A specific chronology for puberty and changes at the brain–pituitary–gonad axis for sea bass are reviewed. Recent findings demonstrate that the Kisspeptin system, gonadotropin releasing hormones, ...follicle stimulating hormone, 11‐ketotestosterone, and leptin are potential candidates for the onset of puberty of this fish species, stressing the importance of the daily and annual rhythms of some of these hormones. Environmental control of puberty is also reviewed, specifically the manipulations of constant photoperiods for altering or even suppressing the onset of puberty in sea bass. Recently, a possible narrow sensitive period for suppressing gonadogenesis in sea bass has been identified.
ZnO-based ceramic varistors have shown excellent electrical and dielectric properties due to their characteristics microstructures represented by the arrangement of their grains and grain boundaries ...that allow the absorption and flow of energy when subjected to an electrical surge. Their properties and characteristics depend on their chemical compositions and processing routes. Typical processing routes involve several stages of grinding and precalcination—which are time consuming processes. Because of this, this study proposes a simpler and cheaper alternative route for processing ceramic varistors. The alternative process proposed is the mixing of the precursor oxides by means of a hydrothermal treatment. The characteristics and properties of the synthesized ceramic varistors were evaluated by means of scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and impedance spectroscopy, considering the effect of the addition of rare earth oxides (La2O3, CeO2 and Nd2O3). The results showed that the mixing of the oxides through hydrothermal treatment produces ceramic varistors with characteristics and properties similar to those obtained by other processing routes. Furthermore, it was observed that the addition of rare earth oxides affects the characteristics and properties of the ceramic varistor depending on the type of rare earth oxide added, its concentration and ionic radius.
Purpose
To assess the biomechanical effects of intra-tendinous injections of PRGF on the healing Achilles tendon after repair in a sheep model.
Methods
Thirty sheep were randomly assigned into one of ...the six groups depending on the type of treatment received (PRGF or placebo) and survival time (2, 4 and 8 weeks). The Achilles tendon injury was repaired by suturing the tendinous edges employing a three-loop pulley pattern. A trans-articular external fixation system was then used for immobilization. The PRGF or placebo was administered on a weekly basis completing a maximum of three infiltrations. The force, section and tension values were compared between the operated and healthy Achilles tendons across all groups.
Results
The PRGF-treated tendons had higher force at 8 weeks compared with the placebo group (
p
= 0.007). Between 2 and 4 weeks, a significant increase in force in both the PRGF-treated tendon (
p
= 0.0027) and placebo group (
p
= 0.0095) occurred. No significant differences were found for section ratio between PRGF-treated tendons and the placebo group for any of the time periods evaluated. At 2 weeks, PRGF-treated tendons had higher tension ratio compared with placebo group tendons (
p
= 0.0143). Both PRGF and placebo treatments significantly improved the force (
p
< 0.001 and
p
= 0.0095, respectively) and tension (
p
= 0.009 and
p
= 0.0039, respectively) ratios at 8 weeks compared with 2 weeks.
Conclusion
The application of PRGF increases Achilles tendon repair strength at 8 weeks compared with the use of placebo. The use of PRGF does not modify section and tension ratios compared with placebo at 8 weeks. The tension ratio progressively increases between 2 and 8 weeks compared with the placebo.
4CPS-006 Use of ammonium tetrathiomolybdate in Wilson disease Pomares Bernabeu, M; Gonzalez Fernandez, A; Ibañez Carrillo, M ...
European journal of hospital pharmacy. Science and practice,
03/2020, Letnik:
27, Številka:
Suppl 1
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Background and importanceWilson disease is a rare autosomal recessive disorder. It is characterised by an excessive accumulation of copper in the body, mainly in the liver, brain and cornea, leading ...to different manifestations, in which neuropsychiatric and hepatic manifestations predominate. Therapeutic management is based on the use of copper chelating agents (D-penicillamine, trientine) and drugs that hinder the absorption of copper (zinc salts). Ammonium tetrathiomolybdate, an experimental treatment, has also been used for periods of 8 weeks in patients with a neurological presentation under compassionate use.Aim and objectivesTo evaluate the effectiveness and toxicity of ammonium tetrathiomolybdate in a patient with Wilson disease.Material and methodsA 42-year-old man was diagnosed with Wilson disease with neurological manifestations at 33 years of age, and increased transaminase levels and the presence of Kayser–Fleischer ring in both eyes. One mutation, c3359T> A(p.Leu1120*), was identified on exon 15 in the ATP7B gene. He was treated with trientine for 4 months with clinical worsening, replacing trientine with zinc sulphate and ammonium tetrathiomolybdate. At 7 weeks, the last drug was retired because of progressive worsening of liver function. Given the clinical situation, D-penicillamine was added to the basic treatment that, 6 months later, was suspended due to marked deterioration in neurological and functional conditions. Maintenance treatment with zinc sulphate was continued. In the following months, neurological symptoms progressively improved, maintaining liver function. Seven years later, due to neurological worsening, treatment was started again with ammonium tetrathiomolybdate 60 mg daily and 8 weeks later it was increased to 120 mg daily (20 mg between meals three times a day and 20 mg with each meal three times a day).ResultsAfter 15 months of treatment with ammonium tetrathiomolybdate combined with zinc sulphate, the patient experienced improvements in motor and cognitive–behavioural symptoms, and maintained normal haematological and hepatic function. Before starting treatment with ammonium tetrathiomolybdate, at the analytical level, we found: copper in urine 56 μg/24 hours, ceruloplasmin 2 mg/dL and copper in blood 34 μg/dL; after 8 weeks (with a dose of 60 mg/day) the values were 111 μg/24 hours, 2 mg/dL and 63 μg/dL, respectively, and currently the values are 44 μg/24 hours, 2 mg/dL and 16 μg/dL.Conclusion and relevanceIn our patient, ammonium tetrathiomolybdate was effective and well tolerated for a prolonged period. It could be an alternative in patients with neurological manifestations.References and/or acknowledgementsNo conflict of interest.
User Engagement is a metric that represents a part of the user experience characterized by attributes of reactions, visibility and user interactivity with others. Statistical analysis methods and ...qualitative analysis were used to establish a new method for calculating User Engagement in Facebook fan pages focused in dissemination of scientific information. We focused on social media processes based on Spearman correlation coefficients and categorization of publications by format type and source of content. A multiple linear regression model was defined using the number of clicks and the reach of posts with an accuracy of up to 91% (R
2
). The User Engagement increases preferably when it is presented in photo format of an original content creation.
Fibromyalgia (FM) is a generalized chronic pain syndrome of unknown aetiology. Although FM patients frequently complain of cognitive dysfunction, this is one of the least studied symptoms. Research ...on brain activity associated with the perceived cognitive impairment is particularly scarce. To address this gap, we recorded the brain electrical activity in participants during a cognitive control task.
Electroencephalograms (EEGs) were recorded in 19 FM patients and 22 healthy controls (all women) while they performed the Multi-Source Interference Task (MSIT). We analyzed the amplitude of the frontal N2 and parietal P3 components elicited in control and interference trials and their relation with reaction times. We also explored the relationship of perceived cognitive dysfunction, assessed using visual analogue scales (VAS) and the Memory Failures of Everyday (MFE-30) test, with N2 and P3 amplitudes.
The N2 amplitudes were smaller in FM patients than in controls and were negatively associated with cognitive complaints. Unlike patients, healthy controls showed significant differences in the amplitude of P3 obtained from control vs. interference trials of the MSIT. Smaller N2 and P3 amplitudes were associated to longer reaction times.
The findings suggest a reduction in frontal brain activity during performance of an interference task, which was associated with the patients' cognitive complaints. Findings on P3 suggest altered modulation of attention according to the task demands in FM patients. Deficits in flexibility in the allocation of attentional resources and cognitive control during complex tasks may explain the dyscognition reported by chronic pain patients.
Six different experiments were conducted to give some practical recommendation to apply 1-MCP during the postharvest handling chain of arazá fruit (
Eugenia stipitata McVaugh). Fruit were harvested ...in three stages of maturity (mature-green primarily, turning and mature) and treated for 1 to 12
h with 0 (control in air) or 1
μL
L
−1 1-Methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) at 20
°C. The mature-green fruit were subjected to different storage conditions (7, 10, 12, 13, 20 or 27
°C). The treatment of mature-green fruit with 1-MCP for 1
h, and storage at 12
°C for up to 2 weeks prolonged the shelf-life about one week by delaying or reducing the respiration and ethylene production rates, skin colour changes, the loss of organic acids, and softening, with or without a further shelf-life period of 3 days at 20
°C. At 7
°C, 1-MCP also reduced mature-green fruit weight loss and shrivelling. Extending 1-MCP treatment periods at 20
°C to 6 or 12
h caused partial and uneven ripeness. Treating fruit in their post-climacteric stage of maturity had little effect on ripening compared with the mature-green stage. 1-MCP increased the respiration rate and/or the ethylene production in certain combinations of advanced harvest maturities and/or unfavourable storage temperatures. Recommendations for maintaining postharvest quality are harvesting at the mature-green stage, treatment with 1
μL
L
−1 of 1-MCP for 1
h, and storage at 12
°C for up to 2 weeks.
Asai is a tropical palm widely distributed in the Amazon and its fruits have a high antioxidant capacity and are also a source of dietary fiber and bioactive compounds. The generation of asai value ...chains demands the standardization of fresh fruit quality for processing and the establishment of a postharvest system that allows quality preservation and offers regulation. In order to evaluate fruit quality trait evolution during postharvest storage, asai fruits from the Guaviare Department (Colombia) were collected in three successive maturity stages: green, half-ripe and ripe; and stored at 20±2°C. Respiration rate, ethylene production, fresh weight loss and skin color were measured daily. Weight loss increased as time passed, reaching more than 10% on day 6 of storage with no significant difference between the maturity stages. Ethylene production was not detected, nevertheless, skin color changed from green to purple and the respiratory rate increased (lower production in green fruits), suggesting a climacteric pattern.
Ensemble methods overcome the limitations of single machine learning techniques by combining different techniques, and are employed in the quest to achieve a high level of accuracy. This approach has ...been investigated in various fields, one of them being that of bioinformatics. One of the most frequent applications of ensemble techniques involves research into cardiovascular diseases, which are considered the leading cause of death worldwide. The purpose of this research work is to identify the papers that investigate ensemble classification techniques applied to cardiology diseases, and to analyse them according to nine aspects: their publication venues, the medical tasks tackled, the empirical and research types adopted, the types of ensembles proposed, the single techniques used to construct the ensembles, the validation frameworks adopted to evaluate the proposed ensembles, the tools used to build the ensembles, and the optimization methods employed for the single techniques. This paper reports the carrying out of a systematic mapping study. An extensive automatic search in four digital libraries: IEEE Xplore, ACM Digital Library, PubMed, and Scopus, followed by a study selection process, resulted in the identification of 351 papers that were used to address our mapping questions. This study found that the papers selected had been published in a large number of different resources. The medical task addressed most frequently by the selected studies was diagnosis. In addition, the experiment-based empirical type and evaluation-based research type were the most dominant approaches adopted by the selected studies. Homogeneous ensembles were the ensemble type that was developed most often in literature, while decision trees, artificial neural networks and Bayesian classifiers were the single techniques used most frequently to develop ensemble classification methods. The weighted majority and majority voting rules were adopted to obtain the final decision of the ensembles developed. With regard to evaluation frameworks, the datasets obtained from the UCI and PhysioBank repositories were those used most often to evaluate the ensemble methods, while the k-fold cross-validation method was the most frequently-employed validation technique. Several tools with which to build ensemble classifiers were identified, and the type of software adopted with the greatest frequency was open source. Finally, only a few researchers took into account the optimization of the parameter settings of either single or meta ensemble classifiers. This mapping study attempts to provide a greater insight into the application of ensemble classification methods in cardiovascular diseases. The majority of the selected papers reported positive feedback as regards the ability of ensemble methods to perform better than single methods. Further analysis is required to aggregate the evidence reported in literature.
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