Short-term Application Research Articles

Effects of ceramide C2 application on human laryngeal carcinoma cells: a cell culture study.

In the present study, we investigated the effects of Ceramide C2 application on human laryngeal carcinoma cells. Human larynx epidermoid carcinoma HEp-2 (ATCC® CCL-23™) cells were purchased from the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC, USA). Human larynx epidermoid carcinoma HEp-2 cells were cultured in complete Dulbecco's Modified Eagle's Medium (DMEM) supplemented with fetal bovine serum (FBS) (10%) and penicillin/streptomycin (1%) in a CO2 (5%) incubator under standard cell culture conditions. Ceramide C2 was prepared, and further dilutions ranging from 3.13 to 100 μM were prepared in a fresh culture medium. Cells on 96 well plates were exposed to the prepared concentrations of ceramide C2 for 24 and 48 hours. Cytotoxicity evaluation was performed by MTT. Apoptosis profiles of HEp-2 cells were detected by annexin-V analysis. The activated caspases 3/7 on HEp-2 cells after ceramide C2 exposure were evaluated with flow cytometric analysis. The morphological changes on HEp-2 cells caused by ceramide C2 were evaluated by staining with phalloidine and acridine orange via confocal microscopy. For the Wound Healing Assay, HEp-2 cells were cultured in 6 well-plates until they became confluent. MTT cytotoxicity test findings revealed that the viability of human laryngeal carcinoma cells decreased with the increased application of ceramide C2 for 24 hours compared to untreated (control) cells. The highest growth inhibition by ceramide C2 for short-term application for 24 hours was detected at the highest concentration of ceramide C2 (100 µM). Annexin-V findings showed that 98.97 of HEp-2 cells were alive, and 1.63% were detected as early apoptosis for the control group. The results showed that ceramide C2 triggered apoptosis on HEp-2 cells with a percentage of total apoptotic cells of 61,40 compared to untreated HEp-2 cells. Cysteine proteases (caspases) 3/7 activation percentages of HEp-2 cells exposed to ceramide C2 for 24 hours were compared to control cells, and the morphology of HEp-2 cells was changed with clear apoptotic signs that underlined the cytotoxicity and pro-apoptotic activity of ceramide C2. Scratch Assay assessed the migration capability of HEp-2 cells before and after the exposure to ceramide C2. It showed that ceramide C2 reduced human laryngeal carcinoma cells' migration capability and proliferation for 24 hours. Based on all study findings, it can be considered that short-chain ceramide C2 exerted cytotoxicity on human laryngeal carcinoma cells in a dose and time-dependent manner and reduced the viability via inducing caspase-dependent apoptosis. The overall effect might be derived from the elevated intracellular ceramide levels by the exogenous application of ceramide C2. Consequently, it was concluded that ceramide C2 has good potential to cause cytotoxicity and apoptosis in human laryngeal carcinoma cells and, after deeper in vitro and in vivo investigations, can be a good candidate for designing anti-cancer drugs with high efficiency.

Histopathological Evaluation Of Liver Changes In Rainbow Trout After Diethlynitrosamine (DEN) Exposure

The aim of this study was to determine the hepatocarcinogenic effect of diethylnitrosamine in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), the most cultivated and consumed fresh water fish. In this study, 120 fish weighing 50-70 g each were used. Randomly selected fish were divided into 3 dosage groups and a control group that contained 30 fish per group. Diethylnitrosaminewas dissolved in 0.1 ml of dimethylsulfoxideat 50 mg/kg, 100 mg/kg and 150 mg/kg, and respectively administered to each of the dosage groups intraperitoneally. On the 15th, 30th and 45th days of the study, 10 fish from each study group were euthanised while under sedation, and necropsies were performed. For histopathological and immunohistochemical examinations, tissues were routinely processed and sections were stained with haematoxylin-eosin and examined by light microscopy. Histology revealed hyperaemia, parenchymal degeneration, mononuclear cell infusion, necrosis, bile ducts hyperplasia, cholangiofibrosis and fatty degeneration of the liver. In immunohistochemical staining, CYP1A was slightly positive in the bile duct epithelium in the C2, A3, B3 and C3 groups, and negative in the other groups. Cytokeratin 18 showed negative staining in all groups. Mild positive staining in the bile duct epithelium, A3, B3 and C3 and negative staining in other groups for glutathione-S-transferase. It was concluded that diethylnitrosamine causes significant damage to liver tissuein fish, even in short-term applications, and may cause neoplastic changes in liver cells over the long term.

Short-Term Application of Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields for Static Balance of Functional Flatfeet

Short-Term Application of Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields for Static Balance of Functional Flatfeet

Selüloz ve PLA Biyopolimer Nonwoven Malçların Toprak Sağlığına Etkisi

The nonwoven mulches produced from regenerated viscose and PLA fibres as well as conventional agro foil were placed on the soil by randomly arranged blocks of four replication plots. After 50 days, the soil samples beneath each mulch and on the control field were collected, where the bacteria and fungi population as well as the physio-chemical properties of the soil were measured. The severe reduction in bacterial population in soil under the agro foil and mulches made of PLA fibres occurs due to the prevalence of high soil temperature. The bacterial population of soil beneath the mulches made of viscose fibre significantly increased due to favourable anaerobic conditions, respectively soil temperature and moisture. Under all mulches, compared to the control field, a higher fungal population was observed. The fungal population under the nonwoven mulch produced by viscose fibres was 161% higher in comparison to the control field. The available nutrient contents of soils under the nonwoven mulches were higher compared to the control field. The control field showed higher available nutrient contents of soil than the field covered by conventional agro foil.
 The results of the study reveal that usage of nonwoven mulches made of viscose fibres is most appropriate for short-term mulching application since successfully increases microbial population and improves the physio-chemical properties of soil.

Na-seawater battery technology integration with renewable energies: The case study of Sardinia Island

Europe has committed to net zero carbon dioxide emissions by 2050 to boost the clean energy transition. Renewable electricity will be the key energy medium for decarbonization and a huge increase in renewable energy sources (RES) exploitation is expected. Due to RES stochastic character, an extensive energy storage integration in the energy system is needed to avoid the mismatch between generation and demand profiles.Reactive metals are promising energy carriers and storage media characterized by high volumetric energy densities and circularity, due to ease of storage and transportation, material availability and low cost. Among them, sodium is a largely available element since it can be extracted from seawater and exploited through the innovative sodium-seawater battery (SWB). Sodium cations are transferred from SWB’s open cathode to the anode side during charging. Upon discharge, Na metal is oxidized to Na+ ions, which are discarded in seawater.This study assesses the impact of SWB technology focusing on Sardinia Island as a case study. For short-term application, SWB integration to wave energy converters allows a potential reduction of greater than 85% of generated power fluctuations, largely improving the quality of power injected into the grid. Regarding the long-term scenario, SWBs implementation in the energy system allows coverage of the Sardinia annual energy demand thanks to the integration of ∼340,000 cubic meter of Na metal, corresponding to a 12-m height Na reservoir under 4 soccer fields. SWB application to Sardinia also produces CO2 sequestration while covering ∼29% of desalinated water requirements for the Sardinian population.

Transition of short-term to long-term memory of Cu/TaOx/CNT conductive bridge random access memory for neuromorphic engineering

This work presents the resistive switching characteristics of the TaOx-based conductive-bridge random-access memory (CBRAM) for neuromorphic engineering. Controlling the Cu filament inside the TaOx film allows the device to operate as both volatile and nonvolatile memory. For volatile switching induced by a lower compliance current (Icc), a threshold switching operation is observed. Upon completion of the set process, the retention and current decay were observed, suggesting that the device has the potential for short-term memory applications. Increasing Icc enables the CBRAM to act as a memory-switching device, as confirmed by the lengthy retention time of up to 104 s. Additionally, short-term memory (STM) and long-term memory (LTM) of the device were demonstrated by time-dependent memory decay, where the various magnitude differences of the time-dependent operations. STM was identified by applying two identical pulses to the device to mimic the paired-pulse facilitation (PPF) of the neural system. Furthermore, long-term potentiation and depression were accomplished via consequent identical pulse stimuli under different switching modes to demonstrate stable LTM properties.

Bioinspired Scalable Lubricated Bicontinuous Porous Composites with Self-Recoverability and Exceptional Outdoor Durability.

Lubricant-impregnated surfaces (LIS) are promising as efficient liquid-repellent surfaces, which comprise a surface lubricant layer stabilized by base solid structures. However, the lubricant layer is susceptible to depletion upon exposure to degrading stimuli, leading to the loss of functionality. Lubricant depletion becomes even more pronounced in exposed outdoor conditions, restricting LIS to short-term lab-scale applications. Thus, the development of scalable and long-term stable LIS suitable for practical outdoor applications remains challenging. In this work, we designed "Lubricated Bicontinuous porous Composites" (LuBiCs) by infusing a silicone oil lubricant into a bicontinuous porous composite matrix of tetrapod-shaped zinc oxide microfillers and poly(dimethylsiloxane). LuBiCs are prepared in the meter scale by a facile drop-casting inspired wet process. The bicontinuous porous feature of the LuBiCs enables capillarity-driven spontaneous lubricant transport throughout the surface without any external driving force. Consequently, the LuBiCs can regain liquid-repellent function upon lubricant depletion via capillary replenishment from a small, connected lubricant reservoir, making them tolerant to lubricant-degrading stimuli (e.g., rain shower, surface wiping, and shearing). As a proof-of-concept, we show that the large-scale "LuBiC roof" retains slippery behavior even after more than 9 months of outdoor exposure.

Short-term application of diquafosol ophthalmic solution benefits children with dry eye wearing orthokeratology lens.

This aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of 3% Diquafosol Ophthalmic Solution (DQS) on children with dry eye from wearing overnight orthokeratology (OrthoK) lenses. Myopic children aged 8-18 years with dry eye syndrome were enrolled in this prospective observational study, and they were grouped according to their OrthoK treatment history for at least 1 year. All participants received DQS 4 times per day for 1 month. The following indicators were measured at baseline 1 month after treatment: the Dry Eye Questionnaire-5 (DEQ-5), non-invasive tear meniscus height (TMH), non-invasive tear film break-up time (first and average, NIBUT-F and NIBUT-A), meibomian gland score (MG score), conjunctival hyperemia redness score (R-scan), and blink pattern analysis. A total of 104 participants (189 eyes) including 40 OrthoK wearers (72 eyes) and 64 Orthok candidates (117 eyes) completed the study. Of all, after DQS treatment for 1 month, DEQ-5 scores reduced from 5.54 ± 3.25 to 3.85 ± 2.98 (t = -3.36, p = 0.00). TMH increased from 0.20 ± 0.05 mm to 0.21 ± 0.05 mm (t = 2.59, p = 0.01), NIBUT-F and NIBUT-A were prolonged from 6.67 ± 4.71 s to 10.32 ± 6.19 s and from 8.86 ± 5.25 s to 13.30 ± 6.03 s (all p = 0.00), respectively. R-scan decreased from 0.69 ± 0.28 to 0.50 ± 0.25 (t = -9.01, p = 0.00). Upper MG scores decreased from 1.04 ± 0.32 to 0.97 ± 0.36 (t = -2.14, p = 0.03). Lower MG scores, partial blink rate, partial blinks, and total blinks did not change significantly. Both break-up time (BUT) and R-scan improved significantly after DQS treatment for 1 month (all p = 0.00) in OrthoK candidates and OrthoK wearers. Among the OrthoK wearers, TMH and dry eye symptoms increased significantly (all p = 0.00) but did not increase in OrthoK candidates (p > 0.05). There were no adverse events related to DQS. Diquafosol Ophthalmic Solution was effective for children wearing overnight orthokeratology in relieving dry eye symptoms and improving ocular surface parameters, which may help improve children's OrthoK wearing tolerance and compliance.

Innovative Materials with Possible Applications in the Wound Dressings Field: Alginate-Based Films with Moringa oleifera Extract.

For a long time, biopolymers have proven their effectiveness in the development of materials with various applications, lately those intended for the biomedical and pharmaceutical industries, due to their high biocompatibility and non-toxic, non-allergenic, and non-immunogenic nature. The ability to incorporate various active substances in this matrix has yielded materials with characteristics that are far superior to those of classic, conventional ones. The beneficial effects of consuming Moringa oleifera have promoted the use of this plant, from Ayurvedic to classical medicine. The addition of such compounds in the materials intended for the treatment of surface wounds may represent the future of the development of innovative dressings. This study followed the development of materials based on sodium alginate and moringa powder or essential oil for use as dressings, pads, or sheets. Thus, three materials with the addition of 10-30% moringa powder and three materials with the addition of 10-30% essential oil were obtained. The data were compared with those of the control sample, with sodium alginate and plasticizer. The microtopography indicated that the materials have a homogeneous matrix that allows them to incorporate and maintain natural compounds with prolonged release. For example, the sample with 30% moringa essential oil kept its initial shape and did not disintegrate, although the swelling ratio value reached 4800% after 20 min. After testing the mechanical properties, the same sample had the best tensile strength (TS = 0.248 MPa) and elongation (31.41%), which is important for the flexibility of the dressing. The same sample exhibited a very high antioxidant capacity (60.78% inhibition). The materials obtained with moringa powder added presented good values of physical and mechanical properties, which supports their use as wound dressings for short-term application and the release of embedded compounds. According to the obtained results, all the biopolymeric materials with moringa added can be used as dressings for different wound types.

A Short-Term Time-Series Data Analysis Algorithm for Flavor Release during the Start of Eating.

"Retronasal aroma" refers to the aroma released from food during consumption and traveling through the nose after leaving the mouth. It is closely related to the behavior of odor compounds released from food into the mouth and plays a crucial role in our overall perception of flavor. As a result, research focusing on measuring the behavior of retronasal aroma has gained attention for exploring the relationship between sensory perception and flavor. We attempted to develop a data analysis method that specifically targets a time span of a few seconds to tens of seconds, starting from when food is placed in the mouth during eating and extending to just after swallowing. In this study, we observed a strong correlation between the periodic waveform data derived from performing the third derivative (jerk) on the detection intensity data obtained using a mass spectrometer and the behavior of the detection intensity. Furthermore, by performing a frequency analysis using a fast Fourier transform on the jerk data, it was possible to extract the frequencies that contribute to sensory perception during eating. Furthermore, the reconstructed jerk data derived from the extracted data using the inverse fast Fourier transform provided a clearer explanation of sensory perception during eating. Our algorithm suggests new short-term time-series data applications.

Study on the Reflective Principle and Long-Term Skid Resistance of a Sustainable Hydrophobic Hot-Melt Marking Paint

Road marking is very important for driving safety and reducing the accident rate as a basic component of highway construction. However, traditional road marking paints are prone to be worn after short-term application and have poor durability and reflective performance. To address these problems, the marking paint was modified using the organic polymer material polytetrafluoroethylene to create a durable hydrophobic hot-melt marking paint. The factors affecting the reflective performance of marking lines are analyzed, and artificial accelerated abrasion tests were carried out to analyze the skid resistance and marking retroreflection coefficient of hydrophobic coatings. Results show that the texture of the glass beads and the quality of the coating plays a major role in the reflective performance of the marking line. The friction coefficient value of the modified marking paint is 4.62% higher than that of the traditional hot-melt marking paint. The retroreflection performance of the marking paint with 4% hydrophobic material is 8.45% higher than the initial value of the retroreflection coefficient of the traditional hot-melt marking paints. This sustainable hydrophobic hot-melt marking paint is safer and more durable than traditional pavement marking paints, which may save follow-up maintenance resources and cost from the sustainable aspect.

Effects of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation paired with tones on electrophysiological markers of auditory perception

BackgroundTranscutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) has been introduced as a non-invasive alternative to invasive vagus nerve stimulation (iVNS). While iVNS paired with tones has been highlighted as a potential effective therapy for the treatment of auditory disorders such as tinnitus, there is still scarce data available confirming the efficacy of non-invasive taVNS. Here, we assessed the effect of taVNS paired with acoustic stimuli on sensory-related electrophysiological responses. MethodsA total of 22 healthy participants were investigated with a taVNS tone-pairing paradigm using a within-subjects design. In a single session pure tones paired with either active taVNS or sham taVNS were repeatedly presented. Novel tones without electrical stimulation served as control condition. Auditory event related potentials and auditory cortex oscillations were compared before and after the tone pairing procedure between stimulation conditions. ResultsFrom pre to post pairing, we observed a decrease in the N1 amplitude and in theta power to tones paired with sham taVNS while these electrophysiological measures remained stable for tones paired with active taVNS a pattern mirroring auditory sensory processing of novel, unpaired control tones. ConclusionOur results demonstrate the efficacy of a short-term application of non-invasive taVNS to modulate auditory processing in healthy individuals and, thereby, have potential implications for interventions in auditory processing deficits.

Impact of wastewater irrigation on physical health of soil and yield of marigold (Tagetes patula L. cv. Pusa deep)

A field experiment was conducted to find out the impact of wastewater irrigation on physical and microbiological soil health in marigold (Tagetes patula L. cv. Pusa deep) based on FDR sensor at Water Technology Centre farm of ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi during period of 2020-2021. Eight treatments T-1: Groundwater irrigation scheduled at 25% MAD (v =27%); T-2: Groundwater irrigation scheduled at 50% MAD (v =22.5%) T-3: Groundwater irrigation scheduled at 75% MAD (v= 18%); T4: Groundwater irrigation scheduled as per farmers practice/recommended POP; T-5: Wastewater irrigation scheduled at 25% MAD (v= 27%); T-6: Wastewater irrigation scheduled at 50% MAD (v= 22.5%); T-7: Wastewater irrigation scheduled at 50% MAD (v= 18%); T-8: Wastewater irrigation scheduled as per farmers practice/recommended POP were laid out in a Randomized Block Design (RBD) with three replications. Results indicated that soil physical properties such as bulk density, saturated hydraulic conductivity and porosity at both the sol depths of 0-15 and 15-30 cm in marigold were significantly not changed due to application of wastewater irrigations scheduled at various range of MAD and with the use of FDR sensor. Significantly higher population density of faecal coliform bacteria was observed in treatment plot T-7 where wastewater irrigations were applied at MAD 50% as compared to groundwater irrigations. Moreover, the yield of marigold came to be high in wastewater irrigated plots compared to groundwater. Thus, short-term application of wastewater has less impact and the different ranges of MAD can be used for further studies.

Impact of wastewater irrigation on chemical properties of soil and flower quality of marigold (Tagetes patula L. cv. Pusa deep)

A field experiment was conducted to find out the impact of wastewater irrigation on physical and microbiological soil health in marigold (Tagetes patula L. cv.Pusa deep) based on FDR sensor at Water Technology Centre farm of ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi during period of 2020-2021. Eight treatments T-1: Groundwater irrigation scheduled at 25% MAD (v=27%); T-2: Groundwater irrigation scheduled at 50% MAD (v =22.5%) T-3: Groundwater irrigation scheduled at 75% MAD (v= 18%);T4: Groundwater irrigation scheduled as per farmers practice/recommended POP; T-5: Wastewater irrigation scheduled at 25% MAD (v= 27%); T-6: Wastewater irrigation scheduled at 50% MAD (v= 22.5%); T-7: Wastewater irrigation scheduled at 50% MAD (v= 18%); T-8: Wastewater irrigation scheduled as per farmers practice/recommended POP were laid out in a Randomized Block Design (RBD) with three replications. Results indicated that soil chemical properties such as pH, organic carbon, EC, NPK and heavy metalat depth of 0-15 cm in marigold. As soil pH (7.80), EC (0.24 to 0.31 dS/m), OC (0.38), NPK and the concentration of heavy metals (Ni, Cd, Cr, Pb) were significantly higher in the treatment T6 where wastewater irrigations were scheduled at 50% MADas compared to groundwater irrigations. Moreover, the quality and grade of marigold came to be high in wastewater irrigated plots compared to groundwater. Thus, short-term application of wastewater has less impact over soil and gives better results in crop growth and quality but, the long-term application of wastewater may affect the chemical properties of the soil which can be analysed with different ranges of MAD (maximum allowable deficit) need to be studied.

Carbon fiber reinforced poly(lactic acid) composites: Investigation the effects of graphene nanoplatelet and coupling agent addition

Although petroleum-based polymers require a long process to decompose in nature, they still have a wide range of uses. However, due to many important reasons such as the environmental pollution problem caused by these polymers, there is an increasing interest in biodegradable polymers. Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) is a biopolymer with comparable performance to conventional polymers. However, due to its poor tribological, mechanical and thermal properties, the usage area of PLA cannot expand and its use is limited to short-term material applications. In this study, it was aimed to contribute to the expansion of the usage area of PLA by improving its poor properties. For this purpose, efficiency of graphene nanoplatelet (GnP) and/or Joncryl® addition to carbon fiber (CF) reinforced PLA matrix composites to improve the composite performance by means of improved interface interaction fiber and matrix was investigated. Within this scope, effects the separately and/or simultaneously addition of CF, GnP and Joncryl® to PLA on properties were investigated by tensile test, adhesive wear test, DSC, TGA and SEM analyses. All results revealed that the composite composition prepared by simultaneously addition of 10, 0.5 and 2 wt.% CF, GnP and Joncryl®, respectively, to pure PLA performed the best in all tests and analyses.

Effectiveness of mixture of aspirin and ethanol regimen in the management of geographic tongue: a prospective study.

The objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of an aspirin-ethanol mixture in the management of geographic tongue. In this prospective study, an analysis of medical reports of symptomatic cases of geographic tongue managed using an aspirin-ethanol mixture was done. The treatment regimen involved dissolving 3mg of aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) into 1ml of 70% v/v ethanol. Then a sterile gauze is soaked in the prepared mixture and is topically used to clean the tongue with gentle pressure for 2-3min. The records of 23 patients were analyzed. There were more females (19, 82.6%), and the age range of patients was 15-43 years (mean age of 23.4 years). The symptoms that the patient described included: oral discomfort, burning sensations of the tongue, pain, and loss of taste. Only 21 (91.3%) patients were asymptomatic at 3 months of follow-up. Short-term topical application of the aspirin-ethanol mixture was shown to be effective in treating symptomatic geographic tongue.

Resensitization of TRPV1 channels after the P2 receptor activation in sensory neurons of spinal ganglia in rats.

TRPV1 channels are responsible for detecting noxious stimuli such as heat (>43°C), acid, and capsaicin. P2 receptors are involved in numerous functions of the nervous system, including its modulation and specific response to the application of ATP. In our experiments, we investigated the dynamics of calcium transients in DRG neurons associated with TRPV1 channel desensitization and the effect of activation of P2 receptors on this process. We used DRG neurons from rats P7-8 after 1-2 days of culture to measure calcium transients by microfluorescence calcimetry using the fluorescent dye Fura-2 AM. We have shown that DRG neurons of small (d < 22 μm) and medium (d = 24-35 μm) sizes differ in TRPV1 expression. Thus, TRPV1 channels are mainly present in small nociceptive neurons (59% of the studied neurons). Short-term sequential application of the TRPV1 channel agonist capsaicin (100nM) leads to the desensitization of TRPV1 channels by the type of tachyphylaxis. We identified three types of sensory neurons based on responses to capsaicin: (1) desensitized 37.5%, (2) non-desensitized 34.4%, and (3) insensitive 23.4% to capsaicin. It has also been shown that P2 receptors are present in all types of neurons according to their size. So, the responses to ATP were different in different-sized neurons. Applying ATP (0.1 mM) to the intact cell membrane after the onset of tachyphylaxis caused recovery of calcium transients in response to the addition of capsaicin in these neurons. The amplitude of the capsaicin response after reconstitution with ATP was 161% of the previous minimal calcium transient in response to capsaicin. Significantly, the restoration of the amplitude of calcium transients under the ATP application is not associated with changes in the cytoplasmic pool of ATP because this molecule does not cross the intact cell membrane, thus, our results show the interaction between TRPV1 channels and P2 receptors. It is important to note that the restoration of the amplitude of calcium transients through TRPV1 channels after application of ATP was observed mainly in cells of 1-2 days of cultivation. Thus, the resensitization of capsaicin transients following P2 receptor activation may be associated with the regulation of the sensitivity of sensory neurons.

Safety and Feasibility of Cervical and Thoracic Transcutaneous Spinal Cord Stimulation to Improve Hand Motor Function in Children With Chronic Spinal Cord Injury

ObjectiveIn adults with cervical spinal cord injury (SCI), transcutaneous spinal stimulation (scTS) has improved upper extremity strength and control. This novel noninvasive neurotherapeutic approach combined with training may modulate the inherent developmental plasticity of children with SCI, providing even greater improvements than training or stimulation alone. Because children with SCI represent a vulnerable population, we first must establish the safety and feasibility of any potential novel therapeutic approach. The objectives of this pilot study were to determine the safety, feasibility, and proof of principle of cervical and thoracic scTS for short-term effect on upper extremity strength in children with SCI. Materials and MethodsIn this nonrandomized, within-subject repeated measure design, seven participants with chronic cervical SCI performed upper extremity motor tasks without and with cervical (C3–C4 and C6–C7) and thoracic (T10–T11) site scTS. Safety and feasibility of using cervical and thoracic sites scTS were determined by the frequency count of anticipated and unanticipated risks (eg, pain, numbness). Proof-of-principle concept was tested via change in force production during hand motor tasks. ResultsAll seven participants tolerated cervical and thoracic scTS across the three days, with a wide range of stimulation intensities (cervical sites = 20–70 mA and thoracic site = 25–190 mA). Skin redness at the stimulation sites was observed in four of 21 assessments (19%) and dissipated in a few hours. No episode of autonomic dysreflexia was observed or reported. Hemodynamic parameters (systolic blood pressure and heart rate) remained within stable limits (p > 0.05) throughout the assessment time points at baseline, with scTS, and after the experiment. Hand-grip and wrist-extension strength increased (p < 0.05) with scTS. ConclusionsWe indicated that short-term application of scTS via two cervical and one thoracic site is safe and feasible in children with SCI and resulted in immediate improvements in hand-grip and wrist-extension strength in the presence of scTS. Clinical Trial RegistrationThe Clinicaltrials.gov registration number for the study is NCT04032990.

Modulation of the NO-cGMP pathway has no effect on olfactory responses in the Drosophila antenna.

Olfaction is a crucial sensory modality in insects and is underpinned by odor-sensitive sensory neurons expressing odorant receptors that function in the dendrites as odorant-gated ion channels. Along with expression, trafficking, and receptor complexing, the regulation of odorant receptor function is paramount to ensure the extraordinary sensory abilities of insects. However, the full extent of regulation of sensory neuron activity remains to be elucidated. For instance, our understanding of the intracellular effectors that mediate signaling pathways within antennal cells is incomplete within the context of olfaction in vivo. Here, with the use of optical and electrophysiological techniques in live antennal tissue, we investigate whether nitric oxide signaling occurs in the sensory periphery of Drosophila. To answer this, we first query antennal transcriptomic datasets to demonstrate the presence of nitric oxide signaling machinery in antennal tissue. Next, by applying various modulators of the NO-cGMP pathway in open antennal preparations, we show that olfactory responses are unaffected by a wide panel of NO-cGMP pathway inhibitors and activators over short and long timescales. We further examine the action of cAMP and cGMP, cyclic nucleotides previously linked to olfactory processes as intracellular potentiators of receptor functioning, and find that both long-term and short-term applications or microinjections of cGMP have no effect on olfactory responses in vivo as measured by calcium imaging and single sensillum recording. The absence of the effect of cGMP is shown in contrast to cAMP, which elicits increased responses when perfused shortly before olfactory responses in OSNs. Taken together, the apparent absence of nitric oxide signaling in olfactory neurons indicates that this gaseous messenger may play no role as a regulator of olfactory transduction in insects, though may play other physiological roles at the sensory periphery of the antenna.

Autologous Fat Grafting as Adjuvant Treatment in Facial Reconstructive Surgery: Case Report

Introduction: Autologous fat grafting (lip transfer) allows the repair and augmentation of soft tissues and is increasingly used in both cosmetic and reconstructive surgery. Autologous fat has several advantages, including biocompatibility, versatility, natural appearance, and low donor site morbidity. The main limitation is unpredictable graft resorption, which ranges from 25% to 80%, probably as a result of ischemia and lack of neo angiogenesis. To avoid these drawbacks, several studies have sought new ways to increase the viability of transplanted tissue. Aim: To present a clinical case that highlights current practices and short-term future applications of fat transfer for maxillofacial reconstruction of large defects. Clinical case: This is a 33-year-old male patient who presented scarring atrophy due to multiple surgical interventions previously performed for mandibular resection and reconstruction due to a plexiform ameloblastoma in the right hemimandible. The fat transplant preparation technology was applied, using the manual liposuction and centrifugation method. Lip transfer was performed in one phase. Conclusion: Fat transfer has the potential to be an intervention in which resorption rate, tissue quality and safety can be predicted, as it appears to be an effective treatment for contour deformities in facial reconstruction.