Permanent Condition Research Articles

Could Pontimonas Harbour Halophilic Members Able to Withstand Very Broad Salinity Variations?

Pontimonas is currently described as a genus including only one species of slightly halophilic marine bacteria. Although some works revealed its presence in some hypersaline environments, the information on its habitat preference is still scant. This work investigated Pontimonas presence in selected ponds of the Saline di Tarquinia marine saltern and in the seawater intake area. The two-year metabarcoding survey documented its constant presence along the ponds establishing the salinity gradient and in a distinct basin with permanent hypersaline conditions (BSB). Pontimonas was higher in the ponds than in the sea, whereas it had similar abundances in the sea and in the BSB. Its representative OTUs showed significant trends according to different parameters. Along the salinity gradient, OTU1 abundance increased with decreasing water temperatures and increasing rainfalls, and it showed a maximum in January; OTU2 increased with increasing BOD5 and it showed the highest abundances in the period August–October, and OTU 3194 increased at decreasing salinities. In BSB, a significant seasonal variation was shown by OTU 3194, which started increasing in spring to reach a maximum in summer. The results suggest that Pontimonas could easily settle in hypersaline habitats, having also broad euryhaline members and some possible extreme halophilic representatives.

Diabetic retinopathy disease

INTRODUCTION: Diabetic Retinopathy is an eye disease that can cause loss of vision and vision in people with diabetes. Diabetic retinopathy occurs when high blood sugar levels affect the blood vessels in the retina. Nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) and proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) are two types of diabetic retinopathy (PDR). Blood sugar levels may be controlled to control NPDR. PDR is a very serious condition that affects the middle view. Diabetes retinopathy is diagnosed using dilated eye scan, fluorescein angiography, and optical coherence tomography. Laser treatments, eye injections, and surgery are also used to treat the onset of diabetes. To prevent new blood vessels from growing behind the eyes, injections of vascular endothelial cell factor inhibitors are injected directly into the eyes. AIM: Diabetic retinopathy disease. CONCLUSION: Diabetic retinopathy is a permanent condition. Laser analysis (photocoagulation) is normally very helpful at avoiding vision damage when performed before the eye is damaged. If the eye is not badly affected, surgical removal of the vitreous gel will increase vision (vitrectomy). An anti-inflammatory or anti-vascular endothelial growth factor injection may help create new blood vessels in some cases of chronic diabetes.

Digital nomad lifestyle: a liminal experience of identity transition

This study contributes to the theoretical perspectives on digital nomad identity. The aim is to go beyond the construction of the nomadic identity framed as identi-ty work in liquid modernity. In doing that, the paper offers an empirical investiga-tion of how knowledge workers construct and perform nomadic subjectivities through liminal work identities in under-institutionalized contexts and symbolic consumption. Drawing on the life history of digital nomads living in Chiang Mai and Bangkok (Thailand), this work concludes that digital nomads know or make the experience that the nomadic lifestyle is not a permanent way of life but a spe-cific stage of their life paths. Digital nomads frame their projects of self-realization through the digital nomad lifestyle as a liminal transition. The digital nomad identi-ty emerges as a temporary and opportunistic assemblage of neoliberal do-it-yourself biographies toward the emergence of a post-nomadic identity. However, the paradoxes and constraints embedded in the digital nomad lifestyle can freeze digital nomads in an objective and subjective permanent liminal condition.

Power Distribution Grid Reliability Assessment Considering Protection and Control Devices’ Optimal Post-Fault Operation

The reliability level of the distribution network is a judgment tool of the grid and protection design quality, the effectiveness of the fault management unit, and customers’ satisfaction. In this paper, a new approach is presented to evaluate common reliability indices namely ENS, SAIDI, SAIFI, MAIFIe, etc., while reliability improvement via optimal post-fault restoration describes the coordinated operation of various protection and control devices in temporary and permanent fault event conditions. Customers’ outage times are calculated considering different switching operation times to capture manual operation issues, e.g., traffic level, geographical issues, fuse replacements, etc. The optimal service restoration scheme being formulated in a mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) fashion is constrained to network technical limitations, e.g., line thermal capacity, load points voltage level, DG units’ parameters, and island operation. Performance of the proposed framework is verified in IEEE 33-bus test system.

A Multi-Proxy Approach to Reconstruct Hypoxia on the NW Black Sea Shelf over the Holocene

Coastal hypoxia is a worldwide concern. Even though seasonal hypoxia has been reported on the northwestern Black Sea shelf since the 1970s, little is known about oxygenation in this area over the Holocene. With a multiproxy approach, this work aimed to detect potential hypoxic events in two gravity cores. Our results demonstrate that the most common proxies of hypoxia are irrelevant for the Black Sea coastal environment. For instance, the Ammonia-Elphidium index appears to be inappropriate. We assume a salinity bias due to the influence of freshwater inputs. Likely, the redox sensitivity of vanadium is obscured by the dominant supply of detrital elements. However, the size distribution of framboidal pyrites gives clear indications of the oxygenation of the water column. Indeed, the absence of framboidal pyrites in the core located at the Danube mouth suggests permanent oxic conditions over the last 2 ka. On the contrary, in the core located in the Odessa Bay, the two observed ranges of pyrite sizes evidence an alternation between anoxic (mean diameter 3–6 ± 1–2 µm) and hypoxic or oxic (mean diameter 6–10 ± 3–5 µm) conditions in bottom waters over the last 7 ka. Therefore, this proxy reveals different oxygenation levels for these proximal sites.

Delivery of Multimodal Analgesia to Effectively Treat Acute Pain: A Review From Roma Pain Days.

It is crucial that acute pain be promptly and adequately treated in order to prevent it from transitioning to chronic pain, a devastating and sometimes permanent condition that is challenging to treat and associated with disability, reduced quality of life, and depression. Guidelines for the treatment of acute low-back pain (LBP) are predicated on assumptions that all acute LBP is benign, temporary, and traditionally treated with a “wait and see” approach. LBP is far from a monolithic condition: etiology, the presence of underlying conditions, mental health status, social situation, patient’s age and occupation, and comorbidities all present different risk factors for chronic LBP that should be considered in treating acute LBP or other forms of acute pain. A multimodal approach to acute pain has been shown to be safe and effective. In particular, the combination product of oral dexketoprofen and tramadol has been shown effective in controlling acute pain, which spares the use of opioids and is well tolerated. Chronic pain must be viewed as a global health crisis, and the timely and adequate control of acute painful conditions is a good strategy to reduce its prevalence. Experts at Roma Pain Days discussed this important topic which is the foundation of this review.

Lung and blood early biomarkers for host-directed tuberculosis therapies: Secondary outcome measures from a randomized controlled trial.

Current tuberculosis treatments leave most patients with bronchiectasis and fibrosis, permanent conditions that impair lung function and increase all-cause post-TB mortality. Host-directed therapies (HDTs) may reduce lung inflammation and hasten eradication of infection. Biomarkers can accelerate tuberculosis regimen development, but no studies have yet examined early biomarkers of TB-HDTs. Biomarkers of inflammation and microbicidal activity were evaluated as a part of a recent phase-2 randomized controlled trial of four HDTs in 200 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis and baseline predictors of poor outcome, including CC-11050 (PDE4i), everolimus (mTORi), auranofin (oral gold salt), and ergocalciferol (vitamin D). Two of the 4 arms (CC-11050 and everolimus) showed superior recovery of lung function at day 180 compared to control; none showed accelerated eradication of MTB infection. Patients underwent 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) on entry and day 56. PET signals were analyzed according to total, maximal, and peak glycolytic activity; CT was analyzed according to total modified Hounsfield units to assess radiodensity. Mycobactericidal activity in ex vivo whole blood culture was measured on days 42, 84, and 140. C-reactive protein (CRP) was measured at multiple time points. All PET/CT parameters showed highly significant reductions from baseline to day 56; however, only maximal or peak glycolytic activity showed further experimental reduction compared to controls, and only in everolimus recipients. CRP dropped precipitously during early treatment, but did so equally in all arms; over the entire period of treatment, the rate of decline of CRP tended to be greater in CC-11050 recipients than in controls but this fell short of statistical significance. Whole blood mycobactericidal activity in ex-vivo culture was enhanced by auranofin compared to controls, but not by other HDTs. None of these early biomarkers correctly predicted HDT effects on inflammation or infection across all four experimental arms. Instead, they each appear to show highly specific responses related to HDT mechanisms of action.

Curcumin Bioactive Substance to Prevent Diabetic Retinopathy Due to Diabetes Mellitus Complications: A Literature Review

Diabetes Mellitus is characterized by hyperglycemia, and if it continues, the patients are at risk of having a macrovascular or microvascular complication. One of the most frequent microvascular complications is Diabetic Retinopathy, with a prevalence of 42.6%. Most of the blindness due to Diabetic Retinopathy is a permanent condition and cannot be treated, so prevention is vital in reducing this disease. This literature aimed at providing the recent information related to the effect of curcumin in preventing Diabetic Retinopathy from occurring in patients with Diabetes Mellitus and becoming a source of the latest product innovation in preventing this disease. The writing began by electronic database searching via Google Scholar, Science Direct, Medline, and Research Gate. Only articles in English were taken as a literature review with the following research variables, namely the decrease in ROS (Reactive Oxygen Species), the decline in inflammation, morphological changes in the retina, and reduction in levels of VEGF (Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor)which is an angiogenic factor. Twelve studies showed the following measurement results, namely five studies showed a significant result for giving curcumin extract to decrease ROS; ten studies showed that curcumin extract could significantly improve the morphology of the retina; four studies showed that curcumin extract could significantly help the anti-inflammation process, and four studies showed a significant reduction in VEGF levels. Based on twelve articles reviewed, curcumin can act as a bioactive substance in preventing Diabetic Retinopathy in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus.

Analytical strategies in venomics

Snakebite envenoming is a major issue in certain developing parts of the world, with tens of thousands of deaths and a multitude of lingering permanent medical conditions on a yearly basis as a result. Venoms consist of a plethora of biologically active compounds, mainly peptides and proteins, that can induce these effects. Snake venom characterisation, in terms of identifying and quantifying the venom toxin proteins in crude venoms, can aid in pinpointing the venom toxins responsible for pathologies observed in snakebite victims. It can also assist in developing a new generation of efficient antivenoms. To facilitate this characterisation process, several approaches have been developed, of which venomics, toxicovenomics and antivenomics are the most important ones and aim to map venom toxin composition, their toxic effects, and antivenom efficacy, respectively. Most venomics approaches include peptide-centric analyses of protein digests in combination with advanced separation and detection hardware and involve the use of generic and dedicated software tools for data processing. However, a shift towards protein-level, and even proteoform-level, analysis can be observed over the last few years. A variety of hyphenated intact protein separation techniques, including gel-eluted liquid fraction entrapment electrophoresis, OFFGEL, gel filtration and several (ultra)high pressure and nanoscale chromatographic separations can be named, which allow retention of intact or native states of toxin proteins with ever increasing resolutions. Similarly, rapid detection hardware advances on the mass spectrometry side, and labelling techniques, allow for increasingly sensitive and quantitative venom analysis and characterisation. Most venomics research includes several complementary analytical techniques performed in parallel, with each technique often leading to exclusive protein identifications but also showing significant overlap. The original venomics approach, developed by the Calvete group and termed “Snake venomics”, is used most frequently and is the most profound methodology that has been advanced over the years, thereby resulting in sequentially further identification of venom toxin proteins based on previous results using increasingly in-depth characterisation approaches. The latest advances in this regard nowadays allow for quantitative analysis of all venom toxins in crude venoms, named “Absolute venomics”. This review will focus on the analytical aspects of venomics for which sample preparation, separation, detection and quantitation techniques are discussed. Finally, a comparison between recently published venomics studies is made.

MGE-Like Neural Progenitor Cell Survival and Expression of Parvalbumin and Proenkephalin in a Jaundiced Rat Model of Kernicterus

Kernicterus is a permanent condition caused by brain damage from bilirubin toxicity. Dystonia is one of the most debilitating symptoms of kernicterus and results from damage to the globus pallidus (GP). One potential therapeutic strategy to treat dystonia in kernicterus is to replace lost GP neurons and restore basal ganglia circuits through stem cell transplantation. Toward this end, we differentiated human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) into medial ganglion eminence (MGE; the embryological origin of most of the GP neurons)-like neural precursor cells (NPCs). We determined neurochemical phenotype in cell culture and after transplanting into the GP of jaundiced Gunn rats. We also determined grafted cell survival as well as migration, distribution, and morphology after transplantation. As in the GP, most cultured MGE-like NPCs expressed γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), with some co-expressing markers for parvalbumin (PV) and others expressing markers for pro-enkephalin (PENK). MGE-like NPCs survived in brains at least 7 weeks after transplantation, with most aggregating near the injection site. Grafted cells expressed GABA and PV or PENK as in the normal GP. Although survival was low and the maturity of grafted cells varied, many cells produced neurite outgrowth. While promising, our results suggest the need to further optimize the differentiation protocol for MGE-like NPC for potential use in treating dystonia in kernicterus.

Na EKO na EBA - o vai e vem da imigração: cotidiano, identidade e demandas de imigrantes africanos estudantes universitários

Abstract Introduction By embracing cultural diversity, human rights, and social justice – in its practice and knowledge production –, occupational therapy has been interested in discussing the theme of Africa, problematizing different contemporary social dynamics. Objective To understand the trajectory, the construction of identity, and the demands of young African immigrant university students. Method Qualitative approach using semi-structured interviews for data collection and thematic content analysis. Results The first category, “Culture, identity, and daily life: crossing the Black Atlantic”, encompasses the perception of young people about otherness and cultural differences/identifications between Brazil and Africa in their daily lives. The second, “'A country of hunters?': prejudice, discrimination and colonial imaginary” dealt with reports of discrimination in everyday life and the imaginary about Africa in Brazil; The last category, “'The house belongs to the other': institutional support/helplessness and coping strategies”, discusses the conditions of reception and permanence of the African immigrant student at the university. Conclusion The trajectory of African students goes through institutional care, and social and relational needs, which overlap in daily life, culture, and academic performance, emphasizing the experience of racial discrimination inside and outside the university that guides otherness in the construction of subjectivity of young people. The appreciation of African themes demonstrates a tendency of the profession to seek new epistems and decolonial theoretical-methodological constructions that produce other looks for human action in the tension of culture and power relations established by the modern world system.

Стохастична модель хижак-жертва, що залежить від щільності популяції хижака

The system of stochastic differential equations describing a nonautonomous stochastic density-dependent predator-prey model with Holling-type II functional response disturbed by white noise, centered and non-centered Poisson noises is considered. So, in this model we take into account levels of predator density dependence and jumps, corresponding to the centered and non-centered Poisson measures. The existence and uniqueness theorem for the positive, global (no explosions in the finite time) solution of the considered system is proved. We obtain sufficient conditions of stochastic ultimate boundedness and stochastic permanence in the considered stochastic predator-prey model.

An Experimental Test of the Effects of Digital Content Permanency on Perceived Anonymity and Indirect Effects on Cyber Bullying Intentions

An online experiment was conducted to examine the causal effects of digital content permanency on perceived anonymity, as well as the correlations between perceived anonymity, perceived consequences of anonymous cyber bullying, normative beliefs about cyber bullying, and cyber bullying intentions. College students in the United States were introduced to a social media platform described as featuring either non-permanent or permanent content. Results showed participants in the non-permanent (vs. permanent) condition were more likely to believe they would remain anonymous. People who believed they could remain anonymous were in turn less likely to believe they would face consequences of anonymous cyber bullying. In addition, normative beliefs about cyber bullying were related to beliefs about facing retaliation and family disapproval. Overall, this study disentangles different concepts related to anonymity and provides causal evidence that a unique feature in digital spaces—content permanency—can impact perceptions of anonymity, which are in turn correlated with factors known to influence cyber bullying intentions.

Effects of fear and anti-predator response in a discrete system with delay

<p style='text-indent:20px;'>In this paper a discrete-time two prey one predator model is considered with delay and Holling Type-Ⅲ functional response. The cost of fear of predation and the effect of anti-predator behavior of the prey is incorporated in the model, coupled with inter-specific competition among the prey species and intra-specific competition within the predator. The conditions for existence of the equilibrium points are obtained. We further derive the sufficient conditions for permanence and global stability of the co-existence equilibrium point. It is observed that the effect of fear induces stability in the system by eliminating the periodic solutions. On the other hand the effect of anti-predator behavior plays a major role in de-stabilizing the system by giving rise to predator-prey oscillations. Finally, several numerical simulations are performed which support our analytical findings.</p>

Dynamics of a new stage-structured population model with transient and nontransient impulsive effects in a polluted environment

In this paper, we consider a new stage-structured population model with transient and nontransient impulsive effects in a polluted environment. By using the theories of impulsive differential equations, we obtain the globally asymptotically stable condition of a population-extinction solution; we also present the permanent condition for the investigated system. The results indicate that the nontransient and transient impulsive harvesting rate play important roles in system permanence. Finally, numerical analyses are carried out to illustrate the results. Our results provide effective methods for biological resource management in a polluted environment.

Designing [for] the future: Managing architectural parts through the principles of circular economy

The environmental impact of the construction and demolition industry is enormous, therefore the management of architectural “waste” and the existing building volume became of crucial importance for the design of sustainable buildings and cities. Considering the principles of circular economy, two possible approaches emerge. The first concerns the existing architectural stock and its future use, not as a whole but as upcycled separate modules. The second is oriented towards the incorporation of future management of architectural parts in the design of new constructions, also known as design for disassembly (DfD). The research highlights the capabilities of each material and the potential ways of reusing it. In the case of design for disassembly, the connectivity of construction elements is of equal importance to the materiality of the projects. Moreover, the observations include the logistics of reuse in a new construction, the incorporation of a former architectural part, whose function sometimes differs from its role in the original building. In the existing residential fabric, upcycling emerges as a practice of creative reuse of building elements. Nonetheless, each case should be individually evaluated. Though these processes have not been yet used at a great extent, this theoretical framework is a reminder that the creation of a new building is not a permanent condition, but an aggregation of materials that temporarily serve a given purpose.

Predator–Prey System: Bachelor Herding of the Prey Imposes Ecological Constraints on Predation

Bachelor herd behavior is very common among juvenile animals who have not become sexually matured but have left their parent groups. The complex grouping or schooling behavior provides vulnerable juveniles refuge from predation and opportunities for foraging, especially when their parents are not within the area to protect them. In spite of this, juvenile/immature prey may easily become victims because of their greenness while on the other hand, adult prey may be invulnerable to attack due to their tricky manoeuvring abilities to escape from the predators. In this study, we propose a stage-structured predator–prey model, in which predators attack only the bachelor herds of juvenile prey while adult prey save themselves due to small predator–prey size ratio and their fleeing capability, enabling them to avoid confrontation with the predators. Local and global stability analysis on the equilibrium points of the model are performed. Sufficient conditions for uniform permanence and the impermanence are derived. The model exhibits both transcritical as well as Hopf bifurcations and the corresponding numerical simulations are carried out to support the analytical results. Bachelor herding of juvenile prey as well as inaccessibility of adult prey restricts the uncontrolled predation so that prey abundance and predation remain balanced. This investigation on bachelor group defence brings out some unpredictable results, especially close to the zero steady state. Altogether, bachelor herding of the juvenile prey, which causes unconventional behavior near the origin, plays a significant role in establishing uniform permanence conditions, also increases richness of the dynamics in numerical simulations using the bifurcation theory and thereby, shapes ecosystem properties tremendously and may have a large influence on the ecosystem functioning.

The challenges of inadequate financial support for Australians with cancer

The publicly funded Medicare system in Australia has been recognised as a leading universal health-care model. However, its equitability has been under increased scrutiny. The COVID-19 pandemic has widened care disparities between socioeconomic groups. In particular, patients with cancer are facing unprecedented challenges in accessing income support. The Australian Disability Support Pension (DSP) aims to provide financial assistance to those with a permanent medical condition. However, the majority of Australians with cancer do not meet its eligibility requirements, leaving them with financial and psychological distress while confronting a life-changing diagnosis.

Permanent Thermal and Chemical Stratification in a Restored Urban Meromictic Lake

Meromictic lakes are unique aquatic ecosystems that occur extremely rarely. The phenomenon of meromixis can result from both natural and anthropogenic factors. The aim of this study was to analyse thermal and chemical stratification in a small, deep (6 ha, H max = 24.5 m) lake. The evaluated lake had a typical summer thermal profile with a shallow epilimnion, a sharp thermocline, and a distinct monimolimnion layer in the hypolimnion, which was also maintained during circulation. The lake had a clinograde oxygen profile, with an oxygen deficit in the metalimnion and permanent anoxic conditions in the deeper layers, including during circulation. A redox zone was identified during summer stagnation. The monimolimnion formed a thermally isolated layer at a depth of around 15 m, and the chemocline was situated above the monimolimnion. In the chemocline, the EC gradient ranged from 61 to 77 μS·cm−1 per meter of depth in the summer and from 90 to 130 μS·cm−1 per meter of depth during circulation. EC was significantly correlated with Ca2+ concentration (r2 = 0.549). Chemical stratification, particularly with regard to organic matter distribution, was observed in the chemocline. The monimolimnion severely limited nutrient internal loading.

SSVEP-gated EMG-based decoding of elbow angle during goal-directed reaching movement

IntroductionEstimation of reaching movement commands for controlling human–machine interfaces (HMIs) based on electromyogram (EMG) signals, such as prostheses or robotic assistive devices, for the disabled is challenging due to the absence of healthy and synergistic muscle activations. MethodsIn this study, to improve the kinematic estimation of an EMG-based decoder during goal-directed reaching movements, steady-state visual evoked potentials (SSVEP) were considered to identify the motion target. The EMG signal of the shoulder and arm muscles was mapped to the elbow angle with a model selected by SSVEP signals during the reaching movement to a flashing target on display. ResultsThe accuracy of decoding based on the combination of EMG and EEG was significantly different (RMSE = 3.7° and R2 = 92.13%) from the counterpart EMG-based decoder (RMSE = 4.26° and R2 = 91.02%). Indeed, the proposed dual-modality structure outperformed the single-modality structure when the EMG signals altered in permanent conditions, such as spinal cord injury or stroke. Especially in simulated muscle weakness situations where the signal-to-noise ratio declines, the dual-modality framework was more robust than the single-modality, and the determinant coefficient of the decoder was stable above 80%. ConclusionBecause of the additional EEG information to recognize the target of reaching, the performance of the EMG-based decoding improved and could be more robust during EMG signal alterations. The outcomes of this study can be applied to control HMIs or evaluate real-time rehabilitation trials, particularly for severe motor injury patients.