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Dieser Beitrag befasst sich mit der Wechselbeziehung zwischen Bürokratie, Ideologien des Maßstabs und der Utopie in der Schaffung des „gemeinsamen Erbes“ als Verkörperung des UNESCO-Ideals der Vereinigung von Menschen über physische und symbolische Grenzen hinweg. Die skalare Utopie der UNESCO wird erforscht durch einen Fokus auf „multinationale Nominierungen“ für die repräsentative Liste des immateriellen Kulturerbes. Ihre politische Agenda wird veranschaulicht am Beispiel der binationalen Bewerbung des koreanischen Ringkampfes, der die gemeinsame Kultur der rivalisierenden Länder betont. Dieser Mechanismus wird verglichen mit einer Rhetorik der Universalität, wie sie aus den Debatten um die Aufnahme von Reggae und Yoga in diese Liste hervorgeht. Eine Teilnehmende Beobachtung des globalen Apparats des immateriellen Kulturerbes wirft ein Licht auf den Einfallsreichtum der Kulturerbe-Funktionäre bei der Verfolgung von Idealen der Einheit: Administrative Technologien zur Schaffung von Repräsentationen des Erbes als gemeinsam werden in einem Prozess entworfen und umgesetzt, der die Utopie bürokratisch und die Bürokratie utopisch macht.

Mineralized biological tissues rich in type I collagen (e.g., bone and dentin) exhibit complex anisotropic suprafibrillar organizations in which the organic and inorganic moieties are intimately coassembled over several length scales. Above a critical size, a defect in such tissue cannot be self-repaired. Biomimetic materials with a composition and microstructure similar to that of bone have been shown to favorably influence bone regeneration. This highlights the value of developing a similar formulation in an injectable form to enable minimally invasive techniques. Here, we report on the fabrication and application potential of an injectable collagen/CHA (carbonated hydroxyapatite) cell-free hydrogel. The organic part consists of spray-dried nondenatured and dense collagen microparticles, while the inorganic part consists of biomimetic apatite mineral. By mixing both powders at desired tissue-like ratios with an aqueous solvent in one step, spontaneous co-self-assembly occurs, leading to the formation of a mineralized matrix with suprafibrillar tissue-like features thanks to the induced liquid crystalline properties of collagen on one hand and apatite on the other hand. When injected into soft tissue, the mineralized collagen hydrogel free of chemical cross-linking agents exhibits suitable cohesion and is biocompatible. Preliminary in vitro tests in a tooth cavity model show its integration onto dentin with a biomimetic interface. Based on the results, this versatile injectable mineralized collagen hydrogel shows promising potential as a biomaterial for bone tissue repair and mineralized tissue-like ink for bioprinting applications.

Antihypertensive treatment (AT) is essential for preventing hypertension-related cognitive decline. The goals of this observational study were to compare cognitive performance (CP) between non-hypertensive (NH) volunteers and hypertensive patients and to evaluate the correlation between CP and antihypertensive drugs (AHD). Three groups were constituted: NH (n= 30) [group 1], hypertensive with systolic blood pressure (SBP) < 140 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) < 90 mmHg (n= 54) [group 2] and hypertensive with SBP ≥ 140 or DBP ≥ 90 (n= 31) [group 3]. To analyze the cognitive domains, a neuropsychological battery was applied and the raw performance values in these tests were transformed into z-scores. The domain was considered impaired if it presented a z-score below −1.5 SD. Compared to group 1, both groups of hypertensive were older (51 [ ± 12] years) and showed a worse CP in episodic memory (p= 0.014), language (p= 0.003) and processing speed (PS) [p= 0.05]. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEi) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB) were the most used AHD (46.3%, p= 0.01 [group 2] and 64.5%, p= 0.005 [group 3]) and showed correlations with PS. Linear regression models revealed a negative association of PS with the use of ACEi (β = −0.230, p= 0.004), but not with the use of ARB (β = 0.208, p= 0.008). The effect of AT on cognition appears to go beyond the search for lower blood pressure targets and also includes the mechanism of action of AHD on the brain, so that additional benefits may possibly be achieved with simple adaptations in the treatment regimen, particularly in patients without clinically manifest cognitive impairment.

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Similar to most Psittaciformes, the blue-fronted parrot (Amazona aestiva) lacks sexual dimorphism. In this way, sexing methods have been investigated to assist in the reproductive management and medical care of these birds. This study aimed to assess head and radiographic biometry for sex identification of blue-fronted parrots. Six head measurements and 23 radiographic measurements of 52 carcasses (24 males and 28 females) were taken. Males exhibited higher mean values than females for most of the measurements. For head biometry, the proposed discriminant equation containing rhinotheca length and head plus rhinotheca length allowed for correct sexing of 60% of males and 88% of females, while for radiographic biometry the discriminant equation containing head heigh and right alula length allowed the discrimination of 84.6% of males and 66.7% of females. This is the first study evaluating the use of radiographic biometry for sexing psittaciforms. Both biometric methods are suitable for sexing blue-fronted parrots when DNA sampling is not possible, since they are low-cost, provide immediate results, and are non-invasive techniques.

ABSTRACTUNESCO heritage policies encourage the idea that heritage should be ‘shared’ at the international scale, and invite states and the involved actors to adopt this vision. Yet, ‘sharedness’ can be understood in many different ways. This paper explores several territorial and political issues related to this notion of sharedness. A focus on the uses of a particular UNESCO tool – ‘multinational nominations’ – sheds a light on transnational cultural practices and examines forms of cooperation within communities and between states in the framework of the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH). Specifically, it analyses the work of a French commission for the ICH as well as the nomination processes of three different cultural practices to the ICH lists: flamenco, falconry and alpinism. It is argued that ‘shared heritage’ is interpreted in a variety of ways, leading to contrastive appropriations and competing territorial scenarios among the various protagonists.

In this work, co-encapsulation of Lactiplantibacillus plantarumLP-01 (L. plantarum) and chrysin flavonoid, two antidepressant agents, by external ionic gelation was evaluated regarding feasibility, properties and stability. L. plantarumwas encapsulated at a concentration of 10 CFU mL−1, and chrysin at concentrations of 0.1, 0.25 and 0.5 % (m/m). Encapsulation proved to be feasible, as observed by the excellent encapsulation efficiency of probiotics (90 %) and chrysin (54–84 %), and the absence of any acute or chronic toxicity of chrysin to probiotics. The properties of the capsules showed results consistent with this type of encapsulation and the encapsulated materials, such as average size, morphology and color. Through in vitrogastrointestinal digestion, it was found that encapsulation provided progressive release of probiotics in the digestive tract, and protected chrysin from its degradation in the gastric phase. The stability of the microparticles was evaluated for 120 days under 3 different temperature conditions (25, 8 and −18 °C). The best stability of L. plantarumoccurred at a temperature of −18 °C, followed by 8 and 25 °C. The chrysin content was not substantially modified over the 120 days of study at any of the concentrations and at none of the temperatures. In short, this work showed the feasibility, properties and stability of microparticles containing L. plantarumand chrysin, and future studies should focus on the application of these microparticles in food, pharmaceutical or nutraceutical formulations and in bioassays, especially experimental models of depression.

Background: Obesity is a multifactorial disease with epigenetic manifestations that increases the prevalence of associated comorbidities such as metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular dysfunction, and major depression disorder. Given the aforementioned, a search for new pharmacological alternatives for the treatment of this disease is necessary. The current study aimed to evaluate the effects of histone deacetylase-3 (HDAC3) inhibition caused by RGFP966 (a benzamide-type HDAC inhibitor selective for HDAC3) administration, in an animal model of obesity induced by high-fat diet (HFD). Methods: Adult male mice C57BJ/6 were fed with a normal pellet diet (NPD) or HFD for 120 days. The HDAC3 inhibitor (RGFP966; 10 mg/kg; sc) was administered on the 91st to 120th day of the experiment (per 30 days). After the last inhibitor administration, animals were euthanized, blood was collected, and the hippocampus was removed for biochemical determinations. Results: In an overall manner, the administration of RGFP966 protected against changes in body weight gain, glucose, insulin, lipid profile, adipokines, and increase of hippocampal proinflammatory cytokines levels caused by HFD. Conclusion: Therefore, HDAC3 inhibition can represent a promising pharmacological target for the treatment of obesity. Graphical abstract:

Antarctica’s ice shelves play a critical role in modulating ice loss to the ocean by buttressing grounded ice upstream. With the potential to impact ice-shelf stability, persistent polynyas (open-water areas surrounded by sea ice that occur across multiple years at the same location) at the edge of many ice-shelf fronts are maintained by winds and/or ocean heat and are locations of strong ice–ocean–atmosphere interactions. However, in situ observations of polynyas are sparse due to the logistical constraints of collecting Antarctic field measurements. Here, we used wintertime (May–August) temperature and salinity observations derived from seal-borne instruments deployed in 2014, 2019, and 2020, in conjunction with thermal imagery from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and the Landsat 8 Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS) to investigate spatial, temporal, and thermal structural variability of polynyas near Pine Island Glacier (PIG). Across the three winters considered, there were 176 anomalously warm ( $3\sigma $ from background) seal dives near the PIG ice front, including 26 dives that coincided with MODIS images with minimal cloud cover that also showed a warm surface temperature anomaly. These warm surface temperatures correlated with ocean temperatures down to 150 m depth or deeper, depending on the year, suggesting that MODIS-derived surface thermal anomalies can be used for monitoring polynya presence and structure during polar night. The finer spatial resolution (100 m) of TIRS wintertime thermal imagery captures more detailed thermal structural variability within these polynyas, which may provide year-round insight into subice-shelf processes if this dataset is collected operationally.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by deficits in social interaction and repetitive behaviors. In this study, we assessed the effect of lutein-loaded nanoparticles on ASD-like behaviors induced by prenatal valproic acid (VPA) exposure in female offspring rats and the possible involvement of oxidative stress and apoptosis. Pregnant female Wistar rats received a single intraperitoneal injection of VPA (600 mg/kg), on the gestational day 12.5. The VPA-exposed female offspring rats were divided into two subgroups and received either lutein-loaded nanoparticles (5 mg/kg) or saline by oral gavage, for 14 days. The animals were submitted to the three-chamber test and open field to evaluate ASD-like behaviors. The hippocampus was removed for the determination of oxidative stress indicators (ROS; TBARS; SOD and Nrf2) and apoptosis biomarkers (Hsp-70; p38-MAPK; Bax and Bcl-2). The exposure to lutein-loaded nanoparticles reversed sociability deficit, social memory deficit, and anxiety-like and repetitive behaviors induced by VPA, and restored the oxidative stress indicators and apoptosis biomarkers in the hippocampus. This neurochemical effect must be associated with the reversal of ASD-like behaviors. These results provide evidence that lutein-loaded nanoparticles are an alternative treatment for VPA-induced behavioral damage in female rats and suggest the involvement of oxidative stress.

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Non-motor alterations such as anxiety and memory deficit may represent early indications of Parkinson’s disease (PD), and therapeutic strategies that reduce non-motor alterations are promising alternatives for the treatment. Therefore, the search for natural compounds that act on motor and non-motor complications is highly relevant. In this sense, we demonstrated the role of hesperidin (Hsd) as a citrus flavonoid and its pharmacological properties as an antioxidant and neuroprotective agent. Our objective was to evaluate Hsd in developing motor and non-motor alterations in a Drosophila melanogastermodel of Parkinson-like disease induced by iron (Fe) exposure. The flies were divided into six groups: control, Hsd (10 µM), L-dopa (positive control, 1 mM), Fe (1 mM), Fe + Hsd, and Fe + L-dopa. Motor coordination tests, memory assessment through aversive phototaxy, and anxiety-like behaviors characterized in flies, such as grooming and aggressiveness, were performed. The Hsd attenuated motor and non-motor alterations, such as motor coordination, memory deficits and anxiety-like behaviors, attenuated monoaminergic deficits, and lowered Fe levels in the head of flies. In addition, Hsd prolonged the life of the flies, thereby standing out from the L-dopa-treated group. Thus, Hsd can protect the dopaminergic system from insults caused by Fe, preventing non-motor alterations in PD; Hsd also reduced Fe levels in the flies’ heads, suggesting that iron chelation may represent an important mechanism of action, in addition to its antioxidant action.

ObjectiveTo test the impact of directly observed therapy (DOT) at hospital for checking not only adherence/diagnosis in patients with resistant (RHTN) and refractory (RefHTN) hypertension but also blood pressure (BP) control after hospital discharge.MethodsDuring 2 years, Brazilian patients with clinical suspicion of RHTN/RefHTN after several attempts (≥3) to control BP in the outpatient setting were invited to perform DOT (including low-sodium diet and supervised medications intake) at the hospital. RHTN and RefHTN were categorised using standard definitions. After hospital discharge, we evaluated the BP values and the number of antihypertensive drugs prescribed by physicians who were not involved with the investigation.ResultsWe studied 83 patients clinically suspected for RHTN (31%) and RefHTN (69%) (mean age: 53 years; 76% female; systolic BP 177±28 mm Hg and diastolic BP 106±21 mm Hg; number of antihypertensive drugs: 5.3±1.3). DOT confirmed RHTN in 77%, whereas RefHTN was confirmed in only 32.5%. The number of antihypertensive drugs reduced to 4.5±1.3 and systolic/diastolic BP at hospital discharge reduced to 131±17 mm Hg/80±12 mm Hg. After hospital discharge, systolic BP remained significantly lower than the last outpatient visit prehospital admission (delta changes (95% CI): 1 month: −25.7 (−33.8 to −17.6) mm Hg; 7 months: −27.3 (−35.5 to −19.1) mm Hg) despite fewer number of antihypertensive classes (1 month: −1.01 (−1.36 to −0.67); 7 months: −0.77 (−1.11 to −0.42)). Similar reductions were observed for diastolic BP.ConclusionsDOT at hospital is helpful not only in confirming/excluding RHTN/RefHTN phenotypes, but also in improving BP values and BP control and in reducing the need for antihypertensive drugs after hospital discharge.

Abstract: We demonstrate that the rate of extracellular signal-related kinase phosphorylation (P-ERK1,2/Total-ERK1,2) in the amygdala is negatively and independently associated with anxiety symptoms in 23 consecutive patients with drug-resistant mesial temporal lobe epilepsy that was surgically treated. In naive Wistar rats, the P-ERK1,2/Total-ERK1,2 ratio in the amygdala correlates negatively with innate anxiety-related behavior on the elevated plus maze (n= 20) but positively with expression of defensive-learned behavior (i.e., freezing) on Pavlovian aversive (fear) conditioning (n= 29). The microinfusion of ERK1/2 inhibitor (FR180204, n= 8–13/group) or MEK inhibitor (U0126, n= 8–9/group) into the basolateral amygdala did not affect anxiety-related behavior but impaired the evocation (anticipation) of conditioned-defensive behavior (n= 9–11/group). In conclusion, the P-ERK1,2/Total-ERK1,2 ratio in the amygdala predicts anxiety in humans and the innate anxiety- and conditioned freezing behaviors in rats. However, the ERK1/2 in the basolateral AMY is only required for the expression of defensive-learned behavior. These results support a dissociate ERK-dependent mechanism in the amygdala between innate anxiety-like responses and the anticipation of learned-defensive behavior. These findings have implications for understanding highly prevalent psychiatric disorders related to the defensive circuit manifested by anxiety and fear. Highlights:

The P-ERK1,2/Total-ERK1,2 ratio in the amygdala (AMY) correlates negatively with anxiety symptoms in patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy.

The P-ERK1,2/Total-ERK1,2 in the amygdala correlates negatively with the anxiety-like behavior and positively with freezing-learned behavior in naive rats.

ERK1,2 in the basolateral amygdala is required for learned-defensive but not for the anxiety-like behavior expression in rats.

Background: Most of the evidence on bariatric surgery on obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is based on observational studies and/or short-term follow-up in patients with obesity grade 3. Subjects/Methods: This randomized study compared the effects of roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) or usual care (UC) on OSA severity in patients with obesity grade 1–2. Mild, moderate, and severe OSA was defined by the apnea-hypopnoea index (AHI): 5–14.9; 15–29.9, and ≥30 events/h, respectively. OSA remission was defined by converting any form of OSA into normal AHI (&lt;5 events/h). Results: After 3-year of follow-up, the body-mass index increased in the UC while decreased in the RYGB group: +1.7 (−1.9; 2.7) versus −10.6 (−12.7; −9.2) kg/m2, respectively. The AHI increased by 5 (−4.2; 12.7) in the UC group while reduced in the RYGB group to −13.2 (−22.7; −7) events/h. UC significantly increase the frequency of moderate OSA (from 15.4 to 46.2%). In contrast, RYGB had a huge impact on reaching no OSA status (from 4.2 to 70.8%) in parallel to a decrease of moderate (from 41.7 to 8.3%) and severe OSA (from 20.8 to 0%). Conclusions: RYGB is an attractive strategy for mid-term OSA remission or decrease moderate-to-severe forms of OSA in patients with obesity grade 1–2.

Background: When undergoing magnetic resonance (MR) exams, patients need to lie still in a noisy and enclosed environment for a long time. This condition, together with the anxiety burden related to the possible implications of the scan results, can entail a diagnostic outcome of poor quality. Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate the personal perception and experience of adult patients undergoing unenhanced musculoskeletal MR. Methods: Consecutive outpatients undergoing unenhanced MR of spine, knee or shoulder were asked to respond to a 10-item questionnaire at the end of the exam. Results: 263 patients (54% males, mean age 50.6 ±15.8 years, range 18-83 years) completed the questionnaire. Patients declared that the most disturbing elements of the exam were forced immobility and noise (30% in both cases). Females perceived significantly higher degree of anxiety than males (56% vs. 21%, p<0.001). Exam duration was correctly perceived by 83% of the population. Patients' satisfaction was generally high (mean above 9 over 10). Conclusion: Explanations and clarifications given before the exam were considered satisfactory by the patients. Despite some negative aspects such as noise, immobility and anxiety especially in females, patients' satisfaction with our service was high, as well as the willingness to return.

Hypertension is a pathology of high prevalence in the world. In Brazil, it is the main risk factor for the major cause of death in the country, coronary heart disease. The May Measurement Month Campaign in 2018 (MMM18) included a population with representation from all Brazilian states and reflects some of the characteristics of hypertension in Brazil. Questionnaire data were collected and three measures of blood pressure (BP) were performed. The sample consisted of 12 413 individuals, 59.1% were white, 51.3% were women. The average age was 54. ± 16.0 years. Diabetes was present in 11.6%, previous myocardial infarction in 5.9%, and previous stroke in 2.7%. Current smokers were 9.3% and 12.4% were regular drinkers. The average body mass index was 27.3 ± 4.5 kg/m2. After multiple imputations, 67.9% were hypertensive (>140/90 mmHg). Of the individuals who were not taking antihypertensive medication, 27.9% were hypertensive and of those taking antihypertensive medication, 40.3% were uncontrolled. Systolic BP increased with age. The MMM18 campaign demonstrated a large number of unknown hypertensives and a high rate of uncontrolled hypertension in Brazil, unfortunately in keeping with 2017 findings.

Wall shear stress (WSS) is considered as a key factor for atherosclerosis development. Previous WSS research based on pulsed wave Doppler (PWD) showed limitations in complex flows. To improve accuracy for nonlaminar flow, a commercial ultrasound vector flow imaging (UVFI)‐based WSS calculation is proposed. Errors for PWD are presented theoretically when flow is not laminar. Based on this, simulations of WSS calculations between PWD and UVFI were set up for different turbulent flows. Our simulations show that UVFI has obviously better performance than PWD in WSS calculations. Wall shear stress results in different flow conditions at carotid bifurcations are described.