introduced into the c-Si, creating p+ regions that allow ohmic contacts with low-surface recombination velocities. At optimum pitch, high-efficiency solar cells are achievable for substrates of 0.5-2.5 Ω cm. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor ( GLP-1R) agonists such as exendin-4 ( Ex-4) affect eating and metabolism and are potential candidates for treating obesity and type II diabetes. In the present study, we tested whether vagal afferents mediate the eating-inhibitory and avoidance-inducing effects of Ex-4. Subdiaphragmatic vagal deafferentation ( SDA) blunted the short-term (< 1 h) but not long-term eating-inhibitory effect of i.p.-infused Ex-4 (0.1 μg/kg) in rats. A dose of 1 μg/kg Ex-4 reduced 0.5, 1, 2 and 4 h cumulative food intake in SDA and sham-operated rats to a similar extent. Paradoxically, SDA but not sham rats developed a conditioned flavour avoidance ( CFA) after i.p. Ex-4 (0.1 μg/kg). SDA completely blunted the induction of c- Fos expression by Ex-4 in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus. Ex-4, however, increased the number of c- Fos expressing cells, independent of intact vagal afferents, in the nucleus accumbens and in the central nucleus of the amygdala, the lateral external parabrachial nucleus, the caudal ventrolateral medulla and the dorsal vagal complex. These data suggest that intact vagal afferents are only necessary for the full expression of the early satiating effect of Ex-4 but not for later eating-inhibitory actions, when circulating Ex-4 might reach the brain via the circulation. Our data also dissociate the satiating and avoidance-inducing effects of the low Ex-4 dose tested under our conditions and suggest that vagal afferent signalling may protect against the development of CFA. Taken together, these findings reveal a complex role of vagal afferents in mediating the effects of GLP-1 R activation on ingestive behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A hydrologic-hydrodynamic model of the Yi River basins in Uruguay has been developed as a support tool to the Emergency Coordination Centre of Durazno city. The purpose was to improve the existing decision support system and the emergency planning by providing information on gauge height and its permanence in time, and the risk of flooded areas. Four past flood events of high return period were used for calibration and validation with accurate results. The input data to the operational model in real time are hourly observed rainfall and gauge height, as well as rainfall forecasts by several international sources. The use of predictions from numerical weather forecasts allows for the generation of pre-alert scenarios with larger lead time. These scenarios can warn the emergency coordinators, and thus are of great value to premanage a probable emergency. Operation of a meteorological weather alert issued by the National Meteorological Board is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT In this work we study the optimization of laser-fired contact (LFC) processing parameters, namely laser power and number of pulses, based on the electrical resistance measurement of an aluminum single LFC point. LFC process has been made through four passivation layers that are typically used in c-Si and mc-Si solar cell fabrication: thermally grown silicon oxide (SiO2), deposited phosphorus-doped amorphous silicon carbide (a-SiC x/H( n)), aluminum oxide (Al2O3) and silicon nitride (SiN x/H) films. Values for the LFC resistance normalized by the laser spot area in the range of 0.65-3 mΩ cm2 have been obtained. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We recently reported that brief, remotely controlled intrameal hepatic-portal vein infusions of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) reduced spontaneous meal size in rats. To investigate the neurobehavioural correlates of this effect, we equipped male Sprague-Dawley rats with hepatic-portal vein catheters and assessed (i) the effect on eating of remotely triggered infusions of GLP-1 (1 nmol/kg, 5 min) or vehicle during the first nocturnal meal after 3 h of food deprivation and (ii) the effect of identical infusions performed at dark onset on c-Fos expression in several brain areas involved in the control of eating. GLP-1 reduced (P < 0.05) the size of the first nocturnal meal and increased its satiety ratio. Also, GLP-1 increased (P < 0.05) the number of c-Fos-expressing cells in the nucleus tractus solitarii, the area postrema and the central nucleus of the amygdala, but not in the arcuate or paraventricular hypothalamic nuclei. These data suggest that the nucleus tractus solitarii, the area postrema and the central nucleus of the amygdala play a role in the eating-inhibitory actions of GLP-1 infused into the hepatic-portal vein; it remains to be established whether activation of these brain nuclei reflect satiation, aversion, or both. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a case study of a 52-year-old female complaining of erythema nodosumlike lesions and having arthralgias, fever and malaise. Topics discussed include the patient having Ketoprofen induced lamina lucida-type linear IgA bullous dermatosis (LABD), patient developing vesicles and blisters with pruritus on cubital fossae after being given Ketoprofen, omeprazole and focal parakeratosis, intraepidermal pustules and marked eucocytoclasis being observed from biopsy of left buttock.

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The feline leukemia virus (FeLV) is a retrovirus that affects domestic cats all over the world. Its pathogenic effects generally include anemia, immunosuppression or tumors. Dissemination over populations is linked to cat sociality, because the virus is transmitted by direct contact. Although the domestic cat is its common host, FeLV infection has also been described in some wild felids. In the Iberian lynx Lynx pardinus, some sporadic FeLV infection cases have been reported since 1994, but an outbreak with the involvement of several animals has never been described until now. During spring 2007, an FeLV outbreak hit the Doñana (SW Spain) population. The infection rapidly spread throughout the densest subpopulation throughout Doñana. Infected animals showed very acute anemic disease, most of them dying in <6 months. To avoid FeLV dissemination, a control program was carried out that included removal of viremic lynxes, vaccination of negative individuals and reduction of the feral cat population. The program was implemented both in Doñana and in Sierra Morena populations. In Doñana, around 80% of the total lynx population and 90% of the outbreak focus subpopulation were evaluated. Seven out of the 12 infected individuals found died and two reverted to latency; the remaining viremic animals have been kept in captivity. The outbreak appears to have been successfully confined to the subpopulation where the virus appeared and no more cases have been found since August 2007. In the larger Sierra Morena population, 8% of the lynx population was surveyed. Thirty-four uninfected Iberian lynxes were vaccinated at least once. The FeLV prevalence was found to be 27% in the Doñana population and 0% in the Sierra Morena population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To measure the effect of metformin on the body composition, insulin resistance and sensitivity in subjects with risk factors for type 2 diabetes mellitus (type 2 DM).Placebo-controlled clinical trial.Twenty-three subjects with risk factors for type 2 DM were randomly assigned to receive 850 mg of metformin or a placebo twice a day for 2 months. Before and after the treatment, the body mass index and waist/hip ratio were calculated, the body composition was measured through bioelectric impedance and the fasting levels of blood glucose, insulin, triglycerides and cholesterol were measured. The level of insulin resistance was calculated by the homeostatic model and the level of sensitivity by the quantitative insulin sensitivity check index method. The Wilcoxon rank test was used.Twenty-one subjects completed the study, 12 of the metformin group and nine of the placebo group. In the metformin group, there was a decrease in fat weight from 25.9 ± 9.4 to 20.8 ± 9.2 kg, p < 0.01, an increase in lean weight from 57.05 ± 13.6 to 61.9 ± 16.5 kg, p < 0.01, an increase in basal metabolism from 1735 ± 413 to 1878 ± 505 calories/day, p < 0.05 and an increase in body water, p < 0.05. There was no significant decrease in insulin resistance. In the placebo group, the blood glucose increased from 84.7 ± 13 to 96.7 ± 16 mg/dl, p < 0.05. There were no significant modifications in lipids.The administration of metformin for 2 months improves the parameters of body composition and insulin dynamics in subjects with risk factors for type 2 DM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objective: Fluorescent molecular beacons have been employed as hybridization probes in real time quantitative PCR to quantify residual disease in multiple myeloma (MM). Design and methods: After clinical diagnosis of MM, the CDR1, CDR2 and CDR3 regions of the IgH gene were analysed and sequenced to identify its clonal nature. Unique sequences of the clonal IgH rearrangement were used to design specific molecular beacon probes for each MM patient. A molecular beacon probe for the β-globin gene was used as a reference control to calculate relative amounts of the clonal B-cell population. Results: Optimization of probe design resulted in the use of a competitive sequence at the IgH area target between the loop and part of the stem of the molecular beacon. Cycling conditions and fluorescence temperature acquisition were optimized for a Light CyclerTM. To validate this method for the follow-up of treated MM patients, we investigated accuracy, as well as interassay and intrassay reproducibility. Conclusions: Our results indicated that real time PCR with specific molecular beacons provides a feasible, accurate and reproducible method for the determination of minimal residual disease in MM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Editorial. Comments on the novel mediator for allergic inflammation. Position on cysteine residues located near amino terminus of the protein; Isolation and molecular characteristics of chemokine by means of signal sequence trap method; Characterization of lung disease by infiltration of both eosinophils and lymphocytes.

Background: Subjective complaints and reactions after placebo administration during food challenges (FC) may make their outcome difficult to interpret. We determined serum ECP and tryptase as tryptase in saliva during FC, looking for markers to support challenge outcomes. Methods: Twelve patients with systemic reactions after food intake and nine presenting oral allergy syndrome (OAS) underwent skin tests; total and specific IgE determination; double-blind, placebo-controlled FC (DBPCFC); and open challenges. Blood samples were collected before and 1, 2, and 5 h after challenge and saliva before and 5, 30, and 60 min after challenge. ECP and tryptase were quantified by ImmunoCAP (Pharmacia-Upjohn, Sweden). Serum tryptase of >10 µg/l was considered positive. Results: After positive DBPCFC (n=8), ECP rose significantly (P<0.05) at 1-h – 16.03 (12.8) μg/l (mean [standard deviation]) – and 2-h intervals – 17.56 (10.7) μg/l – compared to basal level of 9 (6.4) μg/l. After negative DBPCFC (n=6), ECP increased from basal 9.63 (3.9) μg/l to 24.84 (14.17) μg/l at the 2-h time point. There were nonsignificant differences in ECP between patients with positive and negative FC. Two patients with positive challenge showed a tryptase level of >10 µg/l and only one patient with OAS showed 5.6 µg/l of tryptase 5 min after FC. Conclusions: ECP and tryptase in serum and saliva were not useful markers for FC outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prices, wages and profit margins in Mexico have varied considerably. The purpose of this study is to analyze the evolution of profit margins in the Mexican manufacturing industry during the last two decades and to provide an explanation for the changes. The econometric study shows that surges in the exchange rate provoke increases in prices, both because imported input costs rise and because pressures from foreign competition are relaxed when domestic prices of imported goods rise. A second factor influencing margins is trade openness. Third, the level of profit margins also depends positively on the level of labor costs. An increase in labor costs tends to be passed along in a more than proportional manner to prices. Finally, an increase in interest rates seems to stimulate increases in profit margins, at least in some manufacturing divisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The forested habitats in a large part of the Mediterranean semi&arid;climates of Spain are dominated by Aleppo pine forests, most of which are managed plantation. Despite this, the effects of changes in the structure and composition of vegetation on birds are unknown. The work reported here was an attempt to detect the relationships between vegetation characteristics and the bird species that inhabit these forests. The point­count method was used to estimate the presence of bird species and their abundance in Aleppo pine plantations in winter and spring. Four perpendicular 15-m transects were traced in each counting station to estimate the size and density of pines, the cover of main species in understorey vegetation and its height. Correspondence analysis was used to find the most important variables in the composition of bird communities, as well as in understorey composition and vertical structure. The composition of bird communities at forest sites was better explained by understorey characteristics than by three­layer variables. Bird species composition was related to understorey composition in both seasons. A significant linear regression model was found relating bird species richness during the breeding season to understorey composition, in particular variation in Quercus ilex and Q. coccifera cover. No significant model could be found for bird species richness in winter. The probability of finding a bird species at a given site within pine plantation was modeled using logistics regression. Maintenance or introduction of Q. ilex in the understorey of Aleppo pine plantations would increase the diversity of breeding bird communities and would also improve habitat quality for forest bird species with limited distribution in semi­arid climates. On the other hand, a reduction in pine appropriate understorey was conserved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study concerning an outbreak of feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) in the Doñana Iberian lynx population. The supplementary feeding stations (SFS) were initially suspected as the cause for the spread of the virus but was later found inconclusive due to insufficient data taken from animal tagging, video- and photo-trapping of the Coto del Rey subpopulation (CRS). The FeLV virus was discovered in the CRS and another plausible explanation for the origin of the outbreak may be in contact with an already infected domestic cat.

An abstract of the article "Relation between levels of BHCG and PAPP-A with fetal weight in twin pregnancies," by C. Martínez-Payo and colleagues is presented.

An abstract of the article "Comparison between uterine artery pulsatility index in monochorionic and dichorionic twin gestations during the first trimester of pregnancy," by C. Martínez-Payo and colleagues is presented.

A letter to the editor related to actinic lichen nitidu is presented.

A response by Guillermo López to a commentary on his study on the feline leukemia virus and the Iberian lynx in Doñana, Spain is presented. Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) was first identified in two dead Iberian lynxes in early 2007. Majority of commentators agree that FeLV infection is a major concern in endangered species conservation. The author agrees with the commentators' claim that long-term monitoring program is relevant to develop conservation measures. He adds that monitoring in the Iberian lynx population was intensified after the outbreak in 2007.

Na0.5K0.5NbO3 has been synthesized by the conventional solid-state reaction process. The crystal structures and phase transitions, at low and high temperature, determined from the Rietveld refinements of X-ray and neutron powder diffraction data are reported. The structure evolution of Na0.5K0.5NbO3 in the temperature range from 2 to 875 K shows the presence of three phase transitions. The first one, at ∼135 K, is discontinuous from the rhombohedral R3 c (No. 161) space group to the room-temperature orthorhombic Amm2 (No. 38) space group; the second is discontinuous from the orthorhombic to the tetragonal P4 mm space group (No. 99) at ∼465 K, and the third is continuous from the tetragonal to the cubic space group (No. 221) at ∼700 K. The obtained phase-transition sequence is R3 c→ Amm2 → P4 mm→ Pm m. No previous studies at low temperature have been carried out on the material with composition Na0.5K0.5NbO3. In the course of the determination of the three experimentally found phases, a novel method of refinement is presented. This is a step forward in the use of the symmetry-adapted modes as degrees of freedom in the refinement process: the parameterization of a direction in the internal space of the, in this case, sole irreducible representation, GM4−, responsible for the symmetry breaking from the parent cubic space group to the polar distorted low-symmetry phases. Eventually, this procedure enables the calculation of the spontaneous polarization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Adolescent exposure to alcohol-related content on social media is common and associated with alcohol use and perceived norms; however, little is known about how exposure differs by the source of the content (e.g., peer or 'influencer'). The purpose of this study was to utilise qualitative methods to compare adolescent perspectives on peer- versus influencer-generated alcohol content on social media., Methods: Nine virtual semi-structured focus groups were conducted with adolescents (aged 15-19 years), following a general script aimed at ascertaining adolescent comparative perspectives on peer and influencer alcohol-related media content and the contexts in which it occurs., Results: Five main themes emerged: (i) although both influencers and peers post predominantly positively-valenced alcohol content online, adolescents perceived some differences between these posts; (ii) adolescents perceived their peers to be more cautious and strategic when posting about alcohol than influencers are; (iii) the decision to engage with peer or influencer alcohol-related posts is influenced by a number of factors; (iv) both peer and influencer posts were perceived to send the message that drinking is acceptable, normal or cool; and (v) adolescents believed they are more likely to be influenced by peers' alcohol posts than influencers' alcohol posts, with some exceptions., Discussion and Conclusions: Future studies should aim to further understand the unique attributes and circumstances in which exposure to peer and influencer alcohol-related posts impact adolescent alcohol-related cognitions and behaviours. This knowledge will inform prevention and intervention efforts, such as media literacy training and media-specific parenting practices., (© 2023 Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs.)

Elemental selenium (Se 0 ) nanomaterials undergo allotropic transition from thermodynamically-unstable to more stable phases. This process is significantly different when Se 0 nanoparticles (NPs) are produced via physico-chemical and biological pathways. While the allotropic transition of physico-chemically synthesized Se 0 is fast (minutes to hours), the biogenic Se 0 takes months to complete. The biopolymer layer covering biogenic Se 0 NPs might be the main factor controlling this retardation, but this still remains an open question. Phylogenetically-diverse bacteria reduce selenium oxyanions to red amorphous Se 0 allotrope, which has low market value. Then, red Se 0 undergoes allotropic transition to trigonal (metallic grey) allotrope, the end product having important industrial applications (e.g. semiconductors, alloys). Is it not yet clear whether biogenic Se 0 presents any biological function, or it is mainly a detoxification and respiratory by-product. The better understanding of this transition would benefit the recovery of Se 0 NPs from secondary resources and its targeted utilization with respect to each allotropic stage. This review article presents and critically discusses the main physico-chemical methods and biosynthetic pathways of Se 0 (bio)mineralization. In addition, the article proposes a conceptual model for the resource recovery potential of trigonal selenium nanomaterials in the context of circular economy., (© 2023 The Authors. Microbial Biotechnology published by Applied Microbiology International and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Much of the prior research addressing risky drinking among young adults has focused on heavy episodic drinking (4+/5+ drinks in a single sitting for females/males). However, 1 in 3 young adults engaged in past-year high-intensity drinking (HID, 8+/10+ drinks in a single sitting for females/males). Consuming such large amounts of alcohol is associated with serious acute consequences (e.g., severe injury, overdose) and the development of alcohol use disorder. This qualitative study aimed to gain an in-depth understanding of contextual influences on HID from drinkers' perspectives., Methods: We conducted individual interviews of 28 young adults (57% female, aged 20 to 25 years old) who engage in HID to assess the role of context in the prediction of HID (relative to non-HID events). Two authors coded each interview following a structured codebook and thematic analysis was used to analyze the qualitative data., Results: Based on identified themes, factors that may increase HID likelihood include being in larger groups or in social contexts where others are drinking heavily, having close relationships with others who are present, on special occasions, when feeling safe, being comfortable in a given situation, and experiencing intense affective states (especially positive ones). Noted deterrents for HID included friends' extreme intoxication, perceptions that heavy drinking is less acceptable in certain contexts (i.e., at work, family events) or among others present, cost/financial constraints, next-day responsibilities, and needing to drive., Conclusions: Young adults identified a number of social and psychological factors that they perceived influenced their likelihood of engaging in HID. However, they also generated a number of factors that constrained this style of drinking. Understanding the contexts in which HID is most likely to occur will inform interventions that aim to reduce this high-risk behavior., (© 2021 by the Research Society on Alcoholism.)

The extracellular heat shock proteins (eHsp) family act as molecular chaperones regulating folding, transporting protein and are associated with immune modulation in different physiological and pathological processes. They have been localized in different gestational tissues and their concentration in amniotic fluid and serum has been determined. In the present study, we proposed to determine the concentration of eHsp-60, -70, IL-1β and TNFα in the serum of pregnant patients with 34 weeks of gestation with and without clinical evidences of preeclampsia (PE). Our results indicate significant increase of these markers in patients with PE with respect to healthy pregnant patients without active labor. Finally, the concentration of eHsp-60 and -70 correlated positively with the hepatic dysfunction markers uric acid, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT) glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT), and inflammatory IL-1β and TNFα response. In conclusion, our results demonstrate a strong associated between Hsp and marker of hepatic dysfunction., (© 2018 Instituto Nacional de Perinatología. Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd and Foundation for Cellular and Molecular Medicine.)

The selective vulnerability of hippocampal area CA1 to ischemia-induced injury is a well-known phenomenon. However, the cellular mechanisms that confer resistance to area CA3 against ischemic damage remain elusive. Here, we show that oxygen-glucose deprivation-reperfusion (OGD-RP), an in vitro model that mimic the pathological conditions of the ischemic stroke, increases the phosphorylation level of tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrkB) in area CA3. Slices preincubated with brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) or 7,8-dihydroxyflavone (7,8-DHF) exhibited reduced depression of the electrical activity triggered by OGD-RP. Consistently, blockade of TrkB suppressed the resistance of area CA3 to OGD-RP. The protective effect of TrkB activation was limited to area CA3, as OGD-RP caused permanent suppression of CA1 responses. At the cellular level, TrkB activation leads to phosphorylation of the accessory proteins SHC and Gab as well as the serine/threonine kinase Akt, members of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt (PI-3-K/Akt) pathway, a cascade involved in cell survival. Hence, acute slices pretreated with the Akt antagonist MK2206 in combination with BDNF lost the capability to resist the damage inflicted with OGD-RP. Consistently, with these results, CA3 pyramidal cells exhibited reduced propidium iodide uptake and caspase-3 activity in slices pretreated with BDNF and exposed to OGD-RP. We propose that PI-3-K/Akt downstream activation mediated by TrkB represents an endogenous mechanism responsible for the resistance of area CA3 to ischemic damage., (© 2018 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objectives: To determine whether the well-known genetic structure of the Mexican population observed with other multiallelic markers can be detected by analyzing functional polymorphisms of cytokine and other inflammatory-response-related genes., Methods: A total of 834 Mestizo individuals from five Mexican cities and 92 Lacandonians - an Amerindian group from southeastern Mexico - were genotyped for 14 polymorphisms in the CRP, IL10, IL6, TGFB1, TNFA, LTA, ICAM1 IFNG, and IL1RN genes. Allele and haplotype frequencies were used for genetic structure analysis using F-statistics pairwise distances and multidimensional scaling plot. Ancestry analysis was performed, as well., Results: Significant interpopulational differences at the allele and haplotype frequency level were observed, mainly between Northern (Guadalajara, Monterrey, and Culiacan) and Southern (Tierra Blanca and Puebla) Mexican populations. Also, low but significant substructure was detected between some populations from these two broad regions. Interestingly, both Lacandonian populations were highly differentiated from each other and with respect to Mestizos. Consistent with previous data, Amerindian ancestry in the Southern Mexican groups was higher compared to Northern ones., Conclusions: The Mexican population exhibits regional differences in functional polymorphisms of inflammatory-response genes, as observed for other genetic markers. This information constitutes a reference for epidemiological studies that include these genetic markers to assess the susceptibility of the Mexican population to several immune-response-related diseases, such as diabetes, obesity, and renal disease, which have been shown to be common in the Mexican population but with prevalence differences within this country., (© 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

RAP1 is one of the components of shelterin, the capping complex at chromosome ends or telomeres, although its role in telomere length maintenance and protection has remained elusive. RAP1 also binds subtelomeric repeats and along chromosome arms, where it regulates gene expression and has been shown to function in metabolism control. Telomerase is the enzyme that elongates telomeres, and its deficiency causes a premature aging in humans and mice. We describe an unanticipated genetic interaction between RAP1 and telomerase. While RAP1 deficiency alone does not impact on mouse survival, mice lacking both RAP1 and telomerase show a progressively decreased survival with increasing mouse generations compared to telomerase single mutants. Telomere shortening is more pronounced in Rap1 -/- Terc -/- doubly deficient mice than in the single-mutant Terc -/- counterparts, leading to an earlier onset of telomere-induced DNA damage and degenerative pathologies. Telomerase deficiency abolishes obesity and liver steatohepatitis provoked by RAP1 deficiency. Using genomewide ChIP sequencing, we find that progressive telomere shortening owing to telomerase deficiency leads to re-localization of RAP1 from telomeres and subtelomeric regions to extratelomeric sites in a genomewide manner. These findings suggest that although in the presence of sufficient telomere reserve RAP1 is not a key factor for telomere maintenance and protection, it plays a crucial role in the context of telomerase deficiency, thus in agreement with its evolutionary conservation as a telomere component from yeast to humans., (© 2016 The Authors. Aging Cell published by the Anatomical Society and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Pachyonychia congenita (PC) is a rare genodermatosis caused by a mutation in keratin genes, which can lead to hypertrophic nail dystrophy and focal palmoplantar keratoderma (predominantly plantar), amongst other manifestations. Painful blisters and callosities, sometimes exacerbated by hyperhidrosis, are major issues that can have a significant impact on patient quality of life. Many alternative treatments for this condition have been applied with variable and partial clinical response, but a definitive cure for this disease has yet to be discovered. After obtaining informed consent, two patients with genetically confirmed PC type 1 were treated with plantar injections of botulinum toxin type A. Both patients showed a marked improvement in pain and blistering with an average response time of one week, a six-month mean duration of effectiveness, and a lack of any side effects or tachyphylaxis., (© 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

There are two independent mol-ecules in the asymmetric unit of the title compound, C24H22N2O4S3. In each, the sulfonamide N atoms reveal nearly a trigonal-planar geometry with two S atoms of the O=S=O groups and one C atom of the thia-zole ring; the angles around the N atoms are between 117.00 (13) and 123.86 (9)°. The methyl-phenyl-sulfonyl groups are in anti conformations, forming dihedral angles of 78.00 (7)/72.53 (5) and 77.09 (6)/71.50 (7)° with the trigonal S-N-S planes in the two mol-ecules. The thia-zole groups are rotated around the C-N bonds and are almost perpendicular to the S-N-S plane [dihedral angles of 78.00 (7)/72.53 (5) and 77.09 (6)/71.50 (7)°]. In the crystal, pairs of C-H⋯O inter-actions, with the O atoms of the sulfonamide groups as acceptors, link each of the independent mol-ecules into inversion dimers.