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El comportamiento sexual íntimo de las parejas (normales o no-patológicas) deben ser descritos por los psicólogos, para ello usan dos perspectivas; una es la primera a) psicopatológica del DSM 5 y CIE-10 o, la segunda b) la perspectiva de la psicología positiva, que utilizan los modelos de Kinsey (1953), Masters y Johnson (1966), Kaplan (1979), Schnarch (1991), Whipple y Brash-Mc.Greer (1997), y Basson (2000). Un panel de expertos buscó validar una nueva taxonomía de conductas eróticas. La música sexual se refiere a la conducta individual y diádica que una pareja hace para llegar al coito sexual; las cualidades de la conducta monódica de un amante son: a) Intensidad, b) Duración, c) Timbre y d) Tono sexual; y la coordinación musical diádica de dos amantes son: x) Ritmo, y) Melodía y z) Armonía sexual. Un panel de siete expertos usando el método Delphi validó el contenido de la teoría siete dimensiones de la música sexual proporcionando la definición conceptual y la operacionalización de las variables sexuales usadas; además, los expertos proporcionaron la casuística clínica de sus casos particulares.

Em 1996, a historiadora da biologia norte-americana Vassiliki Betty Smocovitis publicou um livro de leitura obrigatória para se conhecer a história da biologia do século XX: Unifying biology: the evolutionary synthesis and evolutionary biology. Embora o subtítulo indique o recorte do evento histórico das décadas de 1930 e 1940, que levou à então chamada síntese moderna ou teoria sintética de evolução, o livro perpassa diversas subáreas das ciências biológicas, incluindo as que ficaram de fora da mencionada teoria. Também mais do que o já trivial relato dos feitos dos “arquitetos” da síntese, Smocovitis ofereceu uma interpretação historiograficamente nova. Em vez de ápice de um processo quase espontâneo, cumulativo e linear, a autora coloca a síntese como um “alvo móvel”, mas de longa data desejado, o da unificação da ciência, nutrido pelas “ciências positivas” do século XIX e definitivamente marcado pelo empirismo lógico das primeiras décadas do século XX. Após contextualizar o ponto de partida dos entrevistadores em meio à pandemia da covid-19 e sumarizar os assuntos acima referidos, o presente artigo traz entrevista realizada virtualmente com a autora em 17 de novembro de 2021. Além dos temas abordados, pudemos conhecer um pouco mais sobre como a autora concebeu a obra e como transcorreu o processo de escrita do seu Unifying biology. Interessou-nos especialmente que ela discorresse sobre o forte contextualismo que renovou a história das ciências nos anos 1990 e hoje passa, por vezes, ignorado dos jovens pesquisadores da área. Nosso interesse foi explorar como ela combinou seu profundo conhecimento da história da biologia e da sua historiografia com as novas tendências dos science studies. Outros tópicos acabaram trazidos à conversa, como o dos paradigmas teóricos subjacentes à história e filosofia da biologia, do estado atual da institucionalização da história das ciências nos EUA, dos entraves da popularização da ciência e do impacto dos governos autoritários na atividade acadêmica.

Gli ultimi mesi del terzo anno della scuola dell'infanzia sono, di norma, considerati un periodo carico di aspettative in vista del passaggio alla scuola primaria. L'avvento della pandemia da pandemia da SARS-CoV-2 ha visto questo momento conclusivo di un ciclo di formazione caratterizzarsi per l'esperienza di lock-down e di didattica a distanza che i bambini e le loro famiglie hanno dovuto affrontare. Con una serie di interviste fatte nei mesi di giugno-luglio 2020 ai genitori dei bambini che avevano appena concluso l'ultimo anno della scuola dell'infanzia, abbiamo cercato di capire quali fossero i vissuti emotivi di questa popolazione in un momento delicato di passaggio tra ordini di scuola, in un periodo storico in cui, per necessità emergenziali, sono state introdotte modalità di formazione a distanza mai prima utilizzate in forma estensiva per questa fascia d'età. Sono state effettuate 16 interviste semi-strutturate, con la metodologia dell'intervista di esplicitazione (Vermersch, 2005), ai genitori di 18 bambini (9 femmine, una tripletta di gemelli dizigoti) che hanno frequentato nel 2019-20 l'ultimo anno della Scuola dell'infanzia. Hanno risposto 14 mamme e 2 papà, 14 famiglie italiane e 2 di origine straniera. Le interviste sono state svolte in remoto e videoregistrate, trascritte interamente e in seguito codificate con un'analisi tematica (Pagani, 2020). In particolare, rispetto alla DAD abbiamo analizzato il vissuto dei bambini (la loro partecipazione, le difficoltà incontrate e gli aspetti positivi riscontrati) e dei genitori, che si sono confrontati con un compito un po' inedito di insegnanti, ma anche le esplicitazioni rispetto alle difficoltà pratiche e tecnologiche incontrate. L'analisi approfondita permessa dall'utilizzo dell'intervista di esplicitazione rende i dati raccolti particolarmente interessanti nel filone degli studi sulla pandemia da SARS-CoV-2, proprio perché esplora l'aspetto qualitativo dell'esperienza in un campo che è sicuramente nuovo per qualunque ricercatore. E alcune delle indicazioni emerse possono essere utili non solo rispetto all'esperienza vissuta e in generale alla riflessione sul ruolo della didattica a distanza, ma anche rispetto al significato della didattica in relazione ai bimbi della scuola dell'infanzia.

La enseñanza universitaria es una práctica social que, como tal, se despliega en un espacio-tiempo propio, en el que confluye diversos objetos y en el que las formas de uso de los recursos que en ella se despliegan están en estrecha relación con las actividades que se desarrollan. Desde principios del año 2020, esta situación se vio sacudida por la aparición de una pandemia producto del COVID-19, que llevó a que en las universidades argentinas se suspendieran todas las actividades presenciales. Así, docentes y estudiantes tuvimos que aprender a trabajar en la virtualidad.Desde la asesoría pedagógica de una universidad argentina decidimos investigar cuáles fueron los cambios que produjo el paso a la virtualidad de la enseñanza universitaria desde la mirada de los propios docentes. Los objetivos de este artículo son presentar dichos cambios, dar visibilidad a las experiencias que los docentes vivenciaron en este contexto y finalmente, plantear líneas de acción posibles que contribuyan a transformar la enseñanza universitaria mediada por la virtualidad y el acompañamiento institucional a los docentes en esta situación disruptiva.

Spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH) is an infrequent cause of daily persistent orthostatic headache with an incidence of 5 to 100,000 persons/year. In very rare cases, no cause can be found and these conditions may be called spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid leak (CSFL). Radionuclide cisternography (RNC) has played useful role in detecting CSFL. Although RNC has been used in many cases, few have been reported in which CSFL out of the subarachnoid space was detected. A case of CSFL confirmed by RNC direct findings is reported. SIH is difficult to diagnose and 95% of patients may initially receive an incorrect diagnosis. RNC has been shown to be fairly characteristic in SIH patients.

Despite the recent increase in Virtual Reality (VR) technologies employed for training manufacturing operators on industrial robotic tasks, the impact of VR methods compared to traditional ones is still unclear. This paper presents an experimental comparison of the two training approaches, with novice operators performing the same manufacturing tasks with a VR robot and with a real robot. The hardware selected is an ABB IRB 120 industrial robot, a HTC Vive head mounted display to operate it, besides a corresponding VR model developed in Unity. Twenty-four students performed two actions — drawing and “pick and place” -– in tasks with increasing difficulty, with both the VR model and the real robot. Completion time and task pass rate are adopted to estimate the learning efficiency, while a questionnaire evaluates the users’ satisfaction. The results show that students using VR overall need less elapsed time to complete all tasks, and they record a higher pass rate. The questionnaire answers show that 83% of participants find the VR model helpful in familiarizing with the real robot, and 75% are in favor of using the virtual tool for training novice operators. Users also report that moving the real robot is more complex than the virtual one; adjusting the speed is harder and the possibility of causing damage is worrisome, whereas the VR robot feels safer to operate and easier to drive. The majority of students are satisfied with the design of the tasks, and feel content with the experience. The main finding is that learning from a VR model allows to master driving a real robot quickly and easily. VR training is more useful than conventional methods because it reduces the learning time, allows for training without hindering production, lowers the risk perception, and improves safety for operators and industrial equipment. QC 20221116

After COVID-19 vaccination, a spectrum of axillary lymphadenopathy were observed in patients undergoing routine breast ultrasound. Malignancy remains the most serious differential in cases of unilateral axillary adenopathy. Knowledge of axillary ultrasound findings after COVID-19 vaccination is essential to prevent unnecessary biopsy or change in therapy in oncological patients. From March to May 2021, 10 female patients underwent breast ultrasound in our Department for the evaluation of axillary lumps. All the patients received their first or second dose of COVID-19 vaccine 20–30 days before the exam in the same extremity of the ultrasound evaluation where lymphadenopathy was found. Five patients had a personal history of previous breast cancer, and the radiologist decided to perform a core biopsy (the histology was negative for malignancy). The other five patients with no personal history of cancer underwent ultrasound and returned after a short-term follow-up. Regression of the enlarged lymph nodes was found.

The neuropeptide Urocortin 2 (UCN2) acts as a ligand for the G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) corticotropin-releasing hormone receptor 2 (CRHR2) expressed in the brain and peripheral metabolic tissues. UCN2 has been reported to improve or worsen insulin sensitivity and glucose uptake in skeletal muscle and have opposing effects on glucose tolerance in vivo. In this report, we examined the acute and chronic effect of UCN2 on glucose metabolism and signaling pathways downstream of CRHR2. Consistent with previous reports, we found that acute dosing of UCN2 induced systemic insulin resistance and hyperglycemia in mice and skeletal muscle. Inversely, chronic elevation of UCN2 by injection with adenovirus encoding UCN2 (UCN2.AAV) resolved metabolic complications, improving glucose tolerance. Phosphoproteomic analysis of acutely treated skeletal muscle revealed dephosphorylation of IRS1 and AKT1S1, which was entirely reversed in UCN2.AAV skeletal muscle. Interestingly, pharmacological studies showed that all human isoforms of CRHR2 recruit Gs, as well as Gi and β-Arrestin, in response to stimulation with UCN2. However, Gi and β-Arrestin recruitment occurs at UCN2 concentrations 10-fold higher than Gs recruitment. Furthermore, pre-treating cells with UCN2 led to internalization of CRHR2 and dampened ligand-dependent increases in cAMP. Consistent with the in vivo results, treatment of mouse soleus muscle with UCN2 ex vivo showed AKT1S1 and IRS1 dephosphorylation and decreased glucose uptake in response to insulin; these responses were blunted when the muscle was pre-incubated with UCN2. These studies demonstrate that exposure to high, chronic concentrations of UCN2 desensitizes CRHR2, thus blocking the effects of acute UCN2, and improving insulin sensitivity, in skeletal muscle and systemically. On the other hand, acute treatment with UCN2 activates CRHR2 through recruitment of Gs which leads to blunted insulin signaling and glucose uptake. These results provide mechanistic insights into how UCN2 regulates insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism in skeletal muscle and in vivo. Importantly, a working model was derived from these results that unifies the contradictory metabolic effects of UCN2.

Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) is caused by misexpression of the DUX4 transcription factor in skeletal muscle that results in transcriptional alterations, abnormal phenotypes and cell death. To gain insight into the kinetics of DUX4-induced stresses, we activated DUX4 expression in myoblasts and performed longitudinal RNA sequencing paired with proteomics and phosphoproteomics. This analysis revealed changes in cellular physiology upon DUX4 activation, including DNA damage and altered mRNA splicing. Phosphoproteomic analysis uncovered rapid widespread changes in protein phosphorylation following DUX4 induction, indicating that alterations in kinase signaling might play a role in DUX4-mediated stress and cell death. Indeed, we demonstrate that two stress-responsive MAP kinase pathways, JNK and p38, are activated in response to DUX4 expression. Inhibition of each of these pathways ameliorated DUX4-mediated cell death in myoblasts. These findings uncover that the JNK pathway is involved in DUX4-mediated cell death and provide additional insights into the role of the p38 pathway, a clinical target for the treatment of FSHD.

Learning factories are realistic manufacturing environments built for education; many universities have recently introduced learning factories in engineering programs to tackle real industrial problems; however, statistical studies on its effectiveness are still scarce. This paper presents a statistical study on the impact of learning factories on the students’ learning process, when teaching the lean manufacturing concepts in an assembly environment. The analysis is carried out through the Lean Manufacturing Lab at KTH, a learning factory supporting the traditional educational activities. In the lab, the students assemble a product on an assembly line; during three rounds, they identify problems on the line, apply the appropriate lean tools to overcome the problems, and try to achieve a higher productivity. The study is based on the analysis of the times recorded during the sessions of the lab. A questionnaire submitted to the students after the course evaluates the level of knowledge of lean production principles that the students achieved. The results are twofold: the improvement of the assembly times through the implementation of the lean tools and the positive effect of a hands-on experience on the students’ understanding of the lean principles, highlighted by the answers to the questionnaire. The main contributions are that applying the lean tools on an assembly line improves the productivity even with inexperienced operators, implementing a learning factory is effective in enhancing the learning process, and, lastly, that a first-hand experience applying the lean tools in a real assembly environment is an added value to the students’ education. QC 20221123Part of proceedings: ISBN 978-3-031-18325-6

Modern manufacturing has to cope with dynamic and changing circumstances. Market fluctuations, the effects caused by unpredictable material shortages, highly variable product demand, and worker availability all require system robustness, flexibility, and resilience. To adapt to these new requirements, manufacturers should consider investigating, investing in, and implementing system autonomy. Autonomy is being adopted in multiple industrial contexts, but divergences arise when formalising the concept of autonomous systems. To develop an implementation of autonomous manufacturing systems it is essential to specify what autonomy means, how autonomous manufacturing systems are different from other autonomous systems, and how autonomous manufacturing systems are identified and achieved through the main features and enabling technologies. With a comprehensive literature review, this paper provides a definition of autonomy in the manufacturing context, infers the features of autonomy from different engineering domains, and presents a five-level model of autonomy -- associated with maturity levels for the features -- to ensure the complete identification and evaluation of autonomous manufacturing systems. The paper also presents the evaluation of a real autonomous system that serves as a use-case and a validation of the model.

We are looking at the possible Hawthorne effect that occurs when athletes are being observed indirectly by their coach during the off season. We will measure how often athletes self-report workout and how long they workout when they do not think their coach is observing and when they think the coach is observing.

This study examines the persuasion that advertising against alcohol has on men and women compared to advertisements for alcohol consumption. Would the campaign of not drinking influence the individuals watching the advertisement or has the lifetime of alcohol promotion brainwashed the youth? The overall purpose of this study was to determine if campaigns against alcohol being shown on network television are truly effective.

My study will be conducted to see if music affects mood.

In the current study, we look to see if songs that show drinking in a positive or negative way can influence people’s willingness to engage in drinking/partying. The current study also looks to see if there is a difference in the willingness of people to engage in drinking/partying if they are shown the music video for the song rather than just listening to it.

Different video types of anti-DUI public service announcements and their impact on college student's decision to drink and drive.

Final Project Research

In this study I will be testing to see if alcohol and non alcohol social media postings effect ones drinking behaviors

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In the current study, it will be determined if the manner in which the DARE information was presented had an effect on its success rates. It will be experimented in a way in which information is presented to both males and females, either showing scary statistics regarding drugs and alcohol or taking a personal approach and having people relate to real life scenarios. It will be revealed whether they choose to lessen drug and alcohol use after having them apply scenarios to their personal life, or by scaring them away with harsh statistics and facts.

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This project is to gather data to analyze the effect social media promotion of alcohol can have on young adults drinking attitudes.

Gender And Its Affected On Desire To Consume Alcohol-Based On Advertising

this current study wanted to examine was that if there was an interaction with these two topics (how strict one’s parents were about alcohol and gender differences), and not only look at just one of them. This is important because as stated, alcoholism makes no exceptions in claiming its victims. This is a serious problem worldwide and with more knowledge about it we can better combat this illness and help prevent it from occurring in others as well.

The experiment is investigating if men and women's drinking habits are judged differently and if the gender of the participant influences how harshly they are judged. This will be done through a survey that will ask demographic questions, then give the participants one of two scenarios, one with a woman and one with a man. Both scenarios will have the same wording and drinking tendencies, but different gender. Then, the participant will be asked how respectable the behavior was.

Previous research has displayed that the gendered elements included in advertisements can affect an individual's willingness to purchase a product. This study aims to test the impacts that the gendered context a product is set in can have on an individual's willingness to view the product as desirable

Higher Intensity Workouts with Partner

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Population-based cancer registration methods are subject to internationally-established rules. To ensure efficient and effective case recording, population-based cancer registries widely adopt digital processing (DP) methods. At the Veneto Tumor Registry (RTV), about 50% of all digitally-identified (putative) cases of cancer are further profiled by means of registrars’ assessments (RAs). Taking these RAs for reference, the present study examines how well the registry’s DP performs. A series of 1,801 (putative) incident and prevalent cancers identified using DP methods were randomly assigned to two experienced registrars (blinded to the DP output), who independently re-assessed every case. This study focuses on the concordance between the DP output and the RAs as concerns cancer status (incident versus prevalent), topography, and morphology. The RAs confirmed the cancer status emerging from DP for 1,266/1,317 incident cancers (positive predictive value [PPV] = 96.1%) and 460/472 prevalent cancers (PPV = 97.5%). This level of concordance ranks as “optimal”, with a Cohen’s K value of 0.91. The overall prevalence of false-positive cancer cases identified by DP was 2.9%, and was affected by the number of digital variables available. DP and the RAs were consistent in identifying cancer topography in 88.7% of cases; differences concerned different sites within the same anatomo-functional district (according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer [IARC]) in 9.6% of cases. In short, using DP for cancer case registration suffers from only trivial inconsistencies. The efficiency and reliability of digital cancer registration is influenced by the availability of good-quality clinical information, and the regular interdisciplinary monitoring of a registry’s DP performance.

to evaluate if the country of origin affects participation and outcomes of cervical cancer screening.retrospective cohort study.all Italian and foreign women resident in the Veneto region (North-Eastern Italy) who were born between 1986 and 1992 and who had been invited for the first time through the screening programme between 2011 and 2017 were identified and included in the survey.participation to screening was calculated along with the detection of Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia (CIN) grade 2 or 3 and of carcinoma, by citizenship.96,105 (77.5%) Italians and 27,958 (22.5%) foreign women were included. Overall, the adjusted participation was 53.3%, with large differences among the geographical study areas. The value was highest for Italian women (56.4%), while women with other citizenships showed lower attendance: 45.5% for Eastern Europe, 44.8% for Sub Saharan Africa, 40.0% for Northern Africa, 38.5% for Central and Southern America, and 36.5% for Asia. The detection of CIN2+ was higher for women from Central and Southern America (23.0‰) or from Eastern Europe (17.9‰), while it was lower for those from Italy (11.9‰), Northern Africa (7.5‰), Sub-Saharan Africa (6.6‰), and from Asia (2.5‰) (p0.001).cervical screening programmes should identify and face the barriers to participation of foreign women. This is particularly important for women from geographic areas with a high prevalence of disease, such as Central and Southern America and Eastern Europe.

En ce mois de février 2021, la pandémie de Covid-19 pose de nouvelles questions aux soignants et aux usagers de la santé. Les principales questions concernent les variants du Sars-CoV-2. Que sait-on du Sars-CoV-2 ? Qu’est-ce qu’un variant ? Ces variants sont-ils plus transmissibles et plus dangereux ? Les patients avec un antécédent de Covid-19 peuvent-ils se réinfecter ? Les trois vaccins actuellement disponibles en France (2 à ARNm et 1 à vecteur adénovirus non réplicatif) sont-ils efficaces sur ces variants ? Cette revue narrative de la littérature fournit des éléments de réponse à ces questions prégnantes en février 2021.

The target sits at the core of each facility for the production of radioactive ion beams for nuclear physics research. The materials which constitutes it must withstand extremes conditions of temperature and pressure, being bombarded by intense beams of light particles for several days. This is particularly important in high-power facilities such as SPES (Selective Production of Exotic Species) in which the targets are subjected to strong thermal gradients. Accurate choice and design of materials are therefore crucial. On recent years, several studies have been carried out in the framework of the SPES target research and development. An overview of recently exploited production techniques and a selection of synthesized materials are presented.

Competences is one of the key words used to describe performance improvement in language learning and teaching and management training. Training is not just concerned with knowledge but with competence – the ability to perform successfully. Competences and the achievement of competency are key indicators used in quality assurance and assessment of student success and course validity. This paper takes a systemic stance on how to support migrant and ethnic minority learners develop their work-related communicative skills in the language of the country of residence (L2). It looks beyond the classroom at other places where work-related L2 learning take place and/or can be supported, including job centres and the workplace itself. It considers other actors than L2 teachers and providers including employers, managers and labour administration staff. Based on small-scale empirical research into work-related L2 teaching and learning practice, the article presents some findings of the Language for Work Network (LfW) and describes competences, which have been found helpful in practice to different actors supporting L2 development for and at work.

We report resolution of right-sided pulsatile tinnitus in a 44-year-old male who underwent stapedectomy for fenestral otosclerosis. Initial workup revealed a mixed hearing loss and absent stapedial reflexes consistent with ossicular fixation. CT angiography demonstrated near complete stenosis of the left-sided transverse and sigmoid sinuses and dominant contralateral venous outflow. We hypothesized that the dominant right cerebral venous outflow tract created turbulent flow that was conducted to cochlea. Successful stapedectomy was performed, and the pulsatile tinnitus resolved. This case report demonstrates evidence that the sound of turbulent blood flow can be conducted through bone and an instance where the perception of vascular tinnitus was eliminated with stapedectomy.

Six zeolite-bearing rocks, often used as building materials, were analyzed by thermodilatometry, together with a rock not bearing zeolites and a plaster covering a containing wall made of zeolite-bearing dimension stones, up to 250 °C. The main results obtained were the following: (i) the zeolite-bearing rocks exhibited very small, if any, positive variation of ΔL/Lo (%) up to about 100 °C, whereas they more or less shrank in the temperature range 100–250 °C (final values ranging from −0.21 to −0.92%), (ii) the rock not bearing zeolites regularly expanded through the whole temperature range, attaining a final value of 0.19%, (iii) the plaster showed a thermodilatometric behavior strongly affected by its water content. Obtained results were interpreted based on plain thermal expansion, shrinkage by dehydration, cation migration and thermal collapse of the zeolitic structure. The decay of the zeolite-bearing building materials was essentially related to: (i) the large differences recorded in the thermodilatometric behavior of the various rocks and the plaster, (ii) the different minerogenetic processes that resulted in the deposition of the various zeolite-bearing rocks.

Rationale About 50% of hospitalized coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) developed myocardial damage. The mechanisms of direct SARS-CoV-2 cardiomyocyte infection include viral invasion via ACE2-Spike glycoprotein-binding. In DM patients, the impact of glycation of ACE2 on cardiomyocyte invasion by SARS-CoV-2 can be of high importance. Objective To evaluate the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in cardiomyocytes from heart autopsy of DM cases compared to Non-DM; to investigate the role of DM in SARS-COV-2 entry in cardiomyocytes. Methods and results We evaluated consecutive autopsy cases, deceased for COVID-19, from Italy between Apr 30, 2020 and Jan 18, 2021. We evaluated SARS-CoV-2 in cardiomyocytes, expression of ACE2 (total and glycosylated form), and transmembrane protease serine protease-2 (TMPRSS2) protein. In order to study the role of diabetes on cardiomyocyte alterations, independently of COVID-19, we investigated ACE2, glycosylated ACE2, and TMPRSS2 proteins in cardiomyocytes from DM and Non-DM explanted-hearts. Finally, to investigate the effects of DM on ACE2 protein modification, an in vitro glycation study of recombinant human ACE2 (hACE2) was performed to evaluate the effects on binding to SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein. The authors included cardiac tissue from 97 autopsies. DM was diagnosed in 37 patients (38%). Fourth-seven out of 97 autopsies (48%) had SARS-CoV-2 RNA in cardiomyocytes. Thirty out of 37 DM autopsy cases (81%) and 17 out of 60 Non-DM autopsy cases (28%) had SARS-CoV-2 RNA in cardiomyocytes. Total ACE2, glycosylated ACE2, and TMPRSS2 protein expressions were higher in cardiomyocytes from autopsied and explanted hearts of DM than Non-DM. In vitro exposure of monomeric hACE2 to 120 mM glucose for 12 days led to non-enzymatic glycation of four lysine residues in the neck domain affecting the protein oligomerization. Conclusions The upregulation of ACE2 expression (total and glycosylated forms) in DM cardiomyocytes, along with non-enzymatic glycation, could increase the susceptibility to COVID-19 infection in DM patients by favouring the cellular entry of SARS-CoV2.

Despite their diminutive size, islets of Langerhans play a large role in maintaining systemic energy balance in the body. New technologies have enabled us to go from studying the whole pancreas to isolated whole islets, to partial islet sections, and now to islet substructures isolated from within the islet. Using a microfluidic nanodroplet-based proteomics platform coupled with laser capture microdissection and field asymmetric waveform ion mobility spectrometry, we present an in-depth investigation of protein profiles specific to features within the islet. These features include the islet-acinar interface vascular tissue, inner islet vasculature, isolated endocrine cells, whole islet with vasculature, and acinar tissue from around the islet. Compared to interface vasculature, unique protein signatures observed in the inner vasculature indicate increased innervation and intra-islet neuron-like crosstalk. We also demonstrate the utility of these data for identifying localized structure-specific drug-target interactions using existing protein/drug binding databases.

Human and animal source-separated urine, stored and allowed to naturally hydrolyse (the bio-catalysed transformation of urea to ammonia and bicarbonate), has been used for millennia as a fertiliser in agriculture. In a context of growing water scarcity and climate uncertainty, source-separation of urine is facing a strong revival thanks to the emergence of cost-effective waterless collection systems. Concomitantly, urine source-separation can be used as a method for nutrient recovery and subsequent reuse. In its simplest form, such recovery consists of collection followed by urea hydrolysis and storage as sole treatment. Numerous guidelines, including by the World Health Organisation, consider that this is sufficient to stabilise the nutrients and inactivate any potential pathogens in the urine. However, it is still unclear whether said urine is effectively free from other compounds of concern, such as anthropogenic micropollutants with known toxicological effects. Moreover, it is also currently unknown if the metabolites produced by human consumption of these products behave in similar way during short- and long-term storage i.e. whether any changes in chemical structure mean that these could be sorbed and/or precipitated in a different way, or if they can potentially be degraded by the biomass inherently present in urine collection systems. Finally, there is currently no knowledge of whether the observed concentrations of micropollutants in stored hydrolysed urine could potentially have toxicological effects if/when applied to soils and edible crops. To fill these research gaps, 20 commonly consumed compounds were selected in this study and their concentrations in the liquid and solid phases studied in the short- and long-term (up to ≥ 2 years). During the initial process of urea hydrolysis (≤ 5 days), ethyl-glucuronide was the sole compound effectively removed (by deconjugation), while only two other compounds, erythromycin and its metabolite, saw a reduction in their concentration (likely due to biomass sorption). Subsequently, during early storage (≤ 15 days), only three additional compounds were removed: paracetamol (99%), acesulfame (11.5%) and carbamazepine-10,11 epoxide (40.7%). Finally, long-term storage of up to 24 months did not result in any further significant removal for any of the measured compounds, indicating that the procedure of hydrolysis + storage is not effective for the removal of anthropogenic micropollutants. The results of this investigation raise strong concerns about the direct reuse of hydrolysed/stored human source-separated urine, and evidence the need for post-processing before implementation as fertiliser into edible crops due to the inherent toxicological risk, particularly to infants.

Dietary fibers, such as fructooligosaccharide (FOS) and partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG) have several gastrointestinal functions. The aims of this study were to evaluate the effect of acute ingestion of FOS and PHGG on the percentage of gastric emptying and small intestinal transit and to evaluate the effect of these dietary fibers on the levels of intestinal hormones-active glucagon-like peptide-1, pancreatic polypeptide, and gastric inhibitory peptide-and their effect on feelings of hunger and satiety and the desire to eat.In this crossover, randomized controlled clinical trial, we compared the effects of these two fibers on gastrointestinal transit. The tests were performed using scintigraphy. On three different days, healthy participants consumed a test meal containing 20 g of digestible maltodextrin (placebo), 20 g of FOS, or 20 g of PHGG.The gastric emptying of the FOS-based diet (84.2 ± 9.4%) within 2 h was statistically increased compared with the placebo and PHGG-based diets (78 ± 10.2% and 74 ± 15.3%, respectively; P0.05). However, a reduction in small intestinal transit was observed after consumption of both FOS- and PHGG-based diets (28.5 ± 15.56% and 24.2 ± 13.7%, respectively) compared with the placebo diet (41.20 ± 15.4%; P0.05). There were no changes in the levels of intestinal hormones, feeling of hunger and satiety, or desire to eat after consuming the three diets (P0.05).The acute intake of FOS increased gastric emptying, whereas both FOS and PHGG reduced small intestine transit without altering the levels of intestinal hormones, hunger feelings and satiety, or the desire to eat.