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Rationale: Sexuality is a central aspect of being human that encompasses many facets. Cannabis, a widely used psychoactive substance, has been associated with various effects on sexuality. The relationship between cannabis and sexuality is complex and multifaceted, involving physiological, psychological, and social factors. Objectives: This review aims to provide an overview of the current literature on the effects of cannabis on several sexual functions, including sexual desire, arousal, orgasm, and sexual satisfaction. It also discusses the potential mechanisms underlying these effects, as well as the impact of dose and frequency of use. Results: This review has revealed a complex relationship between cannabis dosage and its influence on sexuality. It appears that the frequency of cannabis use in humans has been associated with the frequency of sexual activities. Individuals who use cannabis more frequently tend to report higher levels of sexual activity. Moreover, there is a notable gender difference in how cannabis affects sexuality. In addition, we found lower doses of cannabis to be linked to heightened sexual desire and enjoyment, whereas higher doses may lead to a decrease in sexual desire and performance. Conclusions: Overall, the association between cannabis and sexuality is complex and warrants further research to better understand the psychological and neurological mechanisms that underlie the effect of cannabis on these sexuality functions and its implications for sexual health. To advance in this endeavor, a crucial step is establishing a precise measurement of dosage in human studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jellyfish are commonly known as dangerous sea creatures that humans should avoid. Focusing on the newly discovered freshwater jellyfish in the late nineteenth century, this article explores a global history of Craspedacusta sowerbii, a species native to China first noted in nineteenth-century Britain but since traveling the world over. The worldwide distribution of C. sowerbii, as both polyps and medusae, made it a global subject of scientific inquiry. However, no independent study has examined the history behind the origin, circulation, and implication of the freshwater jellyfish and its relationship with marine types. The late nineteenth century was the period when our premodern knowledge of jellyfish transformed from it being purely a marine life to the modern recognition of jellyfish as both marine and freshwater organisms, triggered by the discovery and discussion of the Chinese freshwater jellyfish C. sowerbii among naturalists and philosophers. This article focuses on Arthur de Carle Sowerby's engagement with C. sowerbii in terms of narratives of evolution, nomenclature, and bioinvasion between 1880 and 1941. I argue that jellyfish, as a lowly form of invertebrates, should be taken more seriously by historians of modern China and historians of biology who are interested in the diverse roles of animals in shaping human–animal interactions in the Anthropocene. While the scientific research of jellyfish's global bloom abounds, the interpretation of the global rise of jellyfish could benefit from a historically and culturally bound analysis of this classical animal. This is particularly so as scientists recognized the diverse perceptions of jellyfish. The global jellyfish bloom requires historical perspectives on a topic that has hitherto received scant attention from historians of science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper combines the perspectives of animal studies and reception theory to trace the audience shift of narratives foregrounding interactions between adolescent boys and animals published in the US in the first half of the twentieth century. More precisely, it argues that a text's focus on human–animal bonds can result in its "kiddification," a term explained by Beverly Lyon Clark as trivialization that leads to dismissal. We argue that the reasons for this shift include the solidification of the boy-and-his-dog convention in the 1940s as an example of formula fiction for juveniles, combined with the simultaneous proliferation of animal movies geared towards a family audience. The case under scrutiny is Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings's novel The Yearling and its film adaptation from 1946. Despite the book's initial success among general audiences (awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1939), with time Kinnan Rawlings's novel became "kiddified" and then passed into oblivion, rarely discussed by critics who deem it undeserving of attention and unread by contemporary juveniles, who perhaps find the book difficult, long and tedious (Groff, Harper's, https://harpers.org/archive/2014/01/the-lost-yearling/, 2014). Consequently, the foregrounding of affective human–animal bonds in the book resulted in its later association with children's literature, which was amplified by the film adaptation as well as the publisher's marketing strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerosi studiosi hanno osservato come Tomasi di Lampedusa ricorra riccamente all'immaginario zoomorfico nel suo Gattopardo per caratterizzare personaggi, descrivere paesaggi e interpretare fenomeni sociali. In questo contributo, intendo leggere il passaggio di consegne dall'aristocrazia alla borghesia alla luce delle teorie del darwinismo sociale, analizzando in particolare istanze di adattabilità o, di contro, estinzione. Tale prospettiva permette di gettare luce sul gattopardismo di Tancredi, che promuove l'innesto ibrido e inedito tra specie diverse. Non tutto è rimasto come era: i rapporti di forza sono i medesimi, ma gli attori sono profondamente cambiati. Lampedusa si serve delle metamorfosi darwiniane per spostare l'accento dall'umanità, che aspirerebbe ad evolversi in base alle ideologie, all'animalità più istintuale, denunciando così come i mutamenti sociali avvengano solo per il mero istinto di sopravvivenza e di dominio. Solamente chi è in grado di adattarsi ai cambiamenti può aspirare al ruolo di potere: non si tratta che del risultato finale della selezione naturale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The picturebook Tales from the Inner City (2018), created by Shaun Tan, encompasses various surreal mysteries about humans and animals. His stories represent a sociopolitical intervention, beyond the conventional purpose of animal/object representation serving humanistic allegories and show animals as autonomous beings finding their long-ignored place in the world. These imaged stories stretch literature's ability at interactions between humans and animals. Tan's experiment with new styles of reading calls for a reconfigured rhetoric. An interdisciplinary approach of ecocriticism and biopolitics creates sufficient grounds to examine the boundaries of what is human/animal. It questions the centrality of humans in literature. This article uses the biopolitical readings of Mario Ortiz-Robles as he moves beyond allegorical readings of animal tropes, the companion species of Donna Haraway as she observes animal/human relations, and Frank Serafini's methods at interpreting visual aspects of picturebooks. This paper looks at the selected tales – 'Fox', 'Eagle', 'Hippo', 'Lungfish', and 'Frog' to examine how Shaun Tan transforms humans in body and dreams through forceful encounters with animals, thus repositioning the power dynamic in human/animal relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The inaugural Canadian Conferences on Translational Geroscience were held as 2 complementary sessions in October and November 2023. The conferences explored the profound interplay between the biology of aging, social determinants of health, the potential societal impact of geroscience, and the maintenance of health in aging individuals. Although topics such as cellular senescence, molecular and genetic determinants of aging, and prevention of chronic disease were addressed, the conferences went on to emphasize practical applications for enhancing older people's quality of life. This article summarizes the proceeding and underscores the synergy between clinical and fundamental studies. Future directions highlight national and global collaborations and the crucial integration of early-career investigators. This work charts a course for a national framework for continued innovation and advancement in translational geroscience in Canada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a global public health problem that causes liver-related morbidity and mortality. It is also an independent risk factor for non-communicable diseases. In 2020, a proposal was made to refer to it as "metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD)", with concise diagnostic criteria. Given its widespread occurrence, its treatment is crucial. Increased levels of oxidative stress cause this disease. This review aims to evaluate various studies on antioxidant therapies for patients with MAFLD. A comprehensive search for relevant research was conducted on the PubMed, SCOPUS, and ScienceDirect databases, resulting in the identification of 87 studies that met the inclusion criteria. In total, 31.1% of human studies used natural antioxidants, 53.3% used synthetic antioxidants, and 15.5% used both natural and synthetic antioxidants. In human-based studies, natural antioxidants showed 100% efficacy in the treatment of MAFLD, while synthetic antioxidants showed effective results in only 91% of the investigations. In animal-based research, natural antioxidants were fully effective in the treatment of MAFLD, while synthetic antioxidants demonstrated effectiveness in only 87.8% of the evaluations. In conclusion, antioxidants in their natural form are more helpful for patients with MAFLD, and preserving the correct balance of pro-oxidants and antioxidants is a useful way to monitor antioxidant treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The naturally occurring metabolite lactate has traditionally been considered as a waste product of anaerobic metabolism whose production was confined to hypoxic states. However, more evidence supports that lactate is a preferred oxidative substrate for the myocardium when present in high plasma levels. Small-scale clinical studies have found that infusion of exogenous hypertonic sodium lactate (HSL) increases cardiac output and stabilizes the haemodynamic profile. More comprehensive studies investigating haemodynamic or cardiovascular effects of HSL have been conducted using different animal models of disease. Methods: We performed a broad systematic search of electronic databases PubMed and Embase to identify animal studies in which haemodynamic or cardiovascular effects of HSL were reported. A total of 135 studies were identified. Nineteen studies were included in this review. Different disease models were included including sepsis (n = 4 studies), cardiac arrest (n = 3 studies), myocardial infarction (n = 2 studies), haemorrhagic shock (n = 3 studies) while studies on healthy hearts (n = 4 studies) were included. Also, three studies investigating the cardioprotective and cardiometabolic roles of HSL were included. Results: The review explains several beneficial haemodynamic effects of HSL infusion during a variety of disease states including increased cardiac output, increased microcirculation, and decreased systemic inflammation. Only a few studies identified the negative effects of HSL infusion. This paper suggests that high doses of lactate serve as an important cardiac fuel during crises and can also function as a pH buffer. However, the review revealed significant flaws in the reporting quality of the majority of studies. Discussion: HSL infusion holds promise as a potential treatment fluid for a variety of diseases. Future translational studies should focus on enhancing reproducibility, study design, and study reporting.

Training and working with a guide dog both take place largely on the move, in public spaces, on the way to the next destination. Trainers, puppy raisers, and visually impaired handlers travel many miles with the dog, learning about each other and interacting with various elements of the environment. The go-along method – used by sociologists, ethnographers, and geographers studying the interdependence of movement, space, perception, daily practices, and strategies – creates an opportunity to understand the dynamics of such interspecies cooperation. It has proved particularly useful in the ethnographic project focusing on different stages of training guide dogs and visually impaired handlers, as well as their verbal and non-verbal communication. Besides the substantive benefits of applying the go-along method, this article also discusses premises, practicalities, and limitations associated with go-alongs, including the dilemmas related to data recording and presentation.

Erving Goffman is one of sociology's most influential thinkers. Scholars debate the extent to which he worked in competing theoretical traditions (e.g., interactionist or structuralist), yet few acknowledge his intellectual indebtedness to animal ethology. This article traces how naturalistic studies of paralinguistic animal communication influenced Goffman's corpus and specifies the ideas he built on from that field, especially territoriality and ritualized display. Goffman's comparative approach to animal and human interaction reveals the shortcomings of sociologists' lingua-centric approach to interaction; elevates animals to social actors, capable of metacommunication, reading others' intentions, and adjusting their behavior accordingly; and humbles humans, who he finds enacting rituals of civility for the same reason animals engage in ritualized display: to manage threats and facilitate bonding. Goffman's thesis on the similarities between animal and human social behavior compels sociology to consider animal studies, and his use of ethology helps reconcile his interactionist and Durkheimian tendencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Ankara Üniversitesi Dil ve Tarih-Cografya Fakültesi Dergisi DTCF Dergisi is the property of Ankara Universitesi Dil ve Tarih-Cografya Fakultesi (DTCF Dergisi) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Treatment therapies used to manage osteoporosis are associated with severe side effects. So worldwide herbs are widely studied to develop alternative safe & effective treatments. Cissus quadrangularis (CQ) has a significant role in bone health and fracture healing. It is documented that its extracts increase osteoblastic differentiation & mineralization. Currently, Cissus quadrangularis is available in the form of tablets in the market for oral delivery. But these conventional forms are associated with poor bioavailability. There is a need for a novel drug delivery system with improving oral bioavailability. Therefore, a Cissus quadrangularis-loaded self-emulsifying drug delivery system (CQ-SEDDS) was developed which disperses rapidly in the gastrointestinal fluids, yielding nano-emulsions containing a solubilized drug. This solubilized form of the drug can be easily absorbed through lymphatic pathways and bypass the hepatic first-pass effect. The emulsification efficiency, zeta potential, globule size, in-vitro dissolution, ex-vivo, in-vivo and bone marker studies were performed to assess the absorption and permeation potential of CQ incorporated in SEDDS. CQ-SEDDS with excipients Tween 80, Cremophor RH40, Transcutol HP & α-Tocopherol acetate had shown about 76% enhancement in the bioavailability of active constituents of CQ. This study provided the pre-clinical data of CQ-SEDDS using osteoporotic rat model studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food tourism researchers are increasingly seeking to question why tourists eat animals, and the ethical dimensions of such encounters. The tourist experience has largely been taken as the starting point in this research, influenced by the anthropological origins of this research field. In effect, human-animal relations, for the most part, remain absent from such interrogations. In this paper we seek to engage with critical tourist scholars who are increasingly turning to post-humanist and more-than-human framings, to move beyond a fixation with human agency in understanding how and why we eat animals in tourism settings. Multi author participant observation is utilised to examine a touristic encounter with smalahove, a traditional Norwegian dish of smoked and boiled sheep's head. Through this case study we argue that future food tourism research ought to shift focus beyond the tourist experience, so as to fully understand the processes through which animals become eaten. In exploring the ways that human-smalahove entanglements provoke consideration for how humans and animals might be-together-otherwise, we call on food tourism researchers to consider what sorts of other food tourism encounters might prompt reflection and how such ethical reflections might be leveraged in food tourism ventures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The ketogenic diet (KD) has been highly developed in the past for the treatment of epileptic pathological states in children and adults. Recently, the current re-emergence in its popularity mainly focuses on the therapy of cardiometabolic diseases. The KD can also have anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective activities which may be applied to the prevention and/or co-treatment of a diverse range of psychiatric disorders. Purpose: This is a comprehensive literature review that intends to critically collect and scrutinize the pre-existing research basis and clinical data of the potential advantageous impacts of a KD on stress, anxiety, depression, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Methods: This literature review was performed to thoroughly represent the existing research in this topic, as well as to find gaps in the international scientific community. In this aspect, we carefully investigated the ultimate scientific web databases, e.g., PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, to derive the currently available animal and clinical human surveys by using efficient and representative keywords. Results: Just in recent years, an increasing amount of animal and clinical human surveys have focused on investigating the possible impacts of the KD in the prevention and co-treatment of depression, anxiety, stress, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder. Pre-existing basic research with animal studies has consistently demonstrated promising results of the KD, showing a propensity to ameliorate symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder. However, the translation of these findings to clinical settings presents a more complex issue. The majority of the currently available clinical surveys seem to be moderate, usually not controlled, and have mainly assessed the short-term effects of a KD. In addition, some clinical surveys appear to be characterized by enormous dropout rates and significant absence of compliance measurement, as well as an elevated amount of heterogeneity in their methodological design. Conclusions: Although the currently available evidence seems promising, it is highly recommended to accomplish larger, long-term, randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trials with a prospective design, in order to derive conclusive results as to whether KD could act as a potential preventative factor or even a co-treatment agent against stress, anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder. Basic research with animal studies is also recommended to examine the molecular mechanisms of KD against the above psychiatric diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chlorogenic acid (CGA) is a natural polyphenol found in coffee, tea, vegetables, and fruits. It exhibits strong antioxidant activity and possesses several other biological properties, including anti-inflammatory effects, antimicrobial activity, and insulin-sensitizing properties. Moreover, it may improve lipid and glucose metabolism. This review summarizes the available information on the therapeutic effect of CGA in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). As the literature search engine, the browsers in the PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science databases, and ClinicalTrials.gov register were used. Animal trials and clinical studies suggest that CGA has promising therapeutic potential in treating MASLD and hepatic steatosis. Its mechanisms of action include antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic effects via the activation of the Nrf2 signaling pathway and the inhibition of the TLR4/NF-κB signaling cascade. Furthermore, the alleviation of liver disease by CGA also involves other important molecules such as AMPK and important physiological processes such as the intestinal barrier and gut microbiota. Nevertheless, the specific target cell and key molecule to which CGA is directed remain unidentified and require further study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Panic disorder is a psychiatric disorder characterized by recurrent panic attacks, with a prevalence of ~ 4% in the general population, causing heavy personal and socioeconomic burdens. The similarities of animal defense responses to clinical panic attack symptoms in humans make it possible to translate neuroanatomical pathways identified in animal studies to panic disorder in humans. Therefore, in this review we first present a basic overview of panic disorder in humans including the main subtypes, models commonly used to trigger panic attacks, related hypotheses, the neurotransmitter systems that may be involved, and the current clinical treatments to give the reader a comprehensive understanding of panic disorder. The animal section introduces the models that trigger panic-like behavior in animals and the brain regions that may be involved, providing insights for future elucidation of the neural circuit mechanisms behind panic attacks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Przegląd Socjologii Jakościowej is the property of Redakcja Przegladu Socjologii Jakosciowej and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent stromal cells with the ability to self-renew and multi-directional differentiation potential. Exogenously administered MSCs can migrate to damaged tissue sites and participate in the repair of damaged tissues. A large number of pre-clinical studies and clinical trials have demonstrated that MSCs have the potential to treat the abnormalities of congenital nervous system and neurodegenerative diseases. Therefore, MSCs hold great promise in the treatment of neurological diseases. Here, we summarize and highlight current progress in the understanding of the underlying mechanisms and strategies of MSC application in neurological diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the course of a long career, Hieronymus Fabricius of Aquapendente sought to train students and readers to think across nature. This article suggests that we read his program as inculcating an "anatomical eye": a visual language of the body's logic and nature's intention that encoded knowledge, which expert anatomists derived from touch and sight combined. Fabricius both taught and learned haptically, observing organs' divisions through variations in texture and measuring the differences in reproductive anatomy across animals with his fingers. Through dissections of sheep, cattle, horses, sharks, guinea pigs, dogs, and humans, he gathered details about how nature had produced both startling likenesses and particularities across the animal kingdom. While artists sometimes struggled to capture his experience, Fabricius's longstanding commitment to working with them revealed that, whatever the challenges, the potential for expanding the "anatomical eye," and the reputation that came with it, was worth the risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the aging of the population, the health of the elderly has become increasingly important. Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is a common neurological complication in elderly patients following general anesthesia or surgery. It is characterized by cognitive decline that may persist for weeks, months, or even longer. Electroacupuncture (EA), a novel therapy that combines physical nerve stimulation with acupuncture treatment from traditional Chinese medicine, holds potential as a therapeutic intervention for preventing and treating POCD, particularly in elderly patients. Although the beneficial effects of EA on POCD have been explored in preclinical and clinical studies, the reliability of EA is limited by methodological shortcomings, and the underlying mechanisms remain largely unexplored. Therefore, we have synthesized existing evidence and proposed potential biological mechanisms underlying the effects of EA on neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, autophagy, the microbiota-gut-brain axis, and epigenetic modification. This review summarizes recent advances in EA and POCD, provides a theoretical foundation, explores potential molecular mechanisms for the prevention and treatment of POCD, and offers a basis for conducting relevant clinical trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on the shared history of Frankfurt Zoological Garden and Airport, developing an infrastructural perspective on the rise of behavioral thinking in postwar environmental sciences. It shows that technical and logistical environments, such as seaports, airports, train stations, and highways, shaped the way environmental scientists and a broader public conceptualized animal behavior. Similar to ergonomics and human factor engineering in the 1950s and '60s, human-made spaces and interiors became central reference points for developing and testing new ideas on the interaction between animals and "the environment." Further, airports were sites of knowledge transfer between practitioners, including animal traders, care attendants, veterinarians, logistics experts, and scientists. The first part of the article draws on the works of biologist and Frankfurt's Zoo director Bernhard Grzimek, who made excessive use of air cargo to ship wild animals to Frankfurt. The second part traces the emergence of new spaces for animals at Frankfurt Airport in the 1950s--such as the "animal room" in the cargo area. The third part of the article uncovers the hidden networks of animal traders and shipping companies that made Frankfurt Airport a major international hub in animal air cargo. Lastly, the article argues that hands-on experience of animal behavior, such as that conducted in airports like Frankfurt, is part of a broader pattern of environmental knowledge production in in the twentieth century--in close proximity to infrastructure projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Arte, Individuo y Sociedad is the property of Universidad Complutense de Madrid and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Breed imaginations and practices fundamentally shape the lives of farmed, working and companion animals. Bringing together interests in animal breeding, interspecies kinship and multispecies care, this paper explores the relationship between investments in the continued existence and vitality of a breed as a whole and the encounter value of individual human–animal relations. It considers how breed matters to animal lives and relations through a conceptual focus on value and difference and an empirical focus on the breeding of horses in Iceland. These relations are not only limited to human–animal relations but also include social relations among animals. This paper firstly considers the significance of local and regional sub-species difference and practices of selection and inclusion in the making of horses in Iceland into a national breed. It then explores the perspectives of those involved in the breeding of horses in Iceland on what counts as quality and appropriate care for the breed and individual animals. Practices of care in Iceland are centred on allowing horses to live as sociable herd animals for extended periods of time each year, for the sake of individual animal well-being, to preserve the character of the breed, and in order to continue to enjoy the quality of human–horse relations that this system is understood to enable. Encounter value, in this case, depends on respecting difference and keeping at a distance. Multispecies care is thus not centred only on intimacy and the intersubjective; nor does treating animals as groups necessarily reduce the quality of care. The geographies of care for individual animals and for the breed are more complex and entangled. This suggests the need to address the implications of the positioning of animals as members of groups and species, as well as breeds, for animal lives and relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study utilized network meta-analysis (NMA) to compare the efficacy of five commonly used traditional Chinese medicine monomers in reducing intimal hyperproliferation in arterial balloon injury models. Methods: Relevant literature up to January 2024 was systematically retrieved from seven major databases. The intima-to-media (I/M) ratio was chosen as the primary outcome measure. The risk of bias in animal studies was assessed using the SYstematic Review Centre for Laboratory Animal Experimentation (SYRCLE) tool. Statistical analysis was conducted using Stata 17 software. Results: A total of 43 studies were included in this meta-analysis. NMA results showed that in the rat model, compared to the control group, GS (SMD: 0.99, 95%CI: 1.25 to −0.73), ASIV (SMD: 1.16, 95%CI: 1.65 to −0.67), TMP (SMD: 0.68, 95%CI: 1.31 to −0.05), and TPNS (SMD: 1.36, 95%CI: 1.91 to −0.80) exhibited inhibitory effects on postoperative intimal hyperproliferation, reducing the I/M ratio. In the rabbit model, compared to the control group, TPNS (SMD: 1.23, 95%CI: 1.97 to −0.49) inhibited postoperative intimal hyperproliferation and reduced the I/M ratio. Superiority ranking analysis suggested that total Panax notoginseng saponin (TPNS) might be the most effective traditional Chinese medicine monomer in reducing intimal hyperproliferation in arterial balloon injury models, lowering the I/M ratio. Conclusion: NMA indicates that traditional Chinese medicine monomers can effectively reduce postoperative intimal hyperproliferation in arterial balloon injury models, lowering the I/M ratio, with TPNS showing optimal efficacy. However, the research on TIIA is insufficient, and the limited sample size may affect the robustness of the results. Furthermore, the majority of research on traditional Chinese medicine monomers is currently limited to the experimental stage, lacking further clinical validation. Conducting standardized animal experiments and reporting their findings can enhance the quality of evidence from animal studies, laying the foundation for future clinical trials.

Evidence suggests that neuroinflammation exhibits a dual role in the pathogenesis of major depressive disorder (MDD), both potentiating the onset of depressive symptoms and developing as a consequence of them. Our narrative review focuses on the role of the chemokine fractalkine (FKN) (also known as CX3CL1), which has gained increasing interest for its ability to induce changes to microglial phenotypes through interaction with its corresponding receptor (CX3CR1) that may impact neurophysiological processes relevant to MDD. Despite this, there is a lack of a clear understanding of the role of FKN in MDD. Overall, our review of the literature shows the involvement of FKN in MDD, both in preclinical models of depression, and in clinical studies of depressed patients. Preclinical studies (N = 8) seem to point towards two alternative hypotheses for FKN's role in MDD: a) FKN may drive pro-inflammatory changes to microglia that contribute towards MDD pathogenesis; or b) FKN may inhibit pro-inflammatory changes to microglia, thereby exerting a protective effect against MDD pathogenesis. Evidence for a) primarily derives from preclinical chronic stress models of depression in mice, whereas for b) from preclinical inflammation models of depression. Whereas, in humans, clinical studies (N = 4) consistently showed a positive association between FKN and presence of MDD, however it is not clear whether FKN is driving or moderating MDD pathogenesis. Future studies should aim for larger and more controlled clinical cohorts, in order to advance our understanding of FKN role both in the context of stress and/or inflammation.

In this article, I identify where contemporary scholarship on Jonah continues to ask enduring questions of any biblical text like dating, structure, and message. I also outline how scholars have brought contemporary approaches to the book. Finally, I suggest some points of divergence between scholarship in the late 20thand early 21stcenturies and consider how recent scholarship has treated past contributions. This survey shows that scholarship continues to grapple with questions that have long pervaded Jonah’s interpretive history. At the same time, contemporary approaches bring exciting possibilities to a book that has often resisted a monologic interpretation.

Objective: This review aims to address the critical role of sample size calculation in designing and conducting animal studies related to diabetes and obesity, particularly focusing on experimental comparison methods like ANOVA design. Materials and Methods: We discuss the factors influencing sample size decisions, including type I and type II errors, effect size, and standard deviation. We emphasize the importance of avoiding common pitfalls, such as using rules of thumb or arbitrary choices, and advocate for utilizing established formulas to ensure accurate and reliable sample size determination. Results: This review presents relevant equations for calculating sample size in animal studies with an ANOVA design, providing researchers with a framework for determining the appropriate number of animals needed to achieve robust and ethical research. Conclusion: Accurate sample size calculation is essential for achieving powerful and statistically sound animal studies in diabetes and obesity research. Utilizing established formulas and avoiding arbitrary choices ensures reliable and ethical research practices while minimizing resource waste and maximizing the validity of collected data.

ABSTRACT This paper highlights the vital connection between intersectional ecofeminism and veganism as profound ethical and political practices. It critically engages with the ideas of feminist philosophers Val Plumwood and Donna Haraway, revealing how their contributions, while significant in critical animal studies and ecological philosophies, inadvertently allow continued exploitation of non-human animals, especially for food. Drawing from neo-materialist feminism and recent developments in political veganism, this paper underscores the ethical and ecological imperatives for an intersectional and radical veganism. This approach seeks to deconstruct biopolitical structures upholding non-human oppression, envisioning liberation for sentient beings and ecological restoration. It argues that the boundaries between ecofeminism, veganism, and multispecies justice should blur to dismantle systems rooted in human exceptionalism and ensure non-human animals are not treated as mere tools. In conclusion, this paper advocates for a holistic approach to non-human liberation, emphasizing the urgent need to strengthen the bonds between ecofeminism and veganism. This union challenges prevailing biopolitical systems and paves the way forgenuine liberation for all sentient beings, both human and non-human.

A biosynthetic gene cluster for the bioactive fungal sesterterpenoids variecolin (1) and variecolactone (2) was identified in Aspergillus aculeatus ATCC 16872. Heterologous production of 1 and 2 was achieved in Aspergillus oryzae by expressing the sesterterpene synthase VrcA and the cytochrome P450 VrcB. Intriguingly, the replacement of VrcB with homologous P450s from other fungal terpenoid pathways yielded three new variecolin analogues (5–7). Analysis of the compounds' anticancer activity in vitro and in vivo revealed that although 5 and 1 had comparable activities, 5 was associated with significantly reduced toxic side effects in cancer-bearing mice, indicating its potentially broader therapeutic window. Our study describes the first tests of variecolin and its analogues in animals and demonstrates the utility of synthetic biology for creating molecules with improved biological activities.

Although famous for language, representation, and humor, Tristram Shandy also provides a modern ecocritical goad to humanism by asking about the distinction between ecocriticism and animal studies. Sterne demonstrate what I call an ‘oiko-logic’ that emphasizes the relationships we find developing across the household environment. Sterne is particularly interested in questions of what we would now call ‘ferality’ and domestication, how animality makes us human, and how sympathy supports the conscience of our species. Sterne’s eco-question is not if we should change our relationship to the environment, but how to calculate the appropriate change in our actions based on ecological circumstances, and he asks that we remember to account for who is carrying the social burden: Yorick’s horse, Maria’s goat, and Toby’s famous fly all carry an ecologically-based social burden for the humanity they encounter. Sterne’s ecological sensibility suggests that our conscience develops as we relate to the natural world by updating the input-output analysis with adroit calculations in collaboration with nature. What I call ‘calculations across animals’ has much in common with the emerging field of ecological economics, and Sterne shows us how humanity allows itself a certain great deal of latitude when considering the fallout of our actions on animals—meaning we can calculate for good or ill. So, for Sterne, the question becomes: how do we decide what’s good? He might whip around and say, ‘God’, but he also strongly suggests that watching humanity interact with nature can show us what goodness really looks like.

Mucopolysaccharidosis type IVA (MPS IVA; Morquio A syndrome) is a rare autosomal recessive lysosomal storage disease (LSD) caused by deficiency of a hydrolase enzyme, N-acetylgalactosamine-6-sulfate sulfatase, and characterized clinically by mainly musculoskeletal manifestations. The mechanisms underlying bone involvement in humans are typically explored using invasive techniques such as bone biopsy, which complicates analysis in humans. We compared bone proteomes using DDA and SWATH-MS in wild-type and MPS IVA knockout mice (UNT) to obtain mechanistic information about the disease. Our findings reveal over 1000 dysregulated proteins in knockout mice, including those implicated in oxidative phosphorylation, oxidative stress (reactive oxygen species), DNA damage, and iron transport, and suggest that lactate dehydrogenase may constitute a useful prognostic and follow-up biomarker. Identifying biomarkers that reflect MPS IVA clinical course, severity, and progression have important implications for disease management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neonicotinoid pesticides are utilized against an extensive range of insects. A growing body of evidence supports that these neuro-active insecticides are classified as toxicants in invertebrates. However, there is limited published data regarding their toxicity in vertebrates and mammals. the current systematic review is focused on the up-to-date knowledge available for several neonicotinoid pesticides and their non-acute toxicity on rodents and human physiology. Oral lethal dose 50 (LD50) of seven neonicotinoids (i.e. imidacloprid, acetamiprid, clothianidin, dinotefuran, thiamethoxam, thiacloprid, and nitenpyram) was initially identified. Subsequently, a screening of the literature was conducted to collect information about non-acute exposure to these insecticides. 99 studies were included and assessed for their risk of bias and level of evidence according to the Office of Health and Translation (OHAT) framework. All the 99 included papers indicate evidence of reproductive toxicity, hepatotoxicity, nephrotoxicity, neurotoxicity, immunotoxicity, and oxidative stress induction with a high level of evidence in the health effect of rodents and a moderate level of evidence for human health. The most studied type of these insecticides among 99 papers was imidacloprid (55 papers), followed by acetamiprid (22 papers), clothianidin (21 papers), and thiacloprid (11 papers). While 10 of 99 papers assessed the relationship between clothianidin, thiamethoxam, dinotefuran, and nitenpyram, showing evidence of liver injury, dysfunctions of oxidative stress markers in the reproductive system, and intestinal toxicity. This systematic review provides a comprehensive overview of the potential risks caused by neonicotinoid insecticides to humans and rodents with salient health effects. However, further research is needed to better emphasize and understand the patho-physiological mechanisms of these insecticides, taking into account various factors that can influence their toxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This review aims to address the critical role of sample size calculation in designing and conducting animal studies related to diabetes and obesity, particularly focusing on experimental comparison methods like ANOVA design. Materials and Methods: We discuss the factors influencing sample size decisions, including type I and type II errors, effect size, and standard deviation. We emphasize the importance of avoiding common pitfalls, such as using rules of thumb or arbitrary choices, and advocate for utilizing established formulas to ensure accurate and reliable sample size determination. Results: This review presents relevant equations for calculating sample size in animal studies with an ANOVA design, providing researchers with a framework for determining the appropriate number of animals needed to achieve robust and ethical research. Conclusion: Accurate sample size calculation is essential for achieving powerful and statistically sound animal studies in diabetes and obesity research. Utilizing established formulas and avoiding arbitrary choices ensures reliable and ethical research practices while minimizing resource waste and maximizing the validity of collected data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Washington Irving's short story 'The Legend of Sleepy Hollow', animals are everywhere and almost seem interchangeable with humans. Nevertheless, the story's pervasive animal imagery has received scant critical attention. In this paper, I consider the blurring human/animal binary in the story as a proxy for blurred lines between different 'races' of humans coexisting in Early America. Washington Irving uses his satirical Dutch narrator Dietrich Knickerbocker's engagement with the Count de Buffon's Natural History to question categorization based on the interrelated concepts of species and race, which were becoming important in an increasingly biopolitical early United States. I place Irving's engagement with natural history in context before considering the 'racial' tension between the Dutch and the Yankees that Knickerbocker constructs in 'Sleepy Hollow'. Irving marks this tension as satire in part through Knickerbocker's deployment of bears and lions, two animal metaphors with special significance in Buffonian natural history. Close attention to the implications of these metaphors complicates our understanding of Brom Bones, a central but understudied character. I also discuss how this satirical use of race could deepen our understanding of 'Sleepy Hollow's' actual racialized characters. Focusing on the animals in 'Sleepy Hollow' reveals Irving's critique of using science to categorize humans into distinct racial groupings for political convenience and complicates our understanding of how early Americans grappled with the interplay between shifting scientific and political paradigms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the early twentieth-century coal miners used canaries to detect the presence of poisonous gases underground. Miners treasured canaries for their cheer, partnership, and assistance. This safety practice had largely ended in the United States by the middle of the twentieth century, but the phrase 'canary in a coal mine' took on an extended life as a metaphor, signaling impending disaster in a variety of situations. The metaphor's malleability encouraged the inclusion of caged birds as a plot device. Horror and science fiction films like The Birds, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Arrival, and Bird Box use birds to signal invisible, hard-to-explain risks. The coal mine canary therefore became a sentinel for the most troubling social and political anxieties of each era. It signaled people's worries that they could no longer identify and manage dangers in the modern world, whether those had to do with warfare, the environment, federal surveillance, social media, or epidemics. The birds' use as a warning symbol, though, took miners' beloved, sentient animal and turned it instead into a simple, but powerful tool. The coal mine canary's continued prescence in popular culture also suggests that Americans remain concerned about the viability of new technologies in a rapidly changing world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence of multi drug resistant bacterial infections has caused a critical problem with implication on hospitalization and mortality rates. This systematic review aims to review the combined antimicrobial effect of nanoparticles attached to the traditionally used antibiotics, to overcome the antibiotic resistance crisis. In this systematic search we focused on preclinical studies that have used animal models, to test and evaluate the effect of nanomaterials added to antibiotics against gram negative bacteria with carbapenem resistance. Where, this newly formed structure has led to significant decrease in bacterial load in animal model serum. Furthermore, by evaluating nanomaterial cytotoxicity and inflammatory markers, promising results were established, where low toxicity indices were presented, supporting the ability of this new pathway to be used as an alternative to abused antibiotics. Our research collected the various data and showed encouraging preclinical one for using nanomaterials with antibiotics. This undeniable route should be considered, due to its ability to contribute to the treatment of multi drug resistant bacterial infections. These findings provide base for future studies and reinforce the need for more evaluation and testing on the safety of nanomaterials against bacterial infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]