Search

Background: The benefits of exercise are well known; however, many of the underlying molecular mechanisms are not fully understood. Skeletal muscle secretes myokines, which mediate muscle–organ crosstalk. Myokines regulate satellite-cell proliferation and migration, inflammatory cascade, insulin secretion, angiogenesis, fatty oxidation, and cancer suppression. To date, the effects of different exercise modes (namely, aerobic and resistance exercise) on myokine response remain to be elucidated. This is crucial considering the clinical implementation of exercise to enhance general health and wellbeing and as a medical treatment. Methods: A systematic search was undertaken in PubMed, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase, SPORTDiscus, and Web of Science in April 2023. Eligible studies examining the effects of a single bout of exercise on interleukin15 (IL-15), irisin, secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC), oncostatin M (OSM), and decorin were included. A random-effects meta-analysis was also undertaken to quantify the magnitude of change. Results: Sixty-two studies were included (n = 1193). Overall, exercise appeared to induce small to large increases in myokine expression, with effects observed immediately after to 60 min post-exercise, although these were mostly not statistically significant. Both aerobic and resistance exercise resulted in changes in myokine levels, without any significant difference between training modes, and with the magnitude of change differing across myokines. Myokine levels returned to baseline levels within 180 min to 24 h post-exercise. However, owing to potential sources of heterogeneity, most changes were not statistically significant, indicating that precise conclusions cannot be drawn. Conclusion: Knowledge is limited but expanding with respect to the impact of overall and specific effects of exercise on myokine expression at different time points in the systemic circulation. Further research is required to investigate the effects of different exercise modes at multiple time points on myokine response.

Objectives The major complication of rhabdomyolysis is acute kidney injury (AKI), which requires prompt treatment. Currently, few biomarkers are available for the early detection of AKI. Serum neutrophil gelatinase–associated lipocalin (NGAL) has been suggested as an early biomarker for renal ischemia. However, its capacity to predict AKI in patients presenting with rhabdomyolysis in the emergency department (ED) remains unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of NGAL to predict 48-hour AKI.Design Prospective, multicentre study.Setting Five adult EDs in France from August 2013 to December 2015.Participants NGAL levels were measured on ED admission in patients with rhabdomyolysis. A total of 197 patients were enrolled, and 189 (96%) were analysed, of whom 89 (47%) were women. Patients were included if they presented to the ED with rhabdomyolysis and a creatine phosphokinase (CPK) level above 1000 IU/L. Exclusion criteria were pregnancy, presentation with acute coronary syndrome, the need for iodinated contrast, chronic dialysis or recent use of nephrotoxic drugs (within 72 hours prior to the ED visit). Patients who withdrew consent or had AKI due to other causes were also excluded.Primary and secondary outcome measures The primary outcome was AKI at 48 hours, defined according to the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) criteria. Secondary outcomes included in-hospital mortality, length of hospital stay, admission to intensive care and the need for renal replacement therapy.Results Overall, 54 (29%) patients developed AKI by day 2. The area under the ROC curve (AUC-ROC) for NGAL in predicting AKI on day 2 was 0.60 (95% CI 0.51 to 0.70), with an optimal cut-off of 129 ng/mL. The sensitivity was 0.65, and specificity was 0.50. After adjustment for CPK levels, age, sex and oxygen saturation, the AUC-ROC for predicting AKI on day 2 increased slightly to 0.64 (95% CI 0.54 to 0.74).Conclusion NGAL has limited ability to predict day 2 AKI in patients presenting with acute rhabdomyolysis in the ED.Trail registration number NCT01544231.Comité de Protection des Personnes Sud Méditerranée III n°2011-A01059-32.

The last 60 years have seen the emergence of several zoonotic viruses, some of which originate from bats. Among these are Nipah virus, Marburg virus and Ebola viruses, which have high case fatality rates, and pose significant public health risks. In 2012, another zoonotic paramyxovirus from bats, known as Sosuga Virus (SOSV), was discovered in a hospitalized biologist who had returned from a trip to Africa. Given the potential public health threats of the SOSV, investigating its pathogenesis, epidemiology and developing antiviral strategies are crucial to control possible future outbreaks. Thus, in this review, we explore the latest advancements in understanding SOSV since its discovery, focusing on its pathogenesis, animal models and the development of antiviral strategies. By examining the current literature, this review aims to provide a comprehensive overview to guide future studies and help public health efforts in better mitigating potential SOSV outbreaks.

Para una historia intelectual de Las venas abiertas de América Latina

Microscopic eukaryotes are important components of coastal wetland ecosystems. The goal of this study was to investigate the diversity of microeukaryotes in the tidal pools of a New Jersey salt marsh and to compare the assemblages of natural and artificial pools excavated for controlling mosquito populations. We evaluated microeukaryotic assemblages using the amplicon sequencing of 18S and rbcL DNA markers and the microscopic identification of diatoms in water and sediment samples. 18S unique amplicon sequence variants (ASV) representing ciliates, dinoflagellates, diatoms, and cercozoans were the most diverse, while the reads of dinoflagellates, diatoms, ciliates, and nematodes were the most abundant. The dominant ASVs were attributed to organisms that are characteristic of coastal plankton and sediments or those known for their resistance to salinity, desiccation, hypoxia, and UV stress. The sediment assemblages were more diverse compared to those from the water column and contained a larger portion of ASVs that were not assigned to any low-rank taxa, reflecting the current gaps in understanding the diversity of microeukaryotes. Most taxonomic groups were significantly different in their abundance and composition between natural and artificial pools. Dinoflagellates, haptophytes, chrysophytes, pelagophytes, and raphidophytes—the groups that include a large proportion of mixotrophic taxa and species known for forming harmful algal blooms—were more abundant in the artificial than in the natural pools. Fungi, labyrinthulomycetes, and peronosporomycetes were also more abundant in artificial pools, which may be related to organic matter enrichment. Diatoms and foraminifera showed an opposite trend of higher abundance in natural pools.

The ongoing Coronavirus Disease 19 (COVID-19) pandemic has had a profound impact on the global healthcare system. As the SARS-CoV-2 virus, responsible for this pandemic, continues to spread and develop mutations in its genetic material, new variants of interest (VOIs) and variants of concern (VOCs) are emerging. These outbreaks lead to a decrease in the efficacy of existing treatments such as vaccines or drugs, highlighting the urgency of new therapies for COVID-19. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to identify potential SARS-CoV-2 antivirals using a virtual screening protocol and molecular dynamics simulations. These techniques allowed us to predict the binding affinity of a database of compounds with the virus Mpro protein. This in silico approach enabled us to identify twenty-two chemical structures from a public database (QSAR Toolbox Ver 4.5 ) and ten promising molecules from our in-house database. The latter molecules possess advantageous qualities, such as two-step synthesis, cost-effectiveness, and long-lasting physical and chemical stability. Consequently, these molecules can be considered as promising alternatives to combat emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants.

Polyps are precursors to colorectal cancer, the third most common cancer in the United States. Large polyps, i.e.,, those with a size ≥ 20 mm, are more likely to harbor cancer. Colonic polyps can be removed through various techniques, with the goal to completely resect and prevent colorectal cancer; however, the management of large polyps can be relatively complex and challenging. Such polyps are generally more difficult to remove en bloc with conventional methods, and depending on level of expertise, may consequently be resected piecemeal, leading to an increased rate of incomplete removal and thus polyp recurrence. To effectively manage large polyps, endoscopists should be able to: (1) Evaluate the polyp for characteristics which predict high difficulty of resection or incomplete removal; (2) Determine the optimal resection technique (e.g., snare polypectomy, endoscopic mucosal resection, endoscopic submucosal dissection, etc.); and (3) Recognize when to refer to colleagues with greater expertise. This review covers important considerations in this regard for referring and receiving endoscopists and methods to best manage large colonic polyps.

Stability theory has significant applications in technology, especially in control systems. On the other hand, the newly defined generalized mean-square stochastic fractional (GMSF) operators are particularly interesting in control theory and systems due to their various controllable parameters. Thus, the combined study of stability theory and GMSF operators becomes crucial. In this research work, we construct a new class of GMSF differential equations and provide a rigorous proof of the existence of their solutions. Furthermore, we investigate the stability of these solutions using the generalized Ulam-Hyers-Rassias stability criterion. Some examples are also provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach in solving fractional differential equations (FDEs) and evaluating their stability. The paper concludes by discussing potential applications of the proposed results in technology and outlining avenues for future research.

The worldwide prevalence of obesity and associated metabolic syndrome (MetS) has increased threefold over the last five decades. Among children, this trend is alarming due to the premature onset of MetS. The data regarding how the structure and composition of gastrointestinal (GIT) microbiota either promote or attenuate obesity and MetS are limited. Objectives: We carried out this study to investigate the relationship between microbial profiles and diagnosis of MetS among children with obesity. Fifty subjects with a diagnosis of obesity or Mets were enrolled. We collected clinical information, demographic data, dietary records, and stool specimens. Overall, there was no significant difference in the diversity of GIT microbiota between the two subgroups of children with obesity or MetS. We also found no differences in the diversity of GIT microbiota between the sexes and blood pressure categories. However, we observed a significant difference between the structure, composition, and diversity of the gut microbiome when the subjects were stratified using a BMI cut-off of 30. Subjects with a BMI ≥ 30 had a lower abundance of Bacteroidetes and a greater abundance of Actinobacteria and Firmicutes compared to those with a BMI value of less than 30. This gut microbiota signature is more like the GIT microbiome profile of adults with obesity and may represent accelerated changes among children. Additional studies are needed to investigate the role of obesity in the maturation of gut microbiota in children with morbid obesity.

Enrichment analysis is frequently used in combination with differential expression data to investigate potential commonalities amongst lists of genes and generate hypotheses for further experiments. However, current enrichment analysis approaches on pathways ignore the functional relationships between genes in a pathway, particularly OR logic that occurs when a set of proteins can each individually perform the same step in a pathway. As a result, these approaches miss pathways with large or multiple sets because of an inflation of pathway size (when measured as the total gene count) relative to the number of steps. We address this problem by enriching on step-enabling entities in pathways. We treat sets of protein-coding genes as single entities, and we also weight sets to account for the number of genes in them using the multivariate Fisher's noncentral hypergeometric distribution. We then show three examples of pathways that are recovered with this method and find that the results have significant proportions of pathways not found in gene list enrichment analysis.

Industry turns to monomaterial packaging for circular economy needs For decades, flexible plastics packaging suppliers have been perfecting the ability to reduce material use by creating ever thinner but still [...]

The adverse neurocognitive sequelae following clinical radiotherapy (RT) for central nervous system (CNS) malignancies are often long-lasting without any clinical recourse. Despite recent progress, the cellular mechanisms mediating RT-induced cognitive deficits (RICD) are poorly understood. The complement system is an immediate sensor of a disturbed inflammatory environment and a potent mediator of gliosis with a range of nonimmune functions in the CNS, including synaptic pruning, which is detrimental if dysregulated. We hypothesize that complement-mediated changes in glial cell function significantly contribute to RICD. The underlying alterations in CNS complement cascade proteins (C1q, C3), TLR4, and colabeling with glia (IBA1, GFAP) were examined using gene expression, immunofluorescence, and in silico modeling approaches in the adult mouse brain following 9 Gy cranial RT. Three-dimensional volumetric quantification showed elevated molecular signatures of gliosis at short- and long-term post-RT times. We found significant elevations in complement C1q, C3, and TLR4 post-RT accompanied by increased colabeling of astrocytes and microglia. To address the mechanism of RT-induced complement cascade activation, neuroinflammation, and cognitive dysfunction, we used a genetic approach-conditional, microglia-selective C1q (Flox) knockdown mice-to determine whether a glia-specific, upstream complement cascade contributes to RICD. C1q-Flox mice exposed to cranial RT showed no cognitive deficits compared with irradiated WT mice. Further, irradiated C1q-Flox mice were protected from RT-induced microglial activation and synaptic loss, elevation of anaphylatoxin C5a receptor, astrocytic-C3, and microglial-TLR4 expression in the brain. Our findings demonstrate for the first time a microglia-specific mechanism of RICD involving an upstream complement cascade component, C1q. SIGNIFICANCE: Clinically-relevant radiotherapy induces aberrant complement activation, leading to brain injury. Microglia-selective genetic deletion of CNS complement C1q ameliorates radiation-induced cognitive impairments, synaptic loss, and neuroinflammation, highlighting the potential for C1q as a novel therapeutic target.See related commentary by Korimerla and Wahl, p. 1635.

The present research examines Greek elementary school teachers' perceptions about classroom management and, more specifically, whether they develop an interventionist, interactionalist or non-interventionist style as regards behaviour and instructional management. Through an investigation of teachers' perceptions, it also defines firstly the specific features of Greek teachers' adopted style and, secondly, the precise meaning that the concept and connotations of behaviour and instructional management have in the Greek educational system. Four hundred and eighteen (418) teachers working in 17 Greek Elementary Schools filled in questionnaires with 48 close-ended questions and provided relevant information. Data elaboration and statistical analysis were performed using Predictive Analytics Software Statistics 20 while Factor Analysis based on Principal Component Analysis with Varimax rotation extraction method was employed. The results of the research reveal that Greek teachers tend to be interactionalists as regards instructional management but interventionists as regards behaviour management. Nevertheless these findings need to be explained in correlation to current major educational and social changes in Greece that have had an impact on the perceptions of parents, students and teachers with respect to educational values and the teaching profession.