Control Levels Research Articles

Корневая гниль яровой пшеницы в условиях Зауралья, варианты оперативной защиты

Abstract. Root rot is a harmful and widespread disease of cereal crops. In the conditions of the Urals, Siberia, and Northern Kazakhstan, its causative agents are various species of fungi of the genus Fusarium and the fungus Bipolaris sorokiniana. The purpose of this study was to comparatively determine the effectiveness of microbiological, chemical and combined protection of spring wheat seeds. Field experiments were carried out on the experimental field of the Kurgan Scientific Research Institute of Agriculture – branch of the Ural Federal Agrarian Scientific Research Centre of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Kurgan SRIA – branch of FSBSI UrFASRC, UrB of RAS) in 2019, 2021, 2022. Scientific novelty lies in the determining the competitiveness of various methods of protecting spring wheat seeds in the conditions of the Trans-Urals within the framework of modern cultivation technology. The methods used are generally accepted in the Russian Federation. Results. In conditions of almost annual occurrence of negative natural phenomena for the growth and development of plants (droughts, frosts, sudden changes in temperature, dry winds, etc.), the use of seed treaters can be an additional stress for plants; the presence of the effect of shortening the underground internode can negatively affect field germination culture. To reduce these risks, as well as the pesticide load, we recommend using a combined method of seed protection. It involves the use of a mixture of a bacterial fungicide based on Bacillus subtilis with a chemical disinfectant at half the consumption rate. At the same time, the level of control of phytopathogens is maintained, there is no retardant effect, and economic efficiency is not inferior to the level of using a two-component chemical seed protectant (113–114 %). Chemical protection of seeds reduced the development of root rot pathogens by 63–72 %. The use of combined protection provided good control of phytopathogens, including the dominant fungi Fusarium. The predominant species from the genus Fusarium were the highly dangerous F. oxysporum, F. graminearum, F. sporotrichioides.

Clinical and Immunological Features of Bronchial Asthma Comorbid Chronic Urticaria: A Retrospective Study.

Asthma and chronic urticaria (CU) are two high prevalent diseases and often coexist. The underlying relationship and potential immunological mechanism between the two diseases are still unclear. The objective of this study was to investigate the clinical and immunological feature of asthma comorbid with CU. A retrospective study was conducted. Fifty patients with asthma comorbid CU, 50 patients with asthma, and 50 patients with CU alone were included. Age and sex of the patients enrolled were matched. Data of demographic characteristics, clinical manifestations including disease severity (frequency of symptoms, age of onset, disease duration, symptom score, complication with allergic rhinitis) as well as serum immunological index including total IgE (tIgE), allergen-specific IgE (sIgE), and food-specific IgG4 (FS-IgG4), were collected and analyzed. No significant differences in the frequency of symptoms, age of onset, and disease duration were found among the three groups. The score of asthma control test (ACT) in patients with asthma comorbid CU was significantly lower than that of asthma (p = 0.005); however, compared with patients with CU, the 7-day urticaria activity score (UAS7) of patients with asthma comorbid CU did not show obvious differences. Immunological index showed that the positive rates of tIgE, house dust mite (HDM)-sIgE, and FS-IgG4 were different among the three groups (p < 0.05). Patients with asthma comorbid CU had the highest rate of positive tIgE, moderate and severe positive sIgE to HDM. Egg-specific IgG4 (egg-sIgG4) had the highest positive rate in all groups. Patients of asthma comorbid CU obtained the highest rate of severe positive of egg-sIgG4. Our results demonstrated that patients with asthma comorbid CU have lower control level of asthma symptoms, higher tIgE and HDM-sIgE level, and highest rate of severe positive egg-sIgG4. These results indicate that comorbidity of CU in asthma obviously increases the severity of allergens.

Control interno y cumplimiento de las tasas judiciales en una Corte Superior de Justicia de Perú

The objective of the investigation was to establish the relationship between internal control and compliance with judicial fees in a Superior Court of Justice of Peru. The methodology was quantitative, applied, non-experimental-cross-sectional and correlational, two questionnaires were administered to 35 employees of the administrative and accounting area of a superior court of justice, using the survey technique, allowing information on the variables to be collected. The results showed that, the values of sig. bilateral are 0.000, lower than the 0.05 threshold. This confirms that internal control is significantly and highly related to compliance with judicial fees in a Superior Court of Justice, according to the Rho of 0.661. It was concluded that a higher level of internal control in the management of court processes and resources is associated with better levels of compliance with payment obligations for court fees, and vice versa.

Pre- and postpartum metabolizable protein supply: II. Effects on plasma amino acids and markers of tissue mobilization in transition Holstein dairy cows.

The influence of diet composition on the degree of adipose and lean muscle mobilization and concentrations of circulating AA has been demonstrated during the transition period. Altering the MP supply might offer a strategy to control tissue mobilization and increase circulating AA availability, but the optimum supply of MP fed pre- and postpartum remains unknown. We investigated the effect of increasing the MP supply in the prepartum, postpartum, or both diets on plasma AA concentrations and ultrasound and circulating indicators of tissue mobilization. Multiparous Holstein cows (n = 96) were assigned to 1 of 4 treatment groups at 28 d before expected calving following a randomized block design. Prepartum diets were formulated to contain either a control (C; 85 g of MP/kg DM; 1,175 g of MP/d) or high (H; 113 g of MP/kg DM; 1,603 g of MP/d) level of estimated MP. From calving to 21 DIM, fresh diets were formulated to contain either a control (C; 104 g of MP/kg DM; 2,044 g of MP/d) or high (H; 131 g of MP/kg DM; 2,685 g of MP/d) level of estimated MP. To control the potential confounding effect of Met and Lys supply, diets were formulated to supply an equal amount at 1.24 and 3.84 g/Mcal of ME in both prepartum diets and 1.15 and 3.16 g/Mcal of ME in both postpartum diets, respectively. The combination of a pre- and postpartum diet resulted in 4 treatment groups: 1) CC (n = 23), 2) CH (n = 24), 3) HC (n = 22), and 4) HH (n = 23). A common lactation diet (113 g of MP/kg DM; 2,956 g of MP/d) was fed from 22 DIM to the end of the observation period at 42 DIM. Transcutaneous ultrasonography was used to determine the longissimus dorsi muscle diameter and backfat thickness. Concentrations of plasma AA, 3-methylhistidine (3MH), and creatinine were determined on a subset of cows (n = 60) using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. Treatment did not affect the longissimus dorsi muscle diameter from -14 to 21 d relative to calving, but the diameter was greater in CH compared with HH at 40 DIM. Backfat thickness and the ratio of 3MH to creatinine did not differ by treatment. Concentrations of EAA were greater at -13 d relative to calving in HH compared with CC and CH and at -6 d relative to calving EAA concentrations were higher in HC compared with CC. Cows fed the H diet postpartum had elevated EAA concentrations at 6 and 20 DIM compared with cows fed the C postpartum diet but EAA concentration did not differ at 40 DIM. Total NEAA concentrations were higher in CH compared with HC and HH at -6 d relative to calving, but NEAA concentration did not differ by treatment at -13, 6, 20, or 40 d relative to calving. In conclusion, increasing the supply of MP fed prepartum, postpartum, or both had minimal effects on tissue mobilization but influenced concentrations of plasma AA.

P086 MAY MEASURE MONTH 2023: AN ANALYSIS OF BLOOD PRESSURE SCREENING RESULTS FROM NEPAL

Background and Objective: May Measure Month (MMM) is a global annual blood pressure (BP) screening campaign raising awareness about prevention and control of hypertension. Nepal has been participating in this campaign since 2017. We present the results of MMM2023 in Nepal. Methods: Opportunistic BP screening was conducted among adults aged ≥ 18 years from May-August 2023 in Nepal. Participants, selected with convenient sampling, were administered a questionnaire developed by the May Measure Month. Three BP measurements were taken by trained volunteers using digital or manual BP devices. Hypertension is defined using both definitions: 1) BP ≥140/90 mm Hg or currently under antihypertensive medication 2) ≥130/80 mm Hg or currently under antihypertensive medication. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with hypertension. Results: A total of 7,573 adults participated. The mean (SD) systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) were 119.0 (15.9) and 79.8 (10.6) mm Hg, respectively. 22.3% and 50.1% participants were hypertensive using thresholds of 140/90 mmHg and 130/80 mmHg, respectively. Proportion of hypertension, overweight (BMI≥ 25 kg/m2), tobacco use, e-cigarette use, alcohol use, diabetes, and mean SBP/DBP were statistically significantly higher among males than females. Among hypertensive individuals, 48.9% were aware of their condition, and 42.1% were receiving pharmacological treatment. Among those under treatment, 60.1% had BP under control (<140/90 mm Hg). Factors associated with hypertension were age ≥40 years (OR 4.91, [95%CI 4.28-5.64]), history of cardiovascular diseases (2.15 [1.30-3.56]), diabetes (1.83 [1.52-2.21]), male sex (1.61 [41.41-1.84]), and overweight (1.60 [1.42-1.80]. Conclusions: The MMM 2023 underscored the ongoing challenge of hypertension management in Nepal, reaffirming the strong association of hypertension with risk factors including age, male sex, history of CVDs, diabetes, and overweight. Despite higher proportion of hypertension among males, their awareness, treatment, and control levels were significantly lower than in females. This study highlights the need to strengthen community-based programs to enhance the continuum of hypertension management.

Anaerobic digestates in agricultural soils: A systematic review of their effects on antibiotic resistance genes

Tackling the dissemination of antibiotic resistance is one of the main global challenges. Manures from animal production are a recognized source of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) requiring appropriate treatment methods. One of the main approaches for manure treatment is anaerobic digestion (AD). Meta-analyses have demonstrated that AD can significantly reduce the load of ARGs. However, antibiotics, ARGs and MGEs still remain in the final product (digestate). A sustainable agricultural use of digestates under the One Health framework requires wide assessments of their effects in the soil resistome. The objective of this review was to present the state of the art of digestate effects on ARGs of agricultural soils, focusing exclusively on digestates from animal manures. A systematic review was conducted. The examination of the resulting literature indicated that although temporal decays are observed for a variety of ARGs in single-application and repeated-applications experiments, for certain ARGs the pre-treatment or control levels are not restored. However, the low number of studies and the heterogeneous experimental conditions preclude a clear understanding of the fate of ARGs in soil and their risk for agroecosystems. The inclusion of multiple MGEs and the assessment of the long-term influence of digestates on soil properties and microbial communities could be keystones for a better understanding of the risks associated with digestate-induced changes in the soil resistome.

Adenine nucleotide content and activity of AMP catabolism enzymes in the kidney of rats fed on diets with different protein and sucrose content

Background. Excessive consumption of sucrose or protein deficiency in the diet can induce metabolic disorders in the kidney, whose functioning requires significant ATP energy expenditure. The study investigated the levels of the purine nucleotides ATP, ADP, AMP, and the activity of the enzymes FoF1-ATPase, 5′-nucleotidase, and AMP deaminase in the kidneys of rats exposed to different levels of protein and sucrose in their diet. Materials and Methods. The research was conducted on white non-linear rats, which were kept under different dietary regimens for a period of 4 weeks. Quantitative evaluation of the ATP, ADP, and AMP content was performed by thin-layer chromatography on Silufol sheets. FoF1-ATPase activity was determined by the accumulation of Pi. 5′-nucleotidase activity was measured based on the amount of inorganic phosphorus released in AMP hydrolysis. AMP deaminase activity was determined by the accumulation of ammonia. Results and Discussion. Research results revealed that in the mitochondria of the animals’ kidneys under conditions of low-protein diet, a significant reduction in AMP content was observed compared to the control, while ATP and ADP content remained unchanged. Simultaneously, the activities of 5′-nucleotidase, AMP deaminase, and FoF1-ATPase in the kidneys of animals on a low-protein diet were maintained at control levels. However, in rats maintained on a low-protein/high-sucrose diet, depletion of all adenine nucleotides is observed against an increase in the hydrolytic activity of FoF1-ATPase, AMP deaminase, and 5′-nucleotidase activities. The 5′-nucleotidase activity in animals of this group reaches maximum values in comparison with the control, indica­ting an enhanced AMP degradation mediated by 5′-nucleotidase in the conditions of low-protein/high-sucrose diet consumption. Conclusion. Excessive sucrose consumption in the context of dietary protein deficiency is accompanied by a depletion of the adenine nucleotides pool in the mitochondrial fraction and a significantly increased activity of purine catabolism enzymes in the cytosolic fraction of rat kidneys. This may result in an imbalance in the energy supply of renal cells. The obtained results open up prospects for developing a strategy for correc­ting energy metabolism disorders in the conditions of nutritional imbalance.

How are illness representations of gambling disorder associated with gambling behaviors? A latent profile analysis

Gambling disorder (GD) is a behavioral addiction that causes serious harm to individuals’ mental health and social functioning. This study aimed to explore whether gamblers’ illness representations (IR) for GD are related to disordered and/or controlled patterns of gambling under the framework of commonsense model of self-regulation (CSM). Based on CSM, different facets of IR do not exist in isolation but together form a total illness schema; we hence used a person-centered analysis method, latent profile analysis (LPA), to classify gamblers by their overall IR for GD (including consequences, personal and treatment control, timeline cyclical, emotional representations, and coherence) into groups and then tested whether these groups differed in GD symptoms, controlled gambling behaviors, and help-seeking intention. An anonymous online survey was conducted on a social media platform, and valid responses from 589 past-year adult gamblers were collected. LPA results supported a four-profile model, revealing four profiles of GD representations: the weak-perception profile, average profile, tensed-up profile, and rational profile. Significant differences were found in all outcome variables in these four profile groups. In particular, the rational group exhibited the lowest levels of GD symptoms and impaired behavioral control, the highest levels of responsible and controlled gambling, and the highest levels of help-seeking intention, whereas the weak-perception group reported the lowest levels of responsible and controlled gambling behaviors. The findings provide empirical support for the application of CSM to addictive behaviors, as well as preliminary evidence for the potential use of CSM-based interventions for GD prevention.

P228 THE PORTRAIT OF THE HYPERTENSIVE PATIENT: THE REALITY OF A NORTHERN PORTUGUESE SUBPOPULATION IN THE CONTEXT OF PRIMARY CARE

Background and Objectives: Hypertension is a chronic disease, and is one of the main cardiovascular risk factors. Knowing the local reality, regarding the comorbidities of the hypertensive population, profile of pharmacological therapy and level of blood pressure control are fundamental for the design of management and treatment strategies for hypertensive disease. In Portugal, hypertension has a estimated prevalence of 26,78% and the overwhelming majority of patients are assisted in primary care, where the health professionals have software tools such as BI-CSP, which uses Microsoft's Power-BI platform, allowing the retrieval of data about different variables. The aim of this study is to characterize a subpopulation studied at the Fânzeres Primary Care Center regarding demographic data, morbidity, blood pressure control and antihypertensive medication. Methods: This is an observational and cross-sectional descriptive study with an analytic component. The population consists of patients diagnosed with hypertension (N=3474). The retrieval of data was carried out using the MIMUF and BI-CSP. Results: In the population from which the 3474 hypertensive patients were selected, hypertension has a prevalence of 26%. The most common cardiovascular comorbidities were dyslipidemia (50%), Obesity (30%) and Diabetes (33%). 63% of patients had a systolic blood pressure (SBP) of <140mmHg and 28% had a SBP <130mmHg on the last measurement. Regarding the antihypertensives prescribed on a 4 month period, molecules that act on the renin-angiotensin axis are the main class used corresponding to 583K DDD (defined daily dose), followed by thiazides (300K DDD) and calcium channel blockers (250K DDD). Conclusions: There is still suboptimal control of hypertension in the population studied, which implies the adoption of more effective treatment strategies. It is important not only to involve adapting pharmacological treatment to the most recent guidelines, but also promote healthy lifestyles, control comorbidities and improve the follow-up of these patients. A multidisciplinary approach, using face-to-face and remote methods to strengthen contact with the healthcare team, can help to achieve these goals.

Recollections of parental psychological control: Associations with dysfunctional individuation, depressive symptoms, and shame and guilt.

Excessive parental psychological control may disrupt individuals' psychosocial development, thus influencing later psychological problems. The present study tests a retrospectively worded Parental Control and Disrespect Scale (PCDS) to examine factor structure and model fit as well as associations with individuation-related difficulties and negative affect. Study measures were completed by 482 adults at a single time-point. Confirmatory factor analysis suggested acceptable model fit of the retrospectively worded PCDS. PCDS scores were significantly associated with dysfunctional individuation, depressive symptoms, and generalized shame and guilt, remaining significant after controlling for age, gender, and neuroticism. Moderation analysis indicated certain associations as stronger among female participants, such that dysfunctional individuation was lower at decreased levels of parental control among women, while generalized guilt was higher at increased parental control among women. Findings support the retrospective use of the PCDS, indicating links between parental psychological control, individuation-related difficulties, and negative affect problems.

Development of a UPLC-MS/MS Method to Simultaneously Measure 13 Antiepileptic Drugs with Deuterated Internal Standards.

The goal of this study was to develop and validate a UPLC-MS/MS method for simultaneous mea-surement of 13 AEDs, including carbamazepine, oxcarbazepine, lamotrigine, levetiracetam, topiramate, primidone, zonisamide, gabapentin, lacosamide, perampanel, pregabalin, rufinamide, and vigabatrin, in whole blood samples. A UPLC-MS/MS method for simultaneous determination of 13 AEDs in whole blood was developed, and validation was conducted for accuracy, precision, limit of quantification (LOQ), matrix effect, and stability. Our method was compared to two different hospitals using UPLC-MS/MS. All AEDs exhibited linearity across the AMR (analytical measurement range), with R2 values ranging from 0.994 to 1.000. The imprecision and inaccuracy for low and high quality control (QC) levels were within an acceptable range, with the coefficient of variation (CV) < 15%. The LOQ was 0.62 µg/mL for carbamazepine, 1.61 µg/mL for oxcarbazepine, 1.30 µg/mL for lamotrigine, 13.20 µg/mL for levetiracetam, 1.26 µg/mL for topira-mate, 1.01 µg/mL for primidone, 1.59 µg/mL for zonisamide, 1.09 µg/mL for lacosamide, 1.61 µg/mL for gabapentin, 0.50 µg/mL for pregabalin, 0.07 ng/mL for perampanel, 3.00 µg/mL for rufinamide, and 2.06 µg/mL for vigabatrin. All AEDs demonstrated acceptable assay parameters for carryover, stability, and matrix effects. Moreover, the assay showed satisfactory results compared to two different hospitals with a bias of less than 15%. We successfully developed and validated a fast and robust UPLC-MS/MS method for routine therapeutic drug monitoring of thirteen antiepileptic drugs simultaneously.

An electron paramagnetic resonance time-course study of oxidative stress in the plasma of electronic cigarette exposed rats.

The long-term consequences of electronic cigarette (Ecig) use in humans are not yet known, but it is known that Ecig aerosols contain many toxic compounds of concern. We have recently shown that Ecig exposure impairs middle cerebral artery (MCA) endothelial function and that it takes 3days for MCA reactivity to return to normal. However, the sources contributing to impairment of the endothelium were not investigated. We hypothesized that the increased levels of oxidative stress markers in the blood are correlated with impaired MCA reactivity. We used electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy to examine plasma from 4-month-old male Sprague-Dawley rats that were exposed to either air (n=5) or 1h Ecig exposure, after which blood samples were collected at varying times after exposure (i.e., 1-4, 24, 48 and 72h postexposure, n=4 or 5 in each time group). The EPR analyses were performed using the redox-sensitive hydroxylamine spin probe 1-hydroxy-3-carboxymethyl-2,2,5,5-tetramethyl-pyrrolidine (CMH) to measure the level of reactive oxidant species in the plasma samples. We found that EPR signal intensity from the CM• radical was significantly increased in plasma at 1-4, 24 and 48h (P<0.05, respectively) and returned to control (air) levels by 72h. When evaluating the EPR results with MCA reactivity, we found a significant negative correlation (Pearson's P=0.0027). These data indicate that impaired cerebrovascular reactivity resulting from vaping is associated with the oxidative stress level (measured by EPR from plasma) and indicate that a single 1h vaping session can negatively influence vascular health for up to 3 days after vaping. HIGHLIGHTS: What is the central question of this study? Does the time course of oxidative stress triggered by electronic cigarette exposure follow the cerebral vascular dysfunction? What is the main finding and its importance? Electron paramagnetic resonance analysis shows that the oxidative stress induced after a single 1h exposure to electronic cigarette aerosol takes ≤72h to return to normal, which mirrors the time course for vascular dysfunction in the middle cerebral artery that we have reported previously.

Multicentre investigation on the effect of decompressive surgery on Balance and physical ActiviTy Levels amongst patients with lumbar Spinal stenosis (B-ATLAS): protocol for a prospective cohort study

IntroductionPatients with lumbar spinal stenosis may have poor balance, decreased physical function and problems maintaining physical activity levels due to radiculopathy. Decompressive surgery is often indicated if conservative management fails...

Sense of control and noise sensitivity affect frustration from interfering noise.

In order to develop effective strategies to address noise annoyance, it is essential to develop an explanatory model of the psychological mechanism(s) by which noise becomes annoying. Two online studies were conducted in which a total of 193 participants completed speech perception tasks with varying degrees of background noise. Signal-to-noise ratio levels ranged from -2 to -10 dB. The crucial manipulation in both experiments concerned participants' sense of control over the noise level in the task. Dependent measures were task performance, a self-reported measure of frustration with the task, and self-reported sensitivity (trait) to noise. Results showed small but significant effects of noise sensitivity and sense of control on subjective frustration. In both experiments, more noise-sensitive individuals expressed greater frustration than did those reporting less noise sensitivity. In addition, in experiment 2 there was a significant interaction between sense of control and noise level. Listeners under the higher noise-level conditions expressed relatively similar degrees of frustration irrespective of their sense of control, while those under the lower noise-level condition showed lower frustration with greater sense of control. Results support Stallen's [(1999). Noise Health 1(3), 69-79] theoretical framework of noise annoyance, but also suggest the need for further research under more ecologically plausible conditions.

3DFaceShop: Explicitly Controllable 3D-Aware Portrait Generation.

In contrast to the traditional avatar creation pipeline which is a costly process, contemporary generative approaches directly learn the data distribution from photographs. While plenty of works extend unconditional generative models and achieve some levels of controllability, it is still challenging to ensure multi-view consistency, especially in large poses. In this work, we propose a network that generates 3D-aware portraits while being controllable according to semantic parameters regarding pose, identity, expression and illumination. Our network uses neural scene representation to model 3D-aware portraits, whose generation is guided by a parametric face model that supports explicit control. While the latent disentanglement can be further enhanced by contrasting images with partially different attributes, there still exists noticeable inconsistency in non-face areas when animating expressions. We solve this by proposing a volume blending strategy in which we form a composite output by blending dynamic and static areas, with two parts segmented from the jointly learned semantic field. Our method outperforms prior arts in extensive experiments, producing realistic portraits with vivid expression in natural lighting when viewed from free viewpoints. It also demonstrates generalization ability to real images as well as out-of-domain data, showing great promise in real applications.

Home Care Nurses at the Heart of the Communication Web: Communication Synchronicity and Effects on the Psychosocial Work Environment

This qualitative study explores how communication practice affects Swedish home care nurses’ psychosocial work environment. Data consisted of interviews and field observations, analyzed from the perspective of Media Synchronicity Theory and the Job-Demand-Control-Support model. Individual home care nurses were found to manage an interorganizational communication web. The results indicated that this web could have a protective function for the nurses. Synchronous communication was found important to control the work situation. Nevertheless, asynchronous communication was enforced when communicating with other health care organizations. This reduced the level of control for the nurses. However, when possible, the nurses also arranged their communication practice to gain control. Thus, local optimization for one group could result in suboptimization for others. We conclude that communication practice should be designed holistically and promote synchronous communication to foster well-functioning interprofessional teamwork and to create a healthy psychosocial work environment for both home care nurses and their collaborators.

Rictor, an mTORC2 Protein, Regulates Murine Lymphatic Valve Formation Through the AKT-FOXO1 Signaling.

Lymphatic valves are specialized structures in collecting lymphatic vessels and are crucial for preventing retrograde lymph flow. Mutations in valve-forming genes have been clinically implicated in the pathology of congenital lymphedema. Lymphatic valves form when oscillatory shear stress from lymph flow signals through the PI3K/AKT pathway to promote the transcription of valve-forming genes that trigger the growth and maintenance of lymphatic valves. Conventionally, in many cell types, AKT is phosphorylated at Ser473 by the mTORC2 (mammalian target of rapamycin complex 2). However, mTORC2 has not yet been implicated in lymphatic valve formation. In vivo and in vitro techniques were used to investigate the role of Rictor, a critical component of mTORC2, in lymphatic endothelium. Here, we showed that embryonic and postnatal lymphatic deletion of Rictor, a critical component of mTORC2, led to a significant decrease in lymphatic valves and prevented the maturation of collecting lymphatic vessels. RICTOR knockdown in human dermal lymphatic endothelial cells not only reduced the level of activated AKT and the expression of valve-forming genes under no-flow conditions but also abolished the upregulation of AKT activity and valve-forming genes in response to oscillatory shear stress. We further showed that the AKT target, FOXO1 (forkhead box protein O1), a repressor of lymphatic valve formation, had increased nuclear activity in Rictor knockout mesenteric lymphatic endothelial cells in vivo. Deletion of Foxo1 in Rictor knockout mice restored the number of valves to control levels in lymphatic vessels of the ear and mesentery. Our work identifies a novel role for RICTOR in the mechanotransduction signaling pathway, wherein it activates AKT and prevents the nuclear accumulation of the valve repressor, FOXO1, which ultimately enables the formation and maintenance of lymphatic valves.

Effects of alfa lipoic acid and coenzyme Q10 treatment on AFB1-induced oxidative, inflammatory, and DNA damages in rats

Food contamination with Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is a worldwide concern that adversely affects animal and human health. The study aimed to evaluate the protective effect of alpha lipoic acid (ALA) and/or co-enzyme Q10 (CQ10) against the harmful effects of AFB1 on the liver and kidneys. Fifty-six mature male Wistar Albino rats (180–200 g) were divided into seven groups, each with eight rats: (1) saline was given as a control, (2) ALA (100 mg/kg bw/day) was given by stomach gavage for fifteen days, and (3) CQ10 (10 mg/kg bw/day) was given by stomach gavage for fifteen days. Group (4) orally given AFB1 (2.5 mg/kg bw) on days 12th and 14th, (5) received AFB1 and ALA, (6) received AFB1 and CQ10, and (7) received AFB1, ALA, and CQ10, as previously described in the ALA, CQ10, and AFB1 groups. After the exposure to AFB1, a significant increase in liver markers (AST, ALT, ALP, and LDH) and renal function tests (BUN and creatinine) was observed compared with the control. ALA and/or CQ10 significantly reduced enzymes of liver and renal functions, as compared with AFB1. AFB1 exposure threw off the balance between oxidants and antioxidants. Still, ALA and/or CQ10 made oxidative stress (MDA, NO, and 8-OHdG) much lower and antioxidant activities (GSH, GSH-Px, SOD, and CAT) much higher. When we used the two together, the activities matched the control levels. Interestingly, this study shows that ALA and CQ10 significantly lowered IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α levels compared to the control values when used together after AFB1 exposure caused robust inflammation. Some CQ10 treatment parameters significantly outperformed those of ALA. ALA and CQ10 together worked better than either one alone to protect against AFB1-induced toxicity in the hepatic and renal parenchyma in terms of reducing inflammation, preventing DNA damage, and fighting free radicals.

Genetic Correlates of Behavioral Self-Control: COMT and DRD2 Associations with Self-Regulation, Reflection and Meaningfulness of life in Women

The objective of our study was to investigate the genetic predictors of self-regulation and related characteristics indicative of a higher level of rational behavior control. The study 107 female participants aged between 22 and 52 years, with an average age of 33.5 years (Russian Federation). In order to measure level of self-regulation and other characteristics corresponding to a higher level of rational behavioral control the following psychological tests were employed: the “Differential Type of Reflection” questionnaire (Leontyev D.A.), the “Style of Self-Regulation of Behavior” questionnaire (Morosanova, Kholopova, 1995), and the Test of Life-Meaning Orientations (D.A. Leontyeva, 1988). Genotyping was use to examine polymorphisms of the COMT, DRD2 genes. Our findings demonstrate significant differences in the level of systemic reflection among carriers of different genotypes of the DRD2 and COMT genes. The highest level of systemic reflection in carriers of the CC genotype for the DRD2 gene and a heterozygous variant of the COMT gene suggests a balance between the elevated dopaminergic activity characteristic of the CC DRD2 genotype and moderate COMT activity, fostering optimal dopamine metabolism.

Low Thyroid Hormones Level Attenuates Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Right Ventricular Failure in Pulmonary Hypertensive Rats.

This study is to investigate the repercussions of hypothyroidism in the pathophysiological progression of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). While the control (CTL, n = 5) male Wistar rats received vehicle, PAH was induced with monocrotaline (MCT group, n = 15). Hypothyroidism was induced in a subset of rats by methimazole 3weeks prior to the MCT injection (MMZ + MCT group, n = 15). Plasma thyroid hormones were measured by radioimmunoassay. Electrocardiographic, echocardiographic, and hemodynamic analyses were performed to evaluate the progression of PAH. Gene expression of antioxidant enzymes and cardiac hypertrophy markers were assessed by qPCR. Mitochondrial respiration, ATP levels, and ROS production were measured in right ventricular (RV) samples. Plasma T3 and T4 decreased in both MCT and MMZ + MCT groups (p < 0.05). Right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP) increased, and RV - dP/dt, + dP/dt, and contractility index decreased in the MCT versus the CTL group and remained within control levels in the MMZ + MCT group (p < 0.05). Relative RV weight, RV wall thickness, RV diastolic area, and relative lung weight were augmented in the MCT versus the CTL group, whereas all parameters were improved to the CTL levels in the MMZ + MCT group (p < 0.05). Only the MCT group exhibited an increased duration of QTc interval compared to the baseline period (p < 0.05). ADP-induced mitochondrial respiration and ATP levels were decreased, and ROS production was increased in MCT versus the CTL group (p < 0.05), while the MMZ + MCT group exhibited increased mitochondrial respiration versus the MCT group (p < 0.05). Hypothyroidism attenuated the RV mitochondrial dysfunction and the pathophysiological progression of MCT-induced PAH.