Related Changes Research Articles

Long-term vertical-land-motion investigation with space and terrestrial geodetic techniques near San Leon, Texas, USA

Monitoring vertical land motion (VLM) along coastlines, which influences the dynamics of sea level changes in relation to the land, is a challenging task due to its inherent high spatiotemporal variability and limited availability of observations. This study aimed to investigate the rates, patterns, and drivers of land subsidence near the coastal town of San Leon, TX, United States, since the 1990s, utilizing a range of space and terrestrial geodetic techniques. These techniques included interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR), global navigation satellite systems (GNSS), tide gauge (TG), and satellite radar altimetry (SRA). The small baseline subset (SBAS) InSAR method was adopted to process 254 images from three synthetic aperture radar (SAR) sensors, i.e., ERS-2 between 1995 and 1999, ALOS-1 PALSAR between 2006 and 2011, and Sentinel-1 between 2016 and 2020. The results from InSAR subsidence maps were verified by comparing with high-accuracy vertical positioning observations at ten continuously operating GNSS (cGNSS) stations. Within the study area, a special attention was given to the Eagle Point TG station where sea level has been significantly rising relative to the sinking land. Long-term time series of land subsidence at Eagle Point obtained from sea-level difference between TG and SRA observations were confirmed and compared against InSAR and the cGNSS station observations recorded in close proximity. Gaussian Process regression (GPR) was then employed to model the VLM processes at Eagle Point using: (1) the combined results of InSAR and sea-level difference (i.e., GPR 1), and (2) the InSAR results alone (i.e., GPR 2). A 0.9 mm/yr divergence was found between GPR 1 and GPR 2 models, indicating the potential to accurately estimate long-term VLM with InSAR standalone measurements even if multi-year observation gaps intermittently occur, especially for inland areas where measurement data from other geodetic techniques, such as GNSS, TG, and SRA, are not available. Further investigations suggest that land subsidence around Eagle Point since 1998 was related to anthropogenic activities such as hydrocarbon pumping from oil and gas wells that were situated in close proximity to the TG station.

Pain interference and depressive symptom severity across 10 years in individuals with long-term spinal cord injury

Objective To examine change in pain interference and depression over a 10-year time period in individuals with long-term traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) and to identify the extent to which changes in pain interference over time predicts change in depressive symptoms. Design Longitudinal analyses of self-report assessment data. Setting Specialty and university hospitals in the Southeastern and Midwestern United States. Participants Adults with a history of traumatic SCI (n = 504) who responded to the three most recent data collection periods of the SCI Longitudinal Aging Study (2008 [Time 1], 2013 [Time 2], and 2018 [Time 3]). The participants averaged 59 years of age and 32 years since injury onset at Time 3. Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) assessed depressive symptom severity. The 7-item Pain Interference scale from the Brief Pain Inventory assessed pain interference. Results Over the three study timepoints, the sample averaged moderate levels of pain interference and mild depressive symptom severity. Unconditional linear growth models, reflecting changes in central tendency, indicated that pain interference significantly decreased and depressive symptom severity significantly increased over time. Multiple independent variables random coefficient modeling based on correlations suggested that change in pain interference was positively associated with change in depressive symptom severity over the 10-year study follow-up. Conclusion Average depressive symptom severity worsened over time. Change in pain interference was positively associated with change in depressive symptom severity. These results point to the complexity of aging related changes in depressive symptoms and pain interference. They further support the need for continued assessment of mood and pain experiences, particularly among individuals reaching aging milestones with SCI.

Cumulative Processes in the Modern World-System in the Prism of Dialectics and Laws of Synergetics: to the Problem of Transition to Egalitar Society under Conditions of Multipolarity

Introduction. The paper examines the state of the modern world and the prospects for its multipolarity from the standpoint of synergetics, dialectics, the world-systems analysis and geopolitics. The world-systems approach substantiates the crisis and finiteness of the modern world-economy, the impossibility of its modernization and the emergence of a demand for the formation of an egalitarian world order. The idea of multipolarity is one of the answers to this request.Methodology and sources. Ideas of social synergetics in the works of E.N. Knyazeva, S.P. Kurdyumov and V.V. Tuzov made it possible to describe the state of the modern world system as a state of a non-equilibrium system at the stage of self-organization. Hegelian dialectical laws were used to describe the most general characteristics in the logic of the historical stages in the formation of a social system. The ideas of I. Wallerstein and the geopolitical theory of R. Collins made it possible to designate the properties of attractors that lead to the emergence of poles in the world-economy.Results and discussion. From the point of view of synergetics, multipolarity in the world-system is a state of chaos; from the point of view of dialectics, this is a state of a leap, a transition to a new quality. A geopolitical-world-system typology of attractors that can lead to the formation of poles is proposed. It is shown that the multipolar world contains different options for development, depending on what kind of economic relations will develop between the participants. Within the framework of the existing economic system (capitalist relations, relations of self-organization), multipolarity acts as an intermediate state from which a unipolar world is born. The authors came to the conclusion that for a new result, it is necessary to change the economic paradigm from a self-organizing world-system to one organized by the will of people and based on science. The requirements of a multipolar world on the part of the BRICS, SCO, and EAEU states are within the framework of the existing development paradigm, so the formation of egalitarian relations on this basis is problematic.Conclusion. Humanity gets a chance to overcome the spontaneity of self-organization processes and form a more egalitarian society in the course of the bifurcation of the existing system. Multipolarity can act as a stage of such a transition. However, if the issue of a qualitative change in social relations is not resolved, then multipolarity will turn out to be only a stage in the return to a unipolar world.

Changing Ourselves

Abstract: Change in personality is viewed in two contrasting ways. Sometimes it is seen as an indicator of psychopathology or inauthenticity, associated with reduced well-being. Yet the ability to change oneself is also viewed as a sign of positive self-development, a process of becoming more authentic and associated with increased well-being. This meta-analysis sought to compare these two perspectives and determine whether personality change can contribute to a good life. Sixteen independent samples (24,000 participants) were analyzed to test the relationships between traits change and authenticity, traits change and well-being, and values change and well-being. Trait change was positively related to authenticity, while value change was associated with increased well-being. Moderator analysis indicated that the type of change (over role or time) did not influence the relationship between trait change and authenticity, nor did the length of time over which change took place influence the personality change and well-being relationship. Including traits and values allows a more holistic understanding of personality change and demonstrates that personality change is not damaging to living well, having instead a minimally positive association with well-being and authenticity.

Changes in the Oral-Health-Related Quality of Life of Thai patients with oral lichen planus after topical corticosteroid treatment: a 1-month longitudinal study

BackgroundOral lichen planus (OLP) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the oral cavity that affects many patients’ daily living activities. Topical corticosteroids are the first-line drug for treating OLP. The Oral Impact on Daily Performances index (OIDP) is an Oral-Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) measure developed to assess the ultimate impacts. The aims of this study were to evaluate the clinical, pain and OHRQoL responses after treating OLP patients with topical corticosteroids for 1 month, and secondly to assess the relationships of changes in the clinical sign score, pain score, and OHRQoL.MethodsSeventy-two OLP patients were treated by topical corticosteroids based on their dentists’ clinical judgments. Clinical and patient-based outcomes were assessed at baseline and follow-up visit. The clinical outcomes were evaluated by the highest and total Thongprasom sign score. Patient-based outcomes were evaluated by numeric rating scale (NRS) and OIDP. The self-rated overall changes in quality of life during the 1-month treatment period using the Patient Global Impression of Change (PGIC) were also recorded at the follow-up visit.ResultsThis study comprised 59 women and 13 men. All clinical and patient-based outcomes were significantly reduced after 1-month treatment with topical corticosteroids (P < 0.01). The most commonly affected activities were Emotional stability, followed by Eating and Cleaning the oral cavity. Forty-six percent reported the same or up to moderately improved, while 54% had a greatly improved quality of life as assessed by PGIC. There were no significant differences in the improvement of clinical and patient-based outcomes between these groups. There were significant relationships between the differences in the highest Thongprasom sign score and the differences in total Thongprasom sign score (r = 0.293; P < 0.05), and the differences in total OIDP percentage score and the difference in pain score (r = 0.427; P < 0.001). The differences in the total Thongprasom sign score also significantly related to the difference in the total OIDP percentage score (r = 0.335; P < 0.01).ConclusionsTopical corticosteroids were significantly effective after 1-month treatment of OLP based on the clinical and patient-based outcomes. The OHRQoL improvement was significantly related to the reductions in pain and clinical severity.Trial registrationThe trial was registered at the Thai Clinical Trials Registry (TCTR identifier: TCTR 20221110001).

Comparison of the Flame Dynamics of a Liquid-Fueled Swirl-Stabilized Combustor for Different Degrees of Fuel-Air Premixing

Abstract This study investigates the flame dynamics of lean premixed kerosene combustion for two different degrees of fuel–air premixing using a swirl stabilized burner with an axially movable twin fluid fuel injection nozzle. Thermal power, equivalence ratio, and atomizing air mass flow are varied systematically for both nozzle positions investigated. Measurements of the droplet size distribution at the nozzle exit are provided for all operation points. NOx emission measurements and OH*-chemiluminescence flame images show that stationary combustion characteristics significantly change with the nozzle position. Flame Transfer Functions (FTFs) are presented and interpreted for all operation points. The FTFs for the two configurations differ most in the low frequency range where the influence of the droplet dynamics is expected to be highest. For both configurations, a change in thermal power does not affect droplet size, flame shape, NOx emissions, and FTF. The observed trends in response to changes in equivalence ratio and atomizing air mass flow are opposite for both configurations. NOx emissions and flame shape are independent of the atomization air mass flow in the highly premixed configuration but not in the partially premixed configuration. In contrast to this, the FTF is affected by changes of the atomization air mass flow in both configurations, but again the trends are opposite. The observed trends for the highly premixed configuration are modeled and reproduced by a change in the phase relation between the equivalence ratio fluctuations and other instability driving mechanisms.

USE OF BOTULINUM TOXIN TYPE A (BOTOX) AND ITS AESTHETIC BENEFITS

The skin is the most external organ responsible for protecting the innermost layers of the body, protecting it against thermal agents, climate change and other organic defenses in relation to the environment. Human development is marked by several natural processes within the body itself, however, skin aging is a factor that occurs intrinsically or extrinsically, leaving the appearance of wrinkles and expression lines visible. The use of botulinum toxin type A (TBA or Botox) has been carefully used for aesthetic purposes in the treatment of discomfort resulting from facial skin aging. The present study aimed to present the aesthetic benefits of using botulinum toxin - Botox. This is an integrative review of the literature using the National Library of Medicine (PubMed) and Virtual Health Library (VHL) databases with the search for articles using the descriptors “botulinum toxin”; “aesthetics” and “facial aging” registered in DeCS with the help of the boolean operator and. The selection of articles was carried out using the inclusion criteria where articles from the last five were selected, in Portuguese or foreign language and which were correlated with the main theme of the research. For the exclusion criteria, articles that were not consistent with the theme and duplicate articles were excluded by title or abstract. Thus, the present study aimed to achieve the objectives described through literature review analysis, where it was possible to verify the effectiveness and benefits of TBA in the facial aging process. Furthermore, it was possible to enable scientific research as a development for further studies in the area of aesthetics in general and contributing to a greater collection of knowledge.

Boundedness and liveness enforcement for labeled Petri nets using transition priority

This paper deals with the supervisory control problem of discrete event systems modeled by labeled Petri nets. The system is originally unbounded. First, the solvability of the problem is confirmed. A necessary condition is given and proven for the existence of a feasible priority-based controller based on the notions of liveness and transition invariants. Next, a cyclic behavior graph is constructed, which shows the reachable markings that guarantee the maximum liveness of the system within a given bound vector. Finally, an on-line control strategy is proposed to enforce boundedness and liveness to the given system by appending priority relations to transitions. The dynamic priority relation changes flexibly according to the current state of the system and enforces the system evolving in a bounded and live manner. In addition, numerical examples are studied to verify the validity of the proposed approach that remains the structure of the plant net and is efficient for on-line control.

Cell-type brain-region specific changes in prefrontal cortex of a mouse model of alcohol dependence

The prefrontal cortex is a crucial regulator of alcohol drinking, and dependence, and other behavioral phenotypes associated with AUD. Comprehensive identification of cell-type specific transcriptomic changes in alcohol dependence will improve our understanding of mechanisms underlying the excessive alcohol use associated with alcohol dependence and will refine targets for therapeutic development. We performed single nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) and Visium spatial gene expression profiling on the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) obtained from C57BL/6 J mice exposed to the two-bottle choice-chronic intermittent ethanol (CIE) vapor exposure (2BC-CIE, defined as dependent group) paradigm which models phenotypes of alcohol dependence including escalation of alcohol drinking. Gene co-expression network analysis and differential expression analysis identified highly dysregulated co-expression networks in multiple cell types. Dysregulated modules and their hub genes suggest novel understudied targets for studying molecular mechanisms contributing to the alcohol dependence state. A subtype of inhibitory neurons was the most alcohol-sensitive cell type and contained a downregulated gene co-expression module; the hub gene for this module is Cpa6, a gene previously identified by GWAS to be associated with excessive alcohol consumption. We identified an astrocytic Gpc5 module significantly upregulated in the alcohol-dependent group. To our knowledge, there are no studies linking Cpa6 and Gpc5 to the alcohol-dependent phenotype. We also identified neuroinflammation related gene expression changes in multiple cell types, specifically enriched in microglia, further implicating neuroinflammation in the escalation of alcohol drinking. Here, we present a comprehensive atlas of cell-type specific alcohol dependence mediated gene expression changes in the mPFC and identify novel cell type-specific targets implicated in alcohol dependence.

Effect of far-red and blue light on rooting in medicinal cannabis cuttings and related changes in endogenous auxin and carbohydrates

Stem cuttings are used in the commercial cultivation of many crops, including medicinal cannabis, to produce large numbers of uniform and genetically identical plants. Light is an important environmental factor determining the success of the rooting of stem cuttings. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of different fractions of far-red and blue during the adventitious rooting phase of medicinal cannabis stem cuttings on rooting and whether these effects are related to changes in endogenous auxin and/or carbohydrates. Two experiments were conducted in climate chambers with sole LED lighting (blue, red, far-red) using two cannabis cultivars. In Experiment 1, four light treatments were applied: 100 µmol m−2s−1 red:blue (88:12) with additional 0, 50 or 100 µmol m−2s−1 far-red and a fourth treatment with 100 µmol m−2s−1 sole red with additional 50 µmol m−2s−1 far-red. In Experiment 2, the following four light treatments were applied: 90 µmol m−2s−1 red:blue (45:45) with additional 0 or 45 µmol m−2s−1 far-red, a third treatment with 45 µmol m−2s−1 sole red with additional 45 µmol m−2s−1 far-red, and a fourth dynamic treatment which was 45 µmol m−2s−1 sole red with additional 45 µmol m−2s−1 far-red for 7 days followed by 90 µmol m−2s−1 red:blue (45:45) for 14 days. The effects on rooting in both experiments were measured after 21 days of light treatments. In Experiment 2, periodic measurements of auxin and carbohydrates were performed. Far-red improved adventitious rooting only in Experiment 2, where both cultivars responded similarly. Adding far-red only during the initial stage (7 days) of rooting was sufficient to improve rooting, while it did not result in excessive stem elongation. The presence or absence of blue did not significantly affect rooting. Although the positive effects of far-red on auxin and carbohydrate concentrations in stem cuttings are a likely explanation for the observed effects of far-red on rooting, we did not find a correlation between auxin or carbohydrates and rooting.

Reform of competition legislation in Ukraine

The scientific article is devoted to determining the specifics of the reform of competition legislation in Ukraine. On the path of European integration, Ukraine faces the need to reform certain spheres of state power, in particular in the area of regulation of competition law, following the example of the countries of the European Union. By signing the Association Agreement between Ukraine, on the one hand, and the European Union, the European Atomic Energy Community and their member states, on the other hand, Ukraine undertook to fulfill a number of provisions on bringing national legislation into line with the legislation of European countries. One of the directions of bringing national legislation to the legislation of European countries is the need for compliance with national legislation, in particular Article 256 of the Association Agreement, the provisions of which will be analyzed in this scientific article. In addition, the provisions of the Law of Ukraine "On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine on Improving the Activities of the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine” dated August 9, 2023 3295­IX, adopted by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, will be analyzed. The article will also note that the reform of competition legislation in Ukraine consists in the implementation of this law, the provisions of which will enter into force in 2024. The article will point out the shortcomings and advantages of this Law and determine the main provisions that will ensure compliance of national competition legislation with the provisions of the Association Agreement. The specifics of the changes that will take place in the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine in the process of implementing the norms of the above-mentioned Law, as well as the specifics of the changes in economic procedural legal relations, will also be considered. In addition, the scientific article will reveal how the relevant law will affect the activities of the notary and the National Police in Ukraine.

Anterior Distal Femoral Hemiepiphysiodesis Does Not Change Pelvic Tilt in Children With Cerebral Palsy.

Anterior distal femoral hemiepiphysiodesis (ADFH) is a surgical treatment choice to correct flexed knee gait and fixed knee flexion deformities in children with cerebral palsy who are skeletally immature. Increased anterior pelvic tilt has been reported after surgeries that correct knee flexion deformities, including hamstring lengthening (HSL) and distal femoral extension osteotomies, but anterior pelvic tilt has not been studied after ADFH. We hypothesized that anterior pelvic tilt would increase after ADFH, especially when combined with HSL, and it would correlate with the change in minimum knee flexion in stance and dynamic hamstring lengths. Thirty-four eligible participants (age: 13.0, SD: 2.0) were included. Change in mean pelvic tilt across the gait cycle was compared as a function of clinical and gait parameters using linear mixed models. The relationship of change in pelvic tilt to change in other variables was examined using Pearson correlation. Overall, anterior pelvic tilt increased significantly after ADFH by 4.4 degrees ( P = 0.02). Further, the analysis revealed anterior pelvic tilt only increased significantly in the group that had concurrent HSL (11.1 degrees, P < 0.001). Overall, minimum knee flexion significantly decreased (increase in knee extension) in stance (-19.1 degrees, P < 0.001) and there was an increase in maximum normalized dynamic hamstring lengths (0.03, P < 0.001). The anterior pelvic tilt increased significantly in Gross Motor Function Classification System levels III to IV (5.9 degrees, P = 0.02) but did not change significantly in Gross Motor Function Classification System I to II (2.5 degrees, P = 0.37). Change in pelvic tilt was correlated with change in maximum dynamic hamstring lengths ( r = 0.87, P < 0.0001) and change in minimum knee flexion in stance ( r = -0.71, P < 0.0001). Anterior distal hemiepiphysiodesis without concurrent HSL for flexion knee deformities does not result in increased anterior pelvic tilt. Surgeons should consider anterior distal hemiepiphysiodesis in patients with cerebral palsy and flexed knee gait, who preoperatively have long dynamically modeled hamstrings, are skeletally immature, and when maintenance of pelvic tilt is desired. Level III-retrospective comparative study.

Norm change in intergroup relations requires integrating the social sciences: a reply to commentaries on ‘The challenges of encouraging refugee assistance: lessons learned from reframing the problem as one of within-group collective action and norm change’ by Faiza El-Higzi and Cristina Moya

Norm change in intergroup relations requires integrating the social sciences: a reply to commentaries on ‘The challenges of encouraging refugee assistance: lessons learned from reframing the problem as one of within-group collective action and norm change’ by Faiza El-Higzi and Cristina Moya

Evaluation of Stem Cell Laden Collagen + Polycaprolactone + Multi-Walled Carbon Nano-Tubes Nano-Neural Scaffold with and Without Insulin Like Growth Factor-I For Sciatic Nerve Regeneration Post Crush Injury in Wistar Rats

Background/Aims: All body functions are activated, synchronized and controlled by a substantial, complex network, the nervous system. Upon injury, pathophysiology of the nerve injury proceeds through different paths. The axon may undergo a degenerative retraction from the site of injury for a short distance unless the injury is near to the cell body, in which case it continues to the soma and undergoes retrograde neuronal degeneration. Otherwise, the distal section suffers from Wallerian degeneration, which is marked by axonal swelling, spheroids, and cytoskeleton degeneration. The objective of the study was to evaluate the potential of mesenchymal stem cell laden neural scaffold and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) in nerve regeneration following sciatic nerve injury in a rat model. Methods: The animals were anaesthetized and a cranio-lateral incision over left thigh was made. Sciatic nerve was exposed and crush injury was introduced for 90 seconds using haemostat at second locking position. The muscle and skin were sutured in routine fashion and thus the rat model of sciatic crush injury was prepared. The animal models were equally distributed into 5 different groups namely A, B, C, D and E and treated with phosphate buffer saline (PBS), carbon nanotubes based neural scaffold only, scaffold with IGF-I, stem cell laden scaffold and stem cell laden scaffold with IGF-I respectively. In vitro scaffold testing was performed. The nerve regeneration was assessed based on physico-neuronal, biochemical, histopathological examination, and relative expression of NRP-1, NRP-2 and GAP-43 and scanning electron microscopy. Results: Sciatic nerve injury model with crush injury produced for 90 seconds was standardized and successfully used in this study. All the biochemical parameters were in normal range in all the groups indicating no scaffold related changes. Physico-neuronal, histopathological, relative gene expression and scanning electron microscopy observations revealed appreciable nerve regeneration in groups E and D, followed by C and B. Restricted to no regeneration was observed in group A. Conclusion: Carbon nanotubes based scaffold provided electro-conductivity for proper neuronal regeneration while rat bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells were found to induce axonal sprouting, cellular transformation; whereas IGF-I induced stem cell differentiation, myelin synthesis, angiogenesis and muscle differentiation.

Characterizing Snow Dynamics in Semi-Arid Mountain Regions with Multitemporal Sentinel-1 Imagery: A Case Study in the Sierra Nevada, Spain

Monitoring snowmelt dynamics in mountains is crucial to understand water releases downstream. Sentinel-1 (S-1) synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) has become one of the most widely used techniques to achieve this aim due to its high frequency of acquisitions and all-weather capability. This work aims to understand the possibilities of S-1 SAR imagery to capture snowmelt dynamics and related changes in streamflow response in semi-arid mountains. The results proved that S-1 SAR imagery was able not only to capture the final spring melting but also all melting cycles that commonly appear throughout the year in these types of environments. The general change detection approach to identify wet snow was adapted for these regions using as reference the average S-1 SAR image from the previous summer, and a threshold of −3.00 dB, which has been assessed using Landsat images as reference dataset obtaining a general accuracy of 0.79. In addition, four different types of melting-runoff onsets depending on physical snow condition were identified. When translating that at the catchment scale, distributed melting-runoff onset maps were defined to better understand the spatiotemporal evolution of melting dynamics. Finally, a linear connection between melting dynamics and streamflow was found for long-lasting melting cycles, with a determination coefficient (R2) ranging from 0.62 to 0.83 and an average delay between the melting onset and streamflow peak of about 21 days.

Single-cell transcriptome analysis of liver immune microenvironment changes induced by microplastics in mice with non-alcoholic fatty liver

Recent studies have discovered that tiny particles of microplastics (MPs) at the nano-scale level can enter the body of organisms from the environment, potentially causing metabolic ailments. However, further investigation is required to understand the alterations in the immune microenvironment associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) occurrence following exposure to MPs.Experiments were performed using mice, which were given a normal chow or high-fat diet (NCD or HFD, respectively) plus free drinking of sterile water with or without MPs, respectively. Employing an impartial technique known as unbiased single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq), the cellular (single-cell) pathology landscape of NAFLD and related changes in the identified immune cell populations induced following MPs plus HFD treatment were assessed. The results showed that mice in the HFD groups had remarkably greater NAFLD activity scores than those from the NCD groups. Moreover, administration of MPs plus HFD further worsened the histopathological changes in the mice's liver, leading to hepatic steatosis, inflammatory cell infiltrations and ballooning degeneration. Following the construction of a sing-cell resolution transcriptomic atlas of 43,480 cells in the mice's livers of the indicated groups, clear cellular heterogeneity and potential cell-to-cell cross-talk could be observed. Specifically, we observed that MPs exacerbated the pro-inflammatory response and influenced the stemness of hepatocytes during HFD feeding. Importantly, treatment with MPs significantly increase the infiltration of the infiltrating liver-protecting Vsig4+ macrophages in the liver of the NAFLD mouse model while remarkably decreasing the angiogenic S100A6+ macrophage subpopulation. Furthermore, mice treated with MPs plus HFD exhibited significantly increased recruitment of CD4+ cells and heightened exhaustion of CD8+ T cells than those from the control group, characteristics typically associated with the dysregulation of immune homeostasis and severe inflammatory damage. Overall, this study offers valuable perspectives into comprehending the potential underlying cellular mechanisms and regulatory aspects of the microenvironment regarding MPs in the development of NAFLD.

Curcumin Attenuates Ferroptosis and Ameliorates Erectile Function in Diabetic Rats by Activating Nrf2/HO-1 Pathway

Previous studies have shown that curcumin has a therapeutic effect on diabetic erectile dysfunction (ED), but the exact mechanism of action remains unclear. In order to ascertain the involvement of ferroptosis in diabetic ED and explore the underlying mechanism by which curcumin mitigates ferroptosis in penile endothelial cells under conditions of high-glucose stimulation, we conducted an investigation utilizing a rat model of diabetes induced by a high-fat diet and streptozotocin injection. The 40 male Sprague–Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups: blank control, diabetes control, ferroptosis inhibitor treatment, and curcumin treatment. After 8 weeks, the erectile function of all rats was evaluated through electrical stimulation of the cavernous nerve. Histological and molecular changes of the cavernous body were analyzed using western blot and immunohistochemistry. Penile endothelial cells were then treated with appropriate concentrations of high glucose and curcumin to explore the mechanism of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) signaling in curcumin’s ability to alleviate ferroptosis in endothelial cells stimulated by high glucose. According to research, diabetic rats experience a decrease in erectile function, damaged endothelial cells, and ferroptosis in tissues. However, curcumin treatment has been shown to be effective in improving erectile function and related tissue and molecular changes in diabetic rats. Furthermore, in vitro experiments have confirmed that curcumin can inhibit the occurrence of ferroptosis in penile endothelial cells that are stimulated by high glucose through Nrf2/HO-1 signaling. Curcumin has been found to improve the occurrence of penile ED in diabetic penile endothelial cells. This is achieved by inhibiting the level of ferroptosis, and the mechanism behind this improvement may be linked to the upregulation of the expression level of Nrf2/HO-1.

Nature dependence and seasonality change perceptions for climate adaptation and mitigation

Global climate change is a scientifically demonstrated phenomenon, but there are discrepancies in societies about how people perceive it. People’s correct perceptions to climate change are necessary for their cooperative acts and behaviors toward adaptation and mitigation. While most research in this regard focuses on temporal trends of specific climate variables, e.g., temperature and rainfall, in relation to socio-demographic factors, few reports have systematically examined who perceive a change in climatic regularity and patterns, i.e., seasonality change. We hypothesize that people tend to perceive the seasonality change as their life practices and experiences are dependent on climate and nature. Interviews with 7 experts and surveys with 1011 respondents were conducted in the Meghna basin, Bangladesh, where the number of seasons in an annual calendar is reported to have decreased from six to four (Islam and Kotani, 2016). With the data, this research investigates people’s perceptions to seasonality change in relation to life practices, experiences and socioeconomic factors. The analysis shows that dependence on natural resources in the profession along with experiences of natural disasters and life history in the dwelling locations shape people’s correct perceptions to climate seasonality. This result suggests that people are not likely to realize the seasonality change as they are dwelling in urban areas with high mobility or as their life is detached from climate and nature, being neither willing nor cooperative to take adaptation and mitigation.

Transport Costs and Economic Change in Roman Britain

Reductions in the cost of transporting manufactured goods have been an important element in economic development in the recent past, and previous research suggests that the Roman period in Britain also saw substantial reductions in such costs. The authors investigate how far it is possible to measure changes in transport costs by considering the spatial distributions of pottery from known Roman production locations over time. Their analysis of an extensive database of pottery assemblages is designed to evaluate a series of expectations concerning how reductions in transport costs may have affected such assemblages and their distribution. Results suggest that costs were reduced by a factor of about two, leading to related changes in pottery production, distribution, and consumption over time. The ability to quantify changes in transport costs opens new perspectives for investigating the general determinants of economic development using archaeological data.

The activity of the speech therapist at the time of COVID 19: survey of the Campania region

Our government has enacted restrictive and isolation measures, also in the field of rehabilitation, to combat and contain the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. These have had a major impact on the working methods and activities performed by the Speech Therapist. The Board of Speech Therapists of the Interprovincial Order of NA-AV-BN-CE conducted an anonymous survey to observe the phenomenon. The study aimed to assess how and to what extent the health measures in place influenced occupational activities and work-related discomfort. A questionnaire was structured to investigate, anonymously, different areas of professional interest (how therapeutic activities are carried out, work-related stress management, changes in human relations, specific needs), disseminated via the web thanks to the Google platform, and available from 15/06/2020 to 15/11/2022 for all speech therapists belonging to the interprovincial order of NA-AV-BN-CE. 161 Speech Therapists, aged between 21 and 40 years (73.9 per cent), took part in the survey. They worked mainly in a combined telerehabilitation and outpatient setting (64.12 per cent), and were provided with appropriate PPE for the treatment (65.8 per cent). Speech and language therapists reported a low to medium level of frustration (63.9%) and work-related stress (63.4%) for telerehabilitation treatment, to a high level for outpatient or home treatment (69.6%). Medium to high values (81.4%) of anxiety, worry and work-related distress are reported, favoured by social isolation and a perception of less support among colleagues, with a perceived need for psychological support from specialised figures to manage the emotional burden. The results suggest a medium to high level of work-related discomfort during the pandemic period, mainly for speech therapists who performed outpatient/domiciliary activities, entailing the risk of developing psychological distress. Further research should be undertaken, with multicentre and larger sample size studies, to define the relationships between the working methods promoted, work-related stress and the need to manage it.