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The study was conducted in Hatchery -private sector- in Qushtapa, Erbil, from 24-5-2016 to 14-6-2016. The hatched chicks were reared from(14/6/2016 to 26/7/2016) in one of the halls of Department of Animal Production in College of Agriculture/ Salahadding University-Erbil within total 63 days. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of thermal manipulation (TM) during different embryogenesis stages of broiler breeder eggs as at embryonic days (ED): T2 (1-5), T3 (19-21) and T1 was control (no TM) on hatching results and subsequent chick characteristics and broiler productive performance of thermally conditioned chicks (exposed to 38.0 ± 2 °C for 12 hours/day) at 21st day of age. One thousand eight hundred (1800) Ross-308 eggs from twenty seventh weeks old imported were used. Eggs were randomly divided into three treatments with four replicates per each treatment (600 eggs/ treatment). Two identical incubators were used. In the first incubator all eggs were incubated at 37.7 ºC and 60-65% relative humidity (RH). The eggs thermally treated were transferred into the second incubator and was kept at 38.2 ˚C and 60-65% RH. After four (4) hours (hrs.) of thermal treating, the eggs were returned to the first incubator, immediately. It was found that thermal manipulation did not affect the hatchability percentage of total and fertile set eggs, normal bird’s percentage, and chicks’ quality. Post-hatching, 270 day-old chicks were randomly assigned according to treatment groups within hatching process. Chicks were distributed into three treatments with three replicates-groups-, with thirty chicks per each replicate. All treatment groups were subjected to thermal conditioning of 38 ±2 °C for 12 hrs. /day for a week, from day 21stpost-hatching. After exposure body temperature of birds were measured. Live body weight, bodyweight gain, feed consumption, feed conversion ratio and mortality were recorded on weekly basis. Production index, dressing percentage and carcass cuts percentages were measured at 35 and 42 days of age of broiler chicks. The overall data showed the following results: 1- T2 showed significantly (p≤0.05) higher relative growth than control group and T3. 2- T3 and control group showed significantly higher feed conversion ratio than T2, so T2 had a better cumulative ratio. 3- T2 and T3 showed significantly (p≤0.05) lower rectal temperature than control group. 4- T2 had the higher production index than T3 and control group at marketing age of 35 days. 5- Control group showed significantly lowest cumulative mortality percentage than T2. In the embryogenesisdevelopment, the incubation temperature is increased by 0.5°C for 4 hrs. This thermal treatment of the body temperature leads to decrease of the chicks’ temperature at day 42, as compared with the control group. As a result it confirms the acquisition of thermo tolerance in thermally manipulated groups.

Nicola Luigi Bragazzi,1– 4 Hicham Khabbache,5 Khalid Ouazizi,6 Driss Ait Ali,6 Hanane El Ghouat,6 Laila El Alami,6 Hisham Atwan,7 Ruba Tuma,8– 10 Nomy Dickman,10 Raymond Farah,10,11 Rola Khamisy-Farah9,10 1Human Nutrition Unit (HNU), Department of Food and Drugs University of Parma, Parma, Italy; 2Laboratory for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (LIAM), Department of Mathematics and Statistics, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada; 3Postgraduate School of Public Health, Department of Health Sciences (DISSAL), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy; 4United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Chair, Health Anthropology Biosphere and Healing Systems, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy; 5Director of the UNESCO Chair “Lifelong Learning Observatory” (UNESCO/UMSBA), Fez, Morocco; 6Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts and Human Sciences Fès-Saïss, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Fez, Morocco; 7Department of Internal Medicine, Kaplan Medical Centre, Hebrew University, Rehovot, Israel; 8Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Galilee Medical Center, Nahariya, Galilee, Israel; 9Clalit Health Services, Akko, Israel; 10Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Bar-Ilan University, Safed, Israel; 11Department of Internal Medicine B, Ziv Medical Center, Safed, IsraelCorrespondence: Nicola Luigi Bragazzi, Human Nutrition Unit (HNU), Department of Food and Drugs University of Parma, Via Volturno 39, Parma, 43125, Italy, Tel +39 0521 903121, Email nicolaluigi.bragazzi@unipr.itPurpose: Sex and Gender-Based Medicine (SGBM) addresses the influence of sex and gender on health and healthcare, emphasizing personalized care. Integrating SGBM into medical education is challenging. This study examines the implementation of an SGBM course in an Israeli university during the first year of the medical school.Methods: The course integrated lectures, group work, online gender studies resources, workshops, teacher training, and essential literature. The curriculum spanned pre-clinical and clinical aspects, featuring seven 90-minute sessions. Surveys assessed course structure, content, and lecturers using a 5-point Likert scale and qualitative feedback. Quantitative analysis involved descriptive statistics, and thematic analysis was used for qualitative data.Results: Of the 84 students surveyed, 35 (41.7%) responded to the first part, and 30 (35.7%) to the second. The SGBM course received high satisfaction with an average score of 3.63, surpassing other first-year courses (average 3.21). Students appreciated the supportive academic atmosphere (mean score 4.20) and diverse teaching methods (mean score 4.03), while the development of feminist thinking was less appreciated (average score 3.49). Lecturers received high ratings (average score 4.33). Qualitative feedback highlighted the value of group work, the significance of the subject matter, and the helpfulness of supplementary videos. Students requested more content on contemporary issues like gender transition and patient perspectives. The feminist medicine aspect was contentious, with students seeking better gender balance and scientific evidence.Conclusion: Introducing SGBM into the first-year curriculum yielded positive results with high student satisfaction for content and lecturers. An expanded course module is planned, to be assessed at the end of the next academic year.Keywords: sex- and gender-based medicine, medical education, medical training, curriculum integration

Shubham Kanaujiya,1,* Dilip Kumar Arya,1,* Prashant Pandey,1 Sneha Singh,2 Giriraj Pandey,1 Shabnam Anjum,3 Md Meraj Anjum,1 Daoud Ali,4 Saud Alarifi,4 Vijayakumar MR,1 Sri Sivakumar,2 Saurabh Srivastava,5 PS Rajinikanth1 1Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow, India; 2Department of Chemical Engineering, IIT Kanpur, Kanpur, India; 3Department of Tissue Engineering, School of Intelligent Medicine, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110122, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 5Department of Pharmaceutics, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hyderabad, Telangana, India*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: PS Rajinikanth, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow, India, Email psrajinikanth222@gmail.comBackground: The healing of burn wounds is a complicated physiological process that involves several stages, including haemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, and remodelling to rebuild the skin and subcutaneous tissue integrity. Recent advancements in nanomaterials, especially nanofibers, have opened a new way for efficient healing of wounds due to burning or other injuries.Methods: This study aims to develop and characterize collagen-decorated, bilayered electrospun nanofibrous mats composed of PVP and PVA loaded with Resveratrol (RSV) and Ampicillin (AMP) to accelerate burn wound healing and tissue repair.Results: Nanofibers with smooth surfaces and web-like structures with diameters ranging from 200 to 400 nm were successfully produced by electrospinning. These fibres exhibited excellent in vitro properties, including the ability to absorb wound exudates and undergo biodegradation over a two-week period. Additionally, these nanofibers demonstrated sustained and controlled release of encapsulated Resveratrol (RSV) and Ampicillin (AMP) through in vitro release studies. The zone of inhibition (ZOI) of PVP-PVA-RSV-AMP nanofibers against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) was found 31± 0.09 mm and 12± 0.03, respectively, which was significantly higher as compared to positive control. Similarly, the biofilm study confirmed the significant reduction in the formation of biofilms in nanofiber-treated group against both S. aureus and E. coli. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis proved the encapsulation of RSV and AMP successfully into nanofibers and their compatibility. Haemolysis assay (%) showed no significant haemolysis (less than 5%) in nanofiber-treated groups, confirmed their cytocompatibility with red blood cells (RBCs). Cell viability assay and cell adhesion on HaCaT cells showed increased cell proliferation, indicating its biocompatibility as well as non-toxic properties. Results of the in-vivo experiments on a burn wound model demonstrated potential burn wound healing in rats confirmed by H&E-stained images and also improved the collagen synthesis in nanofibers-treated groups evidenced by Masson-trichrome staining. The ELISA assay clearly indicated the efficient downregulation of TNF-alpha and IL-6 inflammatory biomarkers after treatment with nanofibers on day 10.Conclusion: The RSV and AMP-loaded nanofiber mats, developed in this study, expedite burn wound healing through their multifaceted approach. Keywords: electrospinning, nanofiber, resveratrol, ampicillin, burn wound healing, collagen

The level density is a parameter that has great importance in the theoretical nuclear calculation, and it is considered a key of many theoretical studies, therefore, the level density in pre-equilibrium reaction or what is the so-called accurate partial level density PLD has been studied. The partial level density PLD used in pre-equilibrium reactions is dependent on the parameter called single particle level density which can be calculated by two methods either using the equidistant spacing model (ESM) or non-equidistant spacing model (non-ESM) In this study, the parameter is estimated by using the relation between the level density parameter and based on Ericson and Williams's formulas ( ) is substituted from the Thomas-Fermi formula and the new was substituted one-component Ericson's formula, two-components Ericson's formula, Williams's formula, spin formula, and surface formula. The results show that the PLD estimated from one-component Ericson's formula gives the best agreement with the experimental data between 4 MeV to 5 MeV.

Nicola Luigi Bragazzi,1–4 Hicham Khabbache,5 Khalid Ouazizi,6 Driss Ait Ali,6 Hanane El Ghouat,6 Laila El Alami,6 Hisham Atwan,7 Ruba Tuma,8–10 Nomy Dickman,10 Raymond Farah,10,11 Rola Khamisy-Farah9,10 1Human Nutrition Unit (HNU), Department of Food and Drugs University of Parma, Parma, Italy; 2Laboratory for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (LIAM), Department of Mathematics and Statistics, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada; 3Postgraduate School of Public Health, Department of Health Sciences (DISSAL), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy; 4United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Chair, Health Anthropology Biosphere and Healing Systems, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy; 5Director of the UNESCO Chair “Lifelong Learning Observatory” (UNESCO/UMSBA), Fez, Morocco; 6Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts and Human Sciences Fès-Saïss, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Fez, Morocco; 7Department of Internal Medicine, Kaplan Medical Centre, Hebrew University, Rehovot, Israel; 8Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Galilee Medical Center, Nahariya, Galilee, Israel; 9Clalit Health Services, Akko, Israel; 10Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Bar-Ilan University, Safed, Israel; 11Department of Internal Medicine B, Ziv Medical Center, Safed, IsraelCorrespondence: Nicola Luigi Bragazzi, Human Nutrition Unit (HNU), Department of Food and Drugs University of Parma, Via Volturno 39, Parma, 43125, Italy, Tel +39 0521 903121, Email nicolaluigi.bragazzi@unipr.it

Background: Trauma is commonly understood as a psychological and emotional response to distressing events. The subjective nature of trauma experiences has led to ongoing debates about the best theoretical frameworks for understanding and addressing trauma. This review aims to comprehensively critique traditional biomedical and psychological models and advocates for more inclusive and culturally sensitive frameworks. Methods: A narrative literature review was conducted, synthesizing data from 96 peer-reviewed journal articles, books, and authoritative reports from databases such as PubMed, PsycINFO, and Google Scholar. The review focused on studies related to trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), complex trauma, and related disorders, emphasizing both individual and socio-cultural aspects. Results: The review identifies several key criticisms of trauma models. For biological models, critiques include the oversimplification of trauma experiences, insufficient developmental considerations, failure to capture diverse trauma responses, limited cultural sensitivity, and inadequacy of the categorical approach. For psychological models, criticisms encompass an overemphasis on internal processes, neglect of developmental impacts, limited focus on symptom diversity, challenges in addressing socio-cultural contexts, and incomplete integration of emotional and relational aspects. These findings underscore the need for more comprehensive, culturally sensitive, and developmentally informed trauma frameworks. Conclusion: The findings emphasize the importance of adopting a holistic perspective in trauma research and treatment. By integrating individual, interpersonal, and socio-cultural dimensions, future research and interventions can better support trauma survivors. This approach necessitates ongoing interdisciplinary collaboration and the inclusion of diverse voices, including those of trauma survivors, to refine current methodologies and enhance therapeutic outcomes.

Aim: The present study was conducted to generate data on awareness and incidence of sickle cell disease (SCD) and also to adduce the widespread myths peddled about SCD. Materials and Methods: Students studying in the Department of Nursing were recruited. A pretested, self-administered sickle cell assessment questionnaire was distributed electronically through WhatsApp group to collect necessary data. Participants were screened for malaria by thin blood smear analyses, and their hemoglobin (Hb) contents (g/dL) were determined by Sahli's haemoglobinometer. Statistical analyses were done using Origin (version 8.1, USA). A reliability study was performed for the validity of questionnaire data. Results: Study participants had significantly high awareness regarding SCDs (89.9%, P < 0.001). Most participants (96.3%) were aware about government policy regarding premarital screening for genetic disorders and replied that the government has strict health policies backed by equally robust laboratory diagnostics. Moreover, none of the participants had SCDs, although their parents had a consanguineous marriage. Thin blood smear analyses of participants did not reveal any cases of Plasmodium falciparum. However, significant percentages (33.1%) were found to be anemic, probably due to their dietary habits and lifestyles, as has been reflected by questionnaire analyses. Furthermore, a very less number of students had knowledge about genetic variations that might occur in malaria-endemic regions after long exposure to offer protection from malaria. Knowledge about management practices was also lacking among study participants (29%). Conclusion: This research points to the necessity that the nursing study plan should focus on providing specific training on management skills and preventive measures for SCDs, which is of paramount importance.

Payal Deepak,1 Praveen Kumar,2,3 Prashant Pandey,1 Dilip Kumar Arya,1 Shweta Jaiswal,1 Anand Kumar,1 Archana Bharti Sonkar,1 Daoud Ali,4 Saud Alarifi,4 Mohankumar Ramar,5 P S Rajinikanth1 1Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India; 2Department of Pharmacy, Indira Gandhi National Tribal University, Amarkantak, Madhya Pradesh, India; 3S.D College of Pharmacy and Vocational Studies, Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, India; 4Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia; 5Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, 02903, USACorrespondence: P S Rajinikanth, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, 226025, India, Email psrajinikanth222@gmail.comBackground: Antitumor research aims to efficiently target hepatocarcinoma cells (HCC) for drug delivery. Nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) are promising for active tumour targeting. Cell-penetrating peptides are feasible ligands for targeted cancer treatment.Methods: In this study, we optimized gefitinib-loaded NLCs (GF-NLC) for HCC treatment. The NLCs contained cholesterol, oleic acid, Pluronic F-68, and Phospholipon 90G. The NLC surface was functionalized to enhance targeting with the cRGDfK-pentapeptide, which binds to the αvβ 3 integrin receptor overexpressed on hepatocarcinoma cells.Results: GF-NLC formulation was thoroughly characterized for various parameters using differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction analysis. In-vitro and in-vivo studies on the HepG2 cell line showed cRGDfK@GF-NLC’s superiority over GF-NLC and free gefitinib. cRGDfK@GF-NLC exhibited significantly higher cytotoxicity, growth inhibition, and cellular internalization. Biodistribution studies demonstrated enhanced tumour site accumulation without organ toxicity. The findings highlight cRGDfK@GF-NLC as a highly efficient carrier for targeted drug delivery, surpassing non-functionalized NLCs. These functionalized NLCs offer promising prospects for improving hepatocarcinoma therapy outcomes by specifically targeting HCC cells.Conclusion: Based on these findings, cRGDfK@GF-NLC holds immense potential as a highly efficient carrier for targeted drug delivery of anticancer agents, surpassing the capabilities of non-functionalized NLCs. This research opens up new avenues for effective treatment strategies in hepatocarcinoma. Keywords: nanostructured lipid carrier, αvβ 3 integrin receptor, cRGDfK-pentapeptide, hepatocellular carcinoma, tumour targeting

Background and Aim: Giardia intestinalis is one of the most prevalent intestinal parasites in humans and animals, and children in close contact with livestock are particularly at risk of infection. This study aimed to detect assemblages of G. intestinalis and determine the origin of zoonotic transmission of Giardia in children and calves in different parts of Babylon province, Iraq. Materials and Methods: One hundred stool samples from children (68 boys and 32 girls) and 100 fecal samples from calves (46 males and 54 females) of different ages were randomly collected. Molecular techniques were used to estimate the prevalence of G. intestinalis in children and calves. A nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed by targeting the triose phosphate isomerase gene in the samples to detect G. intestinalis assemblages. Results: The overall rates of infection with G. intestinalis in children and calves were 21% and 34%, respectively, using the conventional microscopic method. The results illustrated that 61.90% (13/21) and 38.09% (8/21) of positive samples from children were allocated to assemblages A and B, respectively (p > 0.05). In calves, assemblages A and B were detecte in 82.35% (28/34) and 17.64% (6/34) of positive samples from calves, respectively (p ≤ 0.001). Ten PCR products were sequenced and submitted to the GenBank database. Phylogenetic analysis detected five human sequences each belonging to G. intestinalis assemblages A (OM850335–OM850339) and B (OM850340–OM850344). Similarly, five calf sequences each belonged to G. intestinalis assemblages A (ON75756–ON757660) and B (ON757661–ON757665). Conclusion: The detection of large numbers of G. intestinalis assemblage A in both humans and cattle indicated that cattle could be a main source of zoonotic G. intestinalis infection in children in Babylon province, Iraq.

This article has been retracted: please see Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal (https://www.elsevier.com/about/policies/article-withdrawal).This article has been retracted at the request of at the request of Editors-in-Chief.In investigating concerns brought up regarding the article, the editor reached out to the corresponding author for an explanation. The corresponding author failed to provide a satisfactory explanation to the points raised.Post-publication, the Editors-in-Chief discovered suspicious changes in authorship between the original submission and the revised version of this paper, which is contrary to the journal policy on changes to authorship. Below changes were made during revision and proof submission.New authors added: Amirat A Al-Sabeely, Ishraga A. Mohamed, Marwa A. Shahin, Ali D Abousoliman, Laila Zeidan Ghazy Mohammed.Author removed: donia elsaid fathi zaghamirTherefore, the Editors-in-Chief have lost confidence in the reliability of the article and determined that the paper should be retracted.

This article has been retracted: please see Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal (https://www.elsevier.com/about/policies/article-withdrawal).This article has been retracted at the request of Editors-in-Chief.Post-publication, the Editors-in-Chief discovered suspicious changes in authorship between the original submission and the revised version of this paper, which is contrary to the journal policy on changes to authorship. The following authors were added during revision: Rasmia Abd El Sattar Ali, Ghada A Hassan, Ali A Abosoliman.The corresponding author failed to provide a satisfactory explanation. Therefore, the Editors-in-Chief no longer have confidence in the reliability of the article and have determined to retract the article.

In this study, a practical study was conducted to compare the efficient behavior of close loop solar water heater with thermosiphon- riser tubes with dimensions (80 cm width, 120 cm height) with two acrylic covering. both with and without thermal performance enhancer, and to find the optimum mode of convection in the collector. the thermal performance enhancers have been used, helical spring with a core bar, and they were inserted a solar absorber tube The ethanol as a working fluid is used by applying a practical test set to it. The current tests were conducted on September 6, 8 and October 4, 5 , 2022, in Baghdad, Iraq, under identical ambient and load circumstances. All examination were from 08:00 am to 16:00 pm, at tilted angle (45 °) South in sunny days. The experimental tests were carried out at flow rates (1 and 1.5 L/min) and filling ratio (50%). At a flow rate of 1.5 L/min and a filling ratio of 50%, using an inserted helical spring with a core bar yielded the highest daily efficiency of 70%. In the interest of the system.

Maryam Sherwani,1,&ast; Lubna Vohra,1,&ast; Danish Ali,1,&ast; Rufina Soomro,2 Syed Adnan,1 Romana Idrees3 1Department of Surgery, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan; 2Department of Surgery, Liaquat National Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan; 3Department of Pathology, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Lubna Vohra, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi Stadium Road, P.O. Box 3500, Karachi, 74800, Pakistan, Tel +92 21 34930051, Fax +92 21 3493 4294, Email lubna.vohra@aku.eduPurpose: To describe the clinicopathological features, and subtypes of metaplastic breast cancer (MpBC) in Pakistan and further to understand its response to treatment, including region-specific survival outcomes.Patients and Methods: This retrospective cohort study was conducted at two private tertiary care hospitals in Karachi, Pakistan. Our selection criteria included a total of 215 patients who were diagnosed with MpBC at an age older than 18 years from 1994 to 2021. Data regarding clinicopathological features, staging, receptor status, treatment modalities, recurrence, and survival was obtained. Death was scored as an event, and patients who were alive were censored at the time of the last follow-up.Results: The incidence of MpBC at our study centers is 3.21%. The median age of diagnosis was 50 years (range 22 to 80 years) and most patients presented at Stages II (45.1%) and III (44.2%). Among patients who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy, 31.7% achieved complete pathological response. The 3-year survival of those who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy was 96%. During our study, 19.1% of patients died and the median survival duration was 9 years 7 months 9 days. Survival of patients was significantly lower in patients who had metastasis (p-value = 0.042) and those who had tumor recurrence (p-value = 0.001).Conclusion: Metaplastic breast cancer is an extremely rare variant of breast cancer with features that exist as a spectrum. Our study demonstrated considerable success with the use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The pathological complete response achieved in our study is one of the highest ever reported. Our success, though limited, warrants further research in the use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in MpBC.Keywords: neoadjuvant therapy, triple negative, squamoid, overall survival

Thermoelectric coolers (TEC) are devices that conversion of electrical power into a temperature gradient. TEC modules have the benefits of high dependability, small dimensions, lightweight, absence of mechanical moving parts and working fluid. Thermoelectric cooling systems have experienced significant utilisation in recent years. These technologies have been used in automobiles to cool and maintain the quality of goods during transportation and in portable cooling bags, computers, and medical apparatus. The TEC manufacture datasheet only offers limited data on characteristics and maximum parameters, which is insufficient for studying thermoelectric systems. This paper presents an analytical modelling methodology that provides a direct method for assessing the performance of module parameters and determining the fundamental thermal physical parameters of a TEC. Furthermore, this article outlines the procedure for choosing the appropriate TEC module from a selection of three options to integrate it with a vapour compression refrigeration (VCR) system. The objective is to attain low temperatures while reducing power consumption and improving performance. The findings indicates that The TEC1-12706 module was the most suitable option among three different types of TEC modules for integration with the VCR system to achieve low temperatures. This choice was based on its lower power consumption than the TEC127010 and TEC127015 modules, resulting in 36.5% and 59.3% energy savings, respectively. Additionally, the heat dissipation from the hot side of the TEC12706 is lower than the TEC12710 and TEC12715 modules by 32.2% and 59%, respectively.

Abstract Objective To evaluate the magnetic resonance elastography (MRE)-derived liver stiffness measurement (LSM), T1 and T2 relaxation times, and hepatobiliary phase images in patients, who developed sinusoidal obstruction syndrome (SOS) after oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy. Methods Thirty-four patients (M/F:22/12) who underwent liver MRI-MRE and received oxaliplatin for colorectal, gastric, and pancreas cancer were included in the study. SOS was diagnosed by Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI in 18 patients. MRE-LSM and T1–T2 maps were evaluated. Patients with SOS were grouped according to the amount of reticular hypointensity on the hepatobiliary phase images. Results The mean MRE-LSM in the patients with SOS was 3.14 ± 0.45 kPa, and the control group was 2.6 ± 0.5 kPa (p = 0.01). The mean-corrected T1 (cT1) relaxation time was 1181 ± 151 ms in the SOS group and 1032 ± 129 ms in the control group (p = 0.005). The mean T2 relaxation time was 50.29 ± 3.6 ms in the SOS group and 44 ± 3.9 ms in the control group (p = 0.01). Parenchymal stiffness values were 2.8 ± 0.22 kPa, 3 ± 0.33 kPa, and 3.65 ± 0.28 kPa in patients with mild, moderate, and advanced SOS findings, respectively (p = 0.002). Although cT1 and T2 relaxation times increased with increasing SOS severity, no statistical significance was found. Conclusions We observed increased MRE-LSM in patients with SOS after chemotherapy compared to control group. T1 and T2 relaxation times were also useful in diagnosing SOS but were found inadequate in determining SOS severity. MRE is effective in diagnosing SOS and determining SOS severity in patients who cannot receive contrast agents, and it may be useful in the follow-up evaluation of these patients.

Circadian symptoms have long been observed in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and often appear before cognitive symptoms, but the mechanisms underlying circadian alterations in AD are poorly understood. We studied circadian re-entrainment in AD model mice using a “jet lag” paradigm, observing their behavior on a running wheel after a 6 h advance in the light:dark cycle. Female 3xTg mice, which carry mutations producing progressive amyloid beta and tau pathology, re-entrained following jet lag more rapidly than age-matched wild type controls at both 8 and 13 months of age. This re-entrainment phenotype has not been previously reported in a murine AD model. Because microglia are activated in AD and in AD models, and inflammation can affect circadian rhythms, we hypothesized that microglia contribute to this re-entrainment phenotype. To test this, we used the colony stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF1R) inhibitor PLX3397, which rapidly depletes microglia from the brain. Microglia depletion did not alter re-entrainment in either wild type or 3xTg mice, demonstrating that microglia activation is not acutely responsible for the re-entrainment phenotype. To test whether mutant tau pathology is necessary for this behavioral phenotype, we repeated the jet lag behavioral test with the 5xFAD mouse model, which develops amyloid plaques, but not neurofibrillary tangles. As with 3xTg mice, 7-month-old female 5xFAD mice re-entrained more rapidly than controls, demonstrating that mutant tau is not necessary for the re-entrainment phenotype. Because AD pathology affects the retina, we tested whether differences in light sensing may contribute to altered entrainment behavior. 3xTg mice demonstrated heightened negative masking, a circadian behavior measuring responses to different levels of light, and re-entrained dramatically faster than WT mice in a jet lag experiment performed in dim light. 3xTg mice show a heightened sensitivity to light as a circadian cue that may contribute to accelerated photic re-entrainment. Together, these experiments demonstrate novel circadian behavioral phenotypes with heightened responses to photic cues in AD model mice which are not dependent on tauopathy or microglia.

Locomotor activity is one of the most commonly assayed animal behaviors. It is the gold standard for assessing behavioral circadian rhythmicity. Here, we develop a flexible and affordable locomotor activity monitoring system that does not interfere with the behavior of animals. We validate the reliability of the system in multiple circadian biology research scenarios. This device is customizable and can be used for many animal species.