Biomedical Aspects Research Articles

Physicians’ responses to advanced cancer patients’ existential concerns: A video-based analysis

ObjectiveIn a recent study, we explored what kind of existential concerns patients with advanced cancer disclose during a routine hospital consultation and how they communicate such concerns. The current study builds on these results, investigating how the physicians responded to those concerns. MethodsWe analyzed video-recorded hospital consultations involving adult patients with advanced cancer. The study has a qualitative and exploratory design, using procedures from microanalysis of face-to-face-dialogue. ResultsWe identified 185 immediate physician-responses to the 127 patient existential utterances we had previously identified. The responses demonstrated three approaches: giving the patient control over the content, providing support, and taking control over the content. The latter was by far the most common, through which the physicians habitually kept the discussion around biomedical aspects and rarely pursued the patients’ existential concerns. ConclusionsAlthough the physicians, to some extent, allowed the patients to talk freely about their concerns, they systematically failed to acknowledge and address the patients’ existential concerns. Practice implicationsPhysicians should be attentive to their possible habit of steering the agenda towards biomedical topics, hence, avoiding patients’ existential concerns. Initiatives cultivating behavior enhancing person-centered and existential communication should be implemented in clinical practice and medical training.

Multichannel Fiber Optic SPR Sensors: Realization Methods, Application Status, and Future Prospects

AbstractFiber optic sensors based on surface plasmon resonance (SPR) have demonstrated outstanding performance in biomedical, environmental monitoring, public safety, and other aspects, which provide powerful platforms for qualitative detection and quantitative analysis of molecular interactions. Among them, multichannel fiber optic SPR sensor has become a core tool in parallel detection scenarios due to the superiorities of compensating for nonspecific binding and environmental fluctuations and implementing multianalyte determination. The realization methods of multichannel sensing revolve around fiber microstructures, enhancement by materials, and hybrid fiber. The applications of multichannel fiber optic SPR sensors are demonstrated in sensing of liquid refractive index (RI), RI and temperature, biochemical molecules, and physical parameters. This review thoroughly analyzes and compares the structure, excitation effect, sensing performance, and the advantages and disadvantages of each type of multichannel fiber optic SPR sensor. Even though there are still some challenges, such as insufficient sensing channels and difficulty in fabrication, in their advancement, efforts in multidiscipline including developing high‐performance sensitive films and innovating micro–nano fabrication processes will overcome these bottlenecks. Lastly, the future development directions of multichannel fiber optic SPR sensors from principle, structure, and material aspects are discussed.

In vivo intrinsic atomic interaction infer molecular eco-toxicity of industrial TiO2 nanoparticles via oxidative stress channelized steatosis and apoptosis in Paramecium caudatum

The ecotoxicological effect of after-usage released TiO2 nanoparticles in aquatic resources has been a major concern owing to their production and utilization in different applications. Addressing the issue, this study investigates the detailed in vivo molecular toxicity of TiO2 nanoparticles with Paramecium caudatum. TiO2 nanoparticles were synthesized at a lab scale using high energy ball milling technique; characterized for their physicochemical properties and investigated for their ecotoxicological impact on oxidative stress, steatosis, and apoptosis of cells through different biochemical analysis, flow cytometry, and fluorescent microscopy. TiO2 nanoparticles; TiO2 (N15); of size 36 ± 12 nm were synthesized with a zeta potential of − 20.2 ± 8.8 mV and bandgap of 4.6 ± 0.3 eV and exhibited a blue shift in UV-spectrum. Compared to the Bulk TiO2, the TiO2 (N15) exhibited higher cytotoxicity with a 24 h LC50 of 202.4 µg/ml with P. Caudatum. The mechanism was elucidated as the size and charge-dependent internalization of nanoparticles leading to abnormal physiological metabolism in oxidative stress, steatosis, and apoptosis because of their influential effect on the activity of metabolic proteins like SOD, GSH, MDA, and catalase. The study emphasized the controlled usage TiO2 nanoparticles in daily activity with a concern for ecological and biomedical aspects.

Medical Professionalism and Ethics

Frequent media reports of disputes between medical teachers, resident doctors, and patients have been disturbing thus indicating an increasing gap and decline in the values of the profession. The foundation of medical professionalism and ethics is trust, truth, human values, and strong societal commitment. Our professional responsibilities as medical educators have immediate and long-term impact on the quality of training, patient care, and overall image of the professional group in the society. Formal teaching and training in professionalism and medical ethics that emphasize humanistic aspects and standard of conduct, respectively, are equally essential as biomedical aspects. Interestingly, the principles of medical ethics and attributes of professionalism overlap. However, real-life experiences and complex clinical scenarios place medical educators at the crossroads that contradict their professional commitments resulting in ethical dilemmas. COVID-19 pandemic has further challenged the principles of medical professionalism, especially patient welfare, autonomy, and social justice to prioritize patient care and make tricky decisions based on insufficient resources including withholding and withdrawing potentially lifesaving treatments. Unfortunately, until now the teaching and training in medical professionalism and ethics have remained subtle and medical students learn by chance. The recent introduction of the AETCOM module and Code of Medical Ethics in the curriculum is a ray of hope to brighten the image of medical professionals.

System analysis of the fast global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) spread. Can we avoid future pandemics under global climate change?

ABSTRACT The recent fast global spread of COVID-19 caused by a severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) questions why and how the disease managed to be so effective against existing health protection measures. These measures, developed by many countries over centuries and strengthened over the last decades, proved to be ineffective against COVID-19. The sharp increase in human longevity and current transport systems in economically developing countries with the background of persisting cultural frameworks and stable local pools of high bacterial and viral mutations generated the wide gap between the established health protection systems and the new emerging diseases. SARS-CoV-2 targets human populations over the world with long incubation periods, often without symptoms, and serious outcomes. Hence, novel strategies are necessary to meet the demands of developing economic and social environments. Moreover, the ongoing climate change adds extra challenges while altering the existing system of interactions in biological populations and in human society. Climate change may lead to new sources of viral and microbial mutations, new ways of zoonotic disease transmission and to huge social and economic transformations in many countries. The present short Opinion applies a system approach linking biomedical, climate change, social and economic aspects and, accordingly, discusses the measures and more efficient means to avoid future pandemics.

Recent Advances of m6A Demethylases Inhibitors and Their Biological Functions in Human Diseases.

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is a post-transcriptional RNA modification and one of the most abundant types of RNA chemical modifications. m6A functions as a molecular switch and is involved in a range of biomedical aspects, including cardiovascular diseases, the central nervous system, and cancers. Conceptually, m6A methylation can be dynamically and reversibly modulated by RNA methylation regulatory proteins, resulting in diverse fates of mRNAs. This review focuses on m6A demethylases fat-mass- and obesity-associated protein (FTO) and alkB homolog 5 (ALKBH5), which especially erase m6A modification from target mRNAs. Recent advances have highlighted that FTO and ALKBH5 play an oncogenic role in various cancers, such as acute myeloid leukemias (AML), glioblastoma, and breast cancer. Moreover, studies in vitro and in mouse models confirmed that FTO-specific inhibitors exhibited anti-tumor effects in several cancers. Accumulating evidence has suggested the possibility of FTO and ALKBH5 as therapeutic targets for specific diseases. In this review, we aim to illustrate the structural properties of these two m6A demethylases and the development of their specific inhibitors. Additionally, this review will summarize the biological functions of these two m6A demethylases in various types of cancers and other human diseases.

People with type 2 diabetes experiences and needs of emotional support in Australian general practice: A qualitative study.

Context: Diabetes distress is the negative emotional response to the burden of living with and managing diabetes. It is associated with sub-optimal glycemia and diabetes self-management, with up to 40% of people with type 2 diabetes experiencing diabetes distress. Australian guidelines specifically recommend using Patient Reported Outcome Measures such as Problem Areas In Diabetes (PAID) scale to assess diabetes distress and discuss sources of distress with people with diabetes. However, use of the PAID scale in Australian general practice is low. Objective: Explore the experiences of people with type 2 diabetes, their needs and expectations of emotional support in general practice, and barriers and facilitators to completing the PAID scale. Study Design: Qualitative study with semi-structured interviews conducted via Zoom or telephone. Guided by Richie's framework thematic analysis, following familiarisation with the data, an initial thematic framework was developed using inductive and deductive approach. Data were coded using the thematic framework. Setting: General practices in Victoria, Australia. Participants: Adults >18 years with type 2 diabetes who primarily attend general practice for diabetes care. Outcomes to be reported: Themes and subthemes related to experiences, needs and expectations of emotional support of people with type 2 diabetes attending general practice are reported. Results: Twelve adults with type 2 diabetes participated. Seven women and five men participated; age range from 27-79 years. Participants considered the pre-existing general practitioner (GP)-patient relationship important when exploring emotional health during diabetes care. Key themes identified that influenced experiences of care were: (1) biomedical focus of diabetes care; (2) the GP-patient relationship; (3) importance of communication. No participants recalled completing the PAID scale with their GP to assess emotional health. They believed that the PAID scale could promote an understanding from the GP about issues impacting their life beyond the biomedical aspects of diabetes. Conclusions: Our findings indicate people with type 2 diabetes have no experience of using the PAID scale during diabetes care but perceive the use of the PAID scale could improve communication with their GP due to pre-identification of emotional issues. The findings will be used to develop a tool to implement the PAID scale in general practices in Victoria, Australia.

Physiotherapists Both Reproduce and Resist Biomedical Dominance when Working With People With Low Back Pain: A Qualitative Study Towards New Praxis.

Despite recommendations to incorporate physical and psychosocial factors when providing care for people with back pain, research suggests that physiotherapists continue to focus on biological aspects. This study investigated how interpersonal and institutional norms influence this continued enactment of the biological aspects of management. We used theoretically-driven analysis, drawing from Foucauldian notions of power, to analyse 28 ethnographic observations of consultations and seven group discussions with physiotherapists. Analysis suggested that physiotherapy training established expectations of what a physiotherapist 'should' focus on, and institutional circumstances strongly drew the attention of physiotherapists towards biological aspects. Resistance to these forces was possible when, for example, physiotherapists reflected upon their practice, used silences and pauses during consultations, and actively collaborated with patients. These circumstances facilitated use of non-biomedical management approaches. Findings may assist physiotherapists to rework the enduring normative focus on biomedical aspects of care when providing care for patients with back pain.

South Asian immigrants' and their family carers' beliefs, practices and experiences of childhood long-term conditions: An integrative review.

AbstractAimThe aim was to examine South Asian immigrants' beliefs, practices and experiences of childhood long‐term conditions.DesignThis was an integrative review.Data sourcesMEDLINE, PsycINFO, PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science were searched for primary peer‐reviewed articles published in English between January 2011 and April 2021.Review methodsArticles were screened based on PRISMA guidelines. The quality of the studies was evaluated using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme Checklist for qualitative studies and the Joanna Brigg's Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist for quantitative studies.ResultsFourteen studies were included in the review. South Asian immigrant children and their family carers experienced cultural clashes as they attempted to incorporate their cultural beliefs about long‐term conditions into a more westernized biomedical approach. Families were overburdened by caregiving and struggled to find additional support for their children. The main findings were categorized into three themes: (1) cultural beliefs; (2) religious, spiritual and complementary and alternative medicine practices and (3) care and support of the child.ConclusionHealth‐care providers should use a combination of culturally safe management strategies and a nuanced approach to educational initiatives on the biomedical aspects of various long‐term conditions to effectively engage South Asian immigrant families with health services.ImpactThe growth of South Asians worldwide along with the increased burden of long‐term conditions among South Asian immigrant children has implications for health service delivery. However, no reviews to date have explored South Asian immigrants' experience of childhood long‐term conditions. Incorporating South Asian immigrants' beliefs and practices into the plan of care promotes collaborative decision‐making that can lead to better treatment adherence, improved health outcomes and higher patient and family satisfaction. The findings encourage clinicians, researchers and policymakers to develop culturally safe child/family‐centred interventions to address the specific needs of South Asian immigrant children with long‐term conditions.

Social Support and Depression Among Pulmonary Tuberculosis Patients in Anhui, China.

IntroductionPulmonary tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis affecting multiple tissues and organs. It is one of the leading causes of death and is a social disease in China. Increasing studies have revealed that the state of mental health and the social support are associated with the morbidity, mortality and community transmission of pulmonary TB patients. However, the previous global TB control and research strategy focused almost solely on the biomedical aspects. Therefore, in this study, we evaluated the level of depression and explored potential factors, including social support domains and socio-demographic characteristics in pulmonary TB patients to research the mental health state and the association between social support and pulmonary TB, ultimately implementing a multilevel intervene.MethodsA cross-sectional study was carried out to describe the status of depression and social support, and explore related factors associated with depression among pulmonary TB patients in Anhui Province, China. Five counties (districts) in Anhui Province, China were selected by simple random sampling method. Patients diagnosed with pulmonary TB eligible to the study criteria were investigated. A structured questionnaire composed of information on socio-demographic characteristics, self-rating depression scale (SDS) and social support rating scale (SSRS) was used to collect the data.ResultsIn this study, a total of 250 questionnaires were issued, and the effective questionnaires 237 were actually returned. Of the 237 patients with pulmonary TB, 71.3% of them were male and the mean age was 46.16 years (SD = 13.09). Depression symptoms were observed in 125 (52.7%) participants. Objective support (β = −0.192, P=0.002) and subjective support (β = −0.158, P = 0.015) had significantly negative effects on depression, while the effect of support utilization was not statistically significant. In contrast, being female (β = 0.119, P = 0.036) and patients with positive sputum smear results (β = 0.140, P = 0.014) were positively related to depression. Patients with monthly income between 500 and 999 were less likely to suffer from depression (β = −0.134, P = 0.024) than those who were poorer. Additionally, both education level and marital status were found to be correlated with social support and depression state (all P<0.05).DiscussionIn summary, the prevalence of depressive symptoms in pulmonary TB patients were high in Anhui Province, China. Low levels of social support can be an important predictor of depression symptoms. Therefore, screening for depression among pulmonary TB patients in the primary care setting is greatly warranted. Furthermore, psychological interventions should focus on providing available and adequate social support in order to improve mental health of them.

Influence of Nicotine from Diverse Delivery Tools on the Autonomic Nervous and Hormonal Systems.

Background: Through measurements of the heart rate variability (HRV) accompanied by the pertinent biomarker assays, the effects of nicotine and byproducts derived from alternative nicotine delivery systems (ANDS) on the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and hormonal system have been investigated. Methods: HRV was studied in a group of volunteers (17 people), involving non-smokers, i.e., who never smoked before (11), ex-smokers (4) and active smokers (2). ANDS and smoking simulators, including regular, nicotine-free and electronic cigarettes; tobacco heating systems; chewing gums and nicotine packs of oral fixation (nic-packs), were used. Blood pressure, levels of stress hormones in saliva and catecholamines in the blood were also monitored. Results: HRV analysis showed relatively small changes in HRV and in the other studied parameters with the systemic use of nic-packs with low and moderate nicotine contents (up to 6 mg) compared to other ANDS. Conclusions: The HRV method is proven to be a promising technique for evaluation of the risks associated with smoking, dual use of various ANDS and studying the biomedical aspects of smoking cessation. Nic-packs are shown to be leaders in biological safety among the studied ANDS. A sharp surge in the activity of the sympathetic division of the ANS within the first minutes of the use of nicotine packs implies that nicotine begins to act already at very low doses (before entering the blood physically in any significant amount) through fast signal transmission to the brain from the nicotinic and taste buds located in the mouth area.

Flying rats and microbeam paths crossing: the beauty of international interdisciplinary science

Purpose Microbeam radiotherapy (MRT) is a still experimental radiotherapy approach. Two combined parameters contribute to an excellent normal tissue protection and an improved control of malignant tumors in small animal models, compared to conventional radiotherapy: dose deposition at a high dose rate and spatial fractionation at the micrometre level. The international microbeam research community expects to see clinical MRT trials within the next ten years. Physics-associated research is still widely regarded as a male domain. Thus, the question was asked whether this is reflected in the scientific contributions to the field of microbeam radiotherapy. Method A literature search was conducted using Pubmed, Semantic Scholar and other sources to look specifically for female contributors to the field of microbeam radiotherapy development. Conclusion The original idea for MRT was patented in 1994 by an all-male research team. In approximately 50% of all publications related to microbeam radiotherapy, however, either the first or the senior author is a woman. The contribution of those women who have been driving the development of both technical and biomedical aspects of MRT in the last two decades is highlighted.

What will it take to achieve the sexual and reproductive health and rights of women living with HIV?

This article outlines progress in realizing the sexual and reproductive health and rights of women and girls living with HIV over the last 30 years from the perspective of women living with HIV. It argues that the HIV response needs to go beyond the bio-medical aspects of HIV to achieve our sexual and reproductive health and rights, and considers relevant Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), World Health Organization, United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), Global Fund and other guidelines, what engagement there has been with women living with HIV and whether guidelines/strategies have been adopted. It has been written by women living with HIV from around the world and a few key supporters. Co-authors have sought to collate and cite materials produced by women living with HIV from around the world, in the first known effort to date to do this, as a convergence of evidence to substantiate the points made in the article. However, as the article also argues, research led by women living with HIV is seldom funded and rarely accepted as evidence. Combined with a lack of meaningful involvement of women living with HIV in others’ research on us, this means that formally recognized evidence from women’s own perspectives is patchy at best. The article argues that this research gap, combined with the ongoing primacy of conventional research methods and topics that exclude those most affected by issues, and the lack of political will (and sometimes outright opposition) in relation to gender equality and human rights, adversely affect policies and programmes in relation to women’s rights. Thus, efforts to achieve an ethical, effective and sustainable response to the pandemic are hindered. The article concludes with a call to action to all key stakeholders.

COVID-19 vaccines for high risk and immunocompromised patients.

The availability of multiple versions of vaccines designed to help prevent COVID-19 has offered an opportunity to at least control the current pandemic, and possibly to quickly eradicate this disease fully, along with the implementation of other preventive measures. In order to accomplish this feat more effectively, as many people as possible need to be vaccinated, especially for high-risk groups having co-morbid conditions such as diabetes, obesity and old age, and possibly those with various forms of immunodeficiencies, such as HIV/AIDS. This chapter focuses primarily on some of the basic biomedical aspects on vaccine design and use, and any possible concerns that need to be considered in getting people in the high-risk category vaccinated and monitored thereafter for their continuous health and well-being.

Lived Experiences of Survivors of COVID-19 Disease at Hwange Colliery Hospital, Zimbabwe

The COVID-19 pandemic is one of the worst global nightmares in the past decade for both healthcare workers and general public. The initial focus has been on the lifesaving and biomedical aspects, but COVID-19 has rapidly established itself as an illness that negatively impacts the psychosocial health of all affected individuals. The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of survivors of COVID-19 disease with intent to identify gaps within the healthcare system in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic and therefore improve the patient care. A phenomenological approach was used and a purposive sampling technique employed to select 15 participants at Hwange Colliery hospital for the study. All the participants were individuals aged between 19 and 55 years who had recovered from COVID-19 disease. Participants were either Hwange Colliery Company Limited employees or dependents and resident of Hwange Colliery concession area. Analysis of data was done during data collection using the Braun and Clarke (2006) thematic analysis. Three themes with eleven subthemes emerged from data and these were: awareness of COVID-19 disease; sources of information and trust of sources of information, causes and origins of the COVID-19, health seeking; physical manifestations, specimen collection and experience, treatment and home remedies, interaction with healthcare workers, psychosocial dimension; isolation and experiences, fears and concerns, family and friends support, religious, job security. The study revealed the lived experiences of survivors of COVID-19 disease. The survivors’ fear and coping mechanisms were made plain. The age of participants ranged from 19 years to 55 years with a mean age of 36.3 and a standard deviation of 5.1

Gross, Histomorphological and Scanning Electronic Microscopic Studies on Gut Associated Lymphoid Tissue of Intestine of Pati Duck (Anas platyrhynchos domesticus) of Assam

Background: The study on Gut Associated Lymphoid Tissue (GALT) of Pati duck of Assam is of great value in regard to normal academic and bio-medical research aspects. The aim of the study was to evaluate the gross, histomorphological and scanning electronic microscopic examination of gut-associated lymphoid tissue of the intestine of Pati duck at different age group. Methods: For this study, forty five Pati ducks were divided into five groups depending on its age viz., 1st week, 4th week, 16th week, 24th week and 42nd weeks old. The pieces of gut having lymphoid tissue or Peyer’s patches were collected immediately after slaughter. These samples were fixed in 10% neutral buffered formalin solution and were processed as per the standard technique of procedure (Luna, 1968). The paraffin blocks were sectioned in Shandon Finesse microtome at 5 µm thickness and the sections were stained with Mayer’s Haematoxylin and Eosin staining technique for Cellular details, Van Gieson’s method for collagen fibres, Gomori’s method for reticular fibres, Hart’s method for elastic fibres and Bielchowsky’s method for axis cylinder and dendrites as per the method of Luna (1968). Result: Gut-associated lymphoid tissue was found in the duodenum, jejunum, ileum, caecum and the terminal part of the rectum in all the age group of Pati duck. The lymphoid compartment of the gut-associated lymphoid tissue in duck included a follicular structure, dome, follicle associated epithelia and interfollicular area. Lamina propria of jejunum was heavily infiltrated with diffuse lymphatic tissue in the 16th, 24th and 42nd week of age of Pati duck. The scattered and diffuse lymphatic infiltration occurred in all age groups. The lamina propria of the colorectum revealed an extensive network of reticular fibre with diffused lymphatic tissue in all the age group of duck. In Scanning Electron Microscope, the lumen of the jejunum was covered by finger-like villi with numerous opening of goblet cells. The lymphoid follicle of Lamina propria contains numerous lymphocytes along with connective tissue fibres.

Comment on “Physics at the Molecular and Cellular Level (P@MCL): A New Curriculum for Introductory Physics”

I recently became acquainted with the work done by Lisa J. Lapidus on new curricular development for courses on Introductory Physics for the Life Sciences (IPLS) (1). While I enjoyed reading the article, I was expecting a description of the assessment modalities of such a physics course that is highly focused on molecular and cellular biology. The author, however, is still developing this aspect. Several afterthoughts left me wondering about the best assessment modes for this course.From my perspective, introductory physics remains the only basic course in the life sciences curriculum where students are taught to apply logic and deduction to the resolution of real-world physics problems, and this is in striking contrast to molecular and cellular biology, where memorization is traditionally emphasized. I agree with the many voices that argue that the learning objectives of IPLS are not about gaining new knowledge but, rather, are about gaining abilities and competencies. The assessments discussed in the paper refer to concept inventories, which are indeed conceptual rather than problem based. However, in my opinion, written problem-based exams are better suited to evaluate competencies acquired in introductory physics courses. During their final exam, students may be given a list of all the formulas they need, but it will not help them succeed if they did not practice beforehand how to apply this knowledge thoughtfully. Clearly, students are strongly motivated by real-world physics problems that touch upon some biomedical aspects, but when it comes to developing physics problems solely with molecular and cellular biology content, I do not see too many possibilities of constructions that would require application of logic and deduction. This situation implies a high probability that the teacher will have to recycle exam questions and, accordingly, disfavors the problem based assessment modality for P@MCL. In other words, the use of problem-based assessment, along with these curriculum adjustments, would “throw the baby out with the bathwater,” because students would simply train in solving a limited number of typical problems. Probably the optimal assessment mode in such a course would be project based (2). This way, the students have several possibilities to showcase their understanding of physics topics and their competencies to tie together physics and biology—in the form of written essays or video capsules. The evaluation of project-based work, however, may require significant effort on the part of the instructor (3).With regards to curricular adjustments for P@MCL, the elimination of topics from the IPLS curriculum should not be simply based, in my opinion, on whether there is or is not a biological equivalent. Still, I was surprised to see the suppression of rotations, electromagnetic induction, and DC circuits (including Kirchhoff's laws). In molecular biology we have a perfect example of conversion of rotational work into the universal cell energy currency, ATP, by ATP synthase. Electroencephalographic measurements are based on electromagnetic induction caused by pulsating currents in nerve fibers. Finally, although it is clear that Kirchhoff's laws are not required to understand how transmembrane potential is generated on the cellular and molecular levels, it should be noted that the equivalent resistor-capacitor circuits describe quite accurately the electric behavior dynamics of various living cells. After all, this is the great achievement for which Hodgkin and Huxley were awarded their Nobel Prize.

Histochemical Studies on Post Natal Development of Gut Associated Lymphoid Tissue (GALT) of Intestine of Pati Duck (Anas platyrhynchos domesticus) of Assam

Background: The Pati duck constitutes a major indigenous duck variety in the state of Assam. The study of the gut associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) of Pati duck of Assam is of great value in regard to normal academic and bio-medical research aspects. It is also pre-requisite for correct diagnosis and evaluating the treatment of certain diseases like duck virus enteritis, duck cholera, aflatoxicosis, botulism etc, caused by different types of pathogens, food poisoning and food allergy. Methods: The study was conducted on Pati duck of Assam in where 45 numbers of ducks were selected by irrespective of sex at different stages of development. The birds were divided into five groups depending on its age viz., 1st week, 4th week, 16th week, 24th week and 42nd weeks old. The pieces of gut having lymphoid tissue or Peyer’s patches were collected immediately after slaughter. Samples were made cryosections (-20oC) at 10µm in thickness and were temporally stored at (-22oC). The histochemical staining was done after that. Result: The acid phosphatase activity was weak in the lymphoid follicles of 1st and 4th week of age of Pati duck, while its activity was moderate in 16th, 24th and 42th week of age.The alkaline phosphatase activity was moderate reaction in the lymphoid follicles of 1st and 4th week of age of Pati duck, while its activity was intense in 16th, 24th and 42th week of age of duck. The lymphoid follicles of both Peyer’s patches and solitary lymphoid nodules were showed moderate activity for adenosine tri-phosphatase activity in 1st and 4th week old Pati duck and strong activity in 16th, 24th and 42th week of age of Pati duck, respectively. The lymphoid nodules of intestine showed strong reaction for non-specific esterase activity in all the age groups of Pati duck.

Classification of depression-related online forums using Natural Language Processing

The study of the phenomenon of depression is not new in sociology, but since the depressionis becoming a wider social problem, it is still a relevant issue today. In addition to the biomedical and psychological aspects of depression, the sociological perspective is becoming morenoteworthy in the discourse about the causes of depression. In the research of the discourseon depression, the online texts offer many new possibilities, as the forum’s anonymity andaccessability make the online seeking for help popular. In this research, natural languageprocessing (logistic regression) was applied to find patterns in the definition of depressionin lay discourses. These methods make it possible to analyze a large amount of text - whichwould have been difficult to process with human resources. During the analysis, 67 857 posts ofEnglish-speaking online forums were categorized along the categories of the scientific discourseabout depression. This study presents the first results, which shows logistic regression classifierperforms like the annotators. . Although the research has analyzed English-speaking forums, myfindings may be useful to anyone observing abstract sociological concepts in online texts writtenby users.

Suitable Interpretation of Skin Prick Test and Biomedical Guidance Leads to a Better Clinical State in Atopic Individuals with High Indoor Permanence: Possible Therapeutic Implications

Indoor conditions contribute to allergen sensitization and multiple allergens reactivity, mainly for inhaled allergens. This study analyzes if Skin Prick Test (SPT) combined with efficient individual biomedical guidance about allergy development’s social, biological, and environmental aspects can yield a better clinical state with therapeutic implications for atopic individuals with high indoor permanence. We recruited atopic and non-atopic volunteers (clinically and in vitro diagnosed) with indoor permanence above 15 h per day and without previous SPT evaluation. The SPT and serum anti-allergen IgE analyses were performed individually in person, demonstrated, and discussed by the practitioners. Six months after, SPT and specific IgE titers determination were repeated, and a questionnaire to evaluate the effectiveness of the practitioner’s orientation was performed. After six months, 14% of atopic volunteers reported changes in their social habits, 30% said that they avoid the development of allergies clinical symptoms, and 68% reported a substantial improvement in their health after being informed mentored about their allergen reactivity. The control non-atopic group, as expected, reported no changes in social habits, the maintenance of total avoidance of allergic symptoms, and almost no improvement of their health. Reduced SPT and serum allergen-specific IgE titers were detected in the atopic individuals corroborating with questionnaire results. Our results indicated that SPT, followed by an individual and efficient discussion about the main biomedical aspects of allergy development, could exert a pronounced therapeutic role in allergy development by high indoor permanence individuals.