Introduction
Genetically targeted drugs in vascular anomalies (VA) are used despite the absence of a validated severity score. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of grouping ...phenotypic VA clinical characteristics into a single severity score.
Methods
A systematic literature review including children treated with sirolimus accompanied by a detailed description of phenotype and management was conducted. Demographic data and clinical features were extracted to define distinct categories of phenotypes.
Results
Children with VA display two main phenotypes regardless of VA subtype, which may overlap. A systemic phenotype results from direct invasion and compression of vital structures generally leading to hospitalization and aggressive management in infancy. A functional phenotype is associated with chronic pain and disability manifesting mainly during early adolescence and managed in the outpatient setting.
Conclusion
The two distinct phenotypes described could be the basis for developing a unified scoring system for VA severity assessment.
Many subjective grading methods with poor repeatability and tedious procedures are still widely used in meat industry. In this study, a hyperspectral-imaging-based technique was investigated to ...evaluate its potentials for objective determination of pork quality attributes. The system extracted spectral and spatial characteristics simultaneously to determinate the quality attributes, drip loss, pH, and color, of pork meat. Six feature band images were selected for predicting the drip loss (459, 618, 655, 685, 755 and 953
nm), pH (494, 571,637, 669, 703 and 978
nm) and color (434, 494, 561, 637, 669 and 703
nm), respectively. Two intensity indices of the band images were used as inputs to establish neural network models to predict the quality attributes. The results showed that with the hyperspectral-imaging system, the drip loss, pH, and color of pork meat could be predicted with correlation coefficients of 0.77, 0.55 and 0.86, respectively. Pork meat could be classified based on their exudative characteristics and color successfully.
•High light intensities decreased monounsaturated fatty acids contents.•High light intensities reduced 16- and 18-carbon chain-length fatty acids contents.•High organic carbon contents increased the ...oxidative stability of the biodiesel.•Ammonia nitrogen uptake by cells enhanced monounsaturated fatty acids production.•Lipids properties complied to American and European standards for biodiesel.
This study analyzes the influence that the environmental conditions and media composition have on the quality of wastewater-grown-microalgae lipids as a feedstock for biodiesel. A two-level full factorial design with three factors (organic carbon content, CO2 supply, and light intensity), followed by a PCA were utilized to explore relations among the variables. The content of SFAs, MUFAs, and PUFAs in the algal lipids ranged between 30.9 and 56.6%, 16.4–62.1%, and 4.7–27.9%, respectively. Light intensity was the major factor affecting lipids composition, followed by CO2. Experimental conditions at the lowest light intensity and the highest CO2 content tested in the study (40 μmol·m−2·d-1 and 10% CO2) were related to enhanced productions of MUFAs and increased C16 and C18 contents, which are desirable compounds in the lipids targeted to biodiesel production. Among the components derived from the wastewater mixture used as source of nutrients to microalgae, NH3-N was related to increased MUFAs productions by the cells. Higher contents of organic carbon reduced the unsaturation value, increasing the oxidative stability of the biodiesel. Biodiesel properties of the algal lipids grown under all experimental conditions tested in this study were found to comply with ASTM D6751 and EN 14214 standards.
To estimate prevalence of suicidal ideation and suicidal ideation with a plan in each surveyed country and to examine cross-national differences in associated risk factors.
We analysed data of ...students aged 13-17 years who participated in the 2003-2012 Global School-based Health Surveys in 32 countries, of which 29 are low- and middle-income. We used random effects meta-analysis to generate regional and overall pooled estimates. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate risk ratios for the associated risk factors. Population attributable fractions were estimated based on adjusted risk ratios and the prevalence of the determinants within each exposure level.
Across all countries, the pooled 12-month prevalence of suicide ideation were 16.2% (95% confidence interval, CI: 15.6 to 16.7) among females and 12.2% (95% CI: 11.7 to 12.7) among males and ideation with a plan were 8.3% (95% CI: 7.9 to 8.7) among females and 5.8% (95% CI: 5.5 to 6.1) among males. Suicide ideation in the WHO Region of the Americas was higher in females than males, with an estimated prevalence ratio of 1.70 (95% CI: 1.60 to 1.81), while this ratio was 1.04 (95% CI: 0.98 to 1.10) in the WHO African Region. Factors associated with suicidal ideation in most countries included experiences of bullying and physical violence, loneliness, limited parental support and alcohol and tobacco use.
The prevalence of adolescent suicidal behaviours varies across countries, yet a consistent set of risk factors of suicidal behaviours emerged across all regions and most countries.
Locomotion requires the proper sequencing of neural activity to start, maintain, and stop it. Recently, brainstem neurons were shown to specifically stop locomotion in mammals. However, the cellular ...properties of these neurons and their activity during locomotion are still unknown. Here, we took advantage of the lamprey model to characterize the activity of a cell population that we now show to be involved in stopping locomotion. We find that these neurons display a burst of spikes that coincides with the end of swimming activity. Their pharmacological activation ends ongoing swimming, whereas the inactivation of these neurons dramatically impairs the rapid termination of swimming. These neurons are henceforth referred to as stop cells, because they play a crucial role in the termination of locomotion. Our findings contribute to the fundamental understanding of motor control and provide important details about the cellular mechanisms involved in locomotor termination.
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•Lamprey reticulospinal neurons display three patterns of activity during locomotion•The patterns are compatible with starting, maintaining, and stopping locomotion•Pharmacological activation of one reticulospinal population terminates locomotion•Reducing activity of the same cell population impairs the termination of locomotion
Reticulospinal neurons are known to control locomotion in vertebrates. Juvin et al. find a population of reticulospinal neurons in lampreys that are activated at the end of a locomotor bout. Pharmacological activation and inactivation of these cells reveals that they play a crucial role in stopping locomotion.
Grape seeds (
Vitis vinifera
) are rich in phytochemicals that have antioxidant properties. The influence of independent variables such as microwave power (100, 150, and 200 W), extraction time (2, ...4, and 6 min), and solvent concentration (30%, 45%, and 60% ethanol) and their interactions on total phenols and the antioxidant activity (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric ion reducing antioxidant power (FRAP)) were determined; and the microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) process was optimized using a central composite design. The total phenols that were expressed as gallic acid equivalents (GAE), catechin equivalents (CAT), and tannic acid equivalents (TAE) were significantly influenced by the solvent concentration and the time of extraction. A numerical optimization was carried out to obtain the overall conditions for MAE of phenolic antioxidants from grape seed. The response variables were maximized for 6 min of MAE of grape seed (GS) with 32.6% ethanol at 121 W with a desirability function of 0.947. The predicted extraction yields were 13 ± 0.89, 21.6 ± 1.59, and 15.9 ± 1.32 mg GAE, CAT, and TAE, respectively per gram of GS. The predicted antioxidant activity per gram of dry weight GS was 80.9% for the inhibition of DPPH and 135 μM ascorbic acid equivalents for FRAP test. The predicted response values were significantly correlated with the observed ones as follows: GAE
r
= 0.995, CAT
r
= 0.990, TAE
r
= 0.996, DPPH
r
= 0.996, and FRAP
r
= 0.996.
Mutations in the oligomerization domain of p53 are genetically linked to cancer susceptibility in Li-Fraumeni Syndrome. These mutations typically alter the oligomeric state of p53 and impair its ...transcriptional activity. Activation of p53 through tetramerization is required for its tumor suppressive function by inducing transcriptional programs that lead to cell fate decisions such as cell cycle arrest or apoptosis. How p53 chooses between these cell fate outcomes remains unclear. Here, we use 5 oligomeric variants of p53, including 2 novel p53 constructs, that yield either monomeric, dimeric or tetrameric forms of p53 and demonstrate that they induce distinct cellular activities and gene expression profiles that lead to different cell fate outcomes. We report that dimeric p53 variants are cytostatic and can arrest cell growth, but lack the ability to trigger apoptosis in p53-null cells. In contrast, p53 tetramers induce rapid apoptosis and cell growth arrest, while a monomeric variant is functionally inactive, supporting cell growth. In particular, the expression of pro-arrest CDKN1A and pro-apoptotic P53AIP1 genes are important cell fate determinants that are differentially regulated by the oligomeric state of p53. This study suggests that the most abundant oligomeric species of p53 present in resting cells, namely p53 dimers, neither promote cell growth or cell death and that shifting the oligomeric state equilibrium of p53 in cells toward monomers or tetramers is a key parameter in p53-based cell fate decisions.
•Maximum cell growth in a blend of 19% treated effluent, 21% digestate and 60% water.•Increased leachate contents had a negative impact on the growth.•Increased organic carbon contents in cultures ...reduced ammonia toxicity to the cells.
A 2nd degree mixture design was used to determine the optimal blend prepared from four wastewater streams to produce microalgae-based biomass. The streams consisted of a liquid digestate from an anaerobic digestion process, a landfill leachate, a septic-system sludge treatment plant liquid, and a wastewater treatment plant effluent. The mixture regression analysis indicated that blends with higher proportions of treated effluent and digestate improved cells growth, while the use of leachate was detrimental to the growth. The global solution of the mixture optimization predicted a maximum value of biomass productivity of 22.76 mg L−1 d−1, in a blend consisting of 19% treated effluent, 21% digestate, and 60% water. Proportions of leachate higher than 13.33% were detrimental to the growth. The concentration of ammonia-N in the blends ranged from 0.39 to 150 mg L−1 d−1, and its toxicity effect on the cells diminished with increasing amounts of organic carbon in the cultivation medium.
This study aimed to examine the influence of cooking methods and pre-determined refrigerated storage days on the production of lipid oxidation (TBARS), protein oxidation (PROTOX) and heterocyclic ...aromatic amines (HAA) in bacon. Forty-four pork bellies selected from pigs varying in breed, sex and diets to introduce variability in composition were processed as bacon. Sliced-bacon was stored at 4°C either for 2 or 28days and these storage groups were cooked either with microwave or frying pan. Microwave led to significantly higher PROTOX (P<0.001), while frying pan led to higher levels of HAA and TBARS in bacon (P<0.001). Frying pan cooking increased the saltiness and crispiness of bacon (P<0.05) whereas other sensory attributes were not affected (P>0.05) by the cooking methods and storage times. Similarly, the fatty acid composition of pork belly did not significantly influence the production of HAA, TBARS and PROTOX produced in bacon during cooking. Overall, microwave cooking had lesser impact on the production of carcinogenic compounds in bacon with only minor impact on sensory attributes.
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•Lipid and protein oxidation and heterocyclic amines increased with cooking.•Higher increase in protein oxidation was observed in microwaved than in fried bacon.•Lipid oxidation and heterocyclic amines were higher in fried than microwaved bacon.•Varying composition in pork belly did not affect the formation of these compounds.
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