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The process of stabilization and storage of memories, known as consolidation, can be modulated by different interventions. Research has shown that self-regulation of brain activity through Neurofeedback (NFB) during the consolidation phase significantly impacts memory stabilization. While some studies have successfully modulated the consolidation phase using traditional EEG-based Neurofeedback (NFB) that focuses on general parameters, such as training a specific frequency band at particular electrodes, they often overlook the unique and complex neurodynamics that underlie each memory content in different individuals, potentially limiting the selective modulation of memories. The main objective of this study is to investigate the effects of a Subject-Dependent NFB (SD-NFB), based on individual models created from the brain activity of each participant, on long-term declarative memories. Participants underwent an experimental protocol involving three sessions. In the first session, they learned images of faces and houses while their brain activity was recorded. This EEG data was used to create individualized models to identify brain patterns related to learning these images. Participants were then divided into three groups, with one group receiving SD-NFB to enhance brain activity linked to faces, another to houses, and a CONTROL sham group that did not receive SD-NFB. Memory performance was evaluated 24 h and seven days later using an 'old-new' recognition task, where participants distinguished between 'old' and 'new' images. The results showed that memory contents (faces or houses) whose brain patterns were trained via SD-NFB scored lower in recognition compared to untrained contents, as evidenced 24 h and seven days post-training. In summary, this study demonstrates that SD-NFB can selectively impact the consolidation of specific declarative memories. This technique could hold significant implications for clinical applications, potentially aiding in the modulation of declarative memory strength in neuropsychiatric disorders where memories are pathologically exacerbated.
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Eletroencefalografia , Consolidação da Memória , Neurorretroalimentação , Humanos , Neurorretroalimentação/fisiologia , Neurorretroalimentação/métodos , Consolidação da Memória/fisiologia , Masculino , Feminino , Adulto Jovem , Adulto , AdolescenteRESUMO
Fast environmental changes and high coastal human pressures and impacts threaten the Mediterranean Sea. Over the last decade, recurrent blooms of the harmful dinoflagellate Ostreopsis cf. ovata have been recorded in many Mediterranean beaches. These microalgae produce toxins that affect marine organisms and human health. Understanding the environmental conditions that influence the appearance and magnitude of O. cf. ovata blooms, as well as how climate change will modify its future distribution and dynamics, is crucial for predicting and managing their effects. This study investigates whether the spatio-temporal distribution of this microalga and the frequency of its blooms could be altered in future climate change scenarios in the Mediterranean Western basin. For the first time, an ecological habitat model (EHM) is forced by physico-chemical climate change simulations at high-resolution, under the strong greenhouse gas emission trajectory (RCP8.5). It allows to characterize how O. cf. ovata may respond to projected conditions and how its distribution could shift over a wide spatial scale, in this plausible future. Before being applied to the EHM, future climate simulations are further refined by using a statistical adaptation method (Cumulative Distribution Function transform) to improve the predictions robustness. Temperature (optimum 23-26 °C), high salinity (>38 psu) and high inorganic nutrient concentrations (nitrate >0.25 mmol N·m-3 and phosphate >0.035 mmol P·m-3) drive O. cf. ovata abundances. High spatial disparities in future abundances are observed. Namely, O. cf. ovata abundances could increase on the Mediterranean coasts of France, Spain and the Adriatic Sea while a decrease is expected in the Tyrrhenian Sea. The bloom period could be extended, starting earlier and continuing later in the year. From a methodological point of view, this study highlights best practices of EHMs in the context of climate change to identify sensitive areas for current and future harmful algal blooms.
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Mudança Climática , Dinoflagellida , Mar Mediterrâneo , Proliferação Nociva de Algas , Monitoramento Ambiental , EcossistemaRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Ringworm is highly prevalent in our setting and is frequently observed in our routine clinical practice. Diagnostic confirmation depends on techniques that are not always accessible (PCR), with highly variable sensitivity depending on the observer (direct microscopy) or delayed results (culture, histopathology). Recently, an immunochromatography-based rapid test (Diafactory®) for the antigenic detection of dermatophytes has been developed. This diagnostic tool can help diagnose ringworm, allowing early initiation of treatment and fewer consultation visits. OBJECTIVE: To determine the sensitivity and specificity of the rapid antigen detection test compared to conventional culture. MATERIAL AND METHODS: For a full year, 333 nail samples were collected from patients with suspected onychomycosis. The rapid test and the conventional culture were simultaneously performed on each sample. Those with a positive antigenic test result began treatment early. The remaining patients had appointments for serial cultures and subsequent medical consultation to evaluate the results. RESULTS: Compared to conventional culture, the sensitivity and specificity rates of the rapid antigen detection test are 97.2% and 80.7%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The effectiveness of the rapid antigen detection test is similar to that of conventional culture for the detection of dermatophytes in nail samples. It is a quick and simple diagnostic technique that reduces the number of patient visits to the hospital, and allows early treatment start.
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Acne Queloide , Cicatriz , Humanos , Acne Queloide/cirurgia , Cicatriz/etiologia , Dispositivos para Expansão de Tecidos , Masculino , AdultoRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Combinations of topical (TT) and biological therapies (BT) are a common thing in the routine clinical practice. However, the scientific medical literature on how TT is, actually, used after the initiation of BT is scarce, particularly in combination with anti-IL17, or anti-IL23. OBJECTIVES: To describe the frequency of the concomitant use of TT + BT at baseline and after a 6-month course of several drugs (anti-IL17, ustekinumab, and anti-IL23). Our secondary endpoints are to describe the type of topical therapy used, compare the frequency of use of TT among the different groups of BT, describe the survival of topical therapy in these patients, and identify the factors that can impact the use or discontinuation of topical therapy in these patients (clinical response, quality of life, type of drug, etc.). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective, observational, and single-center study of patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis treated with anti-IL17 (secukinumab, ixekizumab), anti-IL17R (brodalumab), ustekinumab, and guselkumab from January 2015 through December 2020. RESULTS: We included a total of 138 patients. When treatment started, 82.7% were on TT (55% daily), and after 6 months, 86.6% had discontinued TT. Regarding the analysis by type of drug, at 6 months, we found that 100% of the patients with BRO had discontinued topical treatment. We did not find any significant differences in the frequency of use of TT based on the BT used during the 6-month course of treatment. The estimated mean course of TT was 4.3 months (SD, 6.7). Also, the estimated mean course of TT was significantly shorter in the group of patients who achieved PASI100 (2.8 months vs. 8.1 months). CONCLUSIONS: In our cohort, we saw a significant decrease in the frequency of use of TT at 6 months after starting BT in the routine clinical practice. This reduction occurred earlier in patients who improved their objective clinical response and quality of life.
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Interleucina-17 , Interleucina-23 , Psoríase , Índice de Gravidade de Doença , Humanos , Psoríase/tratamento farmacológico , Estudos Retrospectivos , Masculino , Interleucina-23/antagonistas & inibidores , Feminino , Interleucina-17/antagonistas & inibidores , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Ustekinumab/uso terapêutico , Ustekinumab/administração & dosagem , Adulto , Quimioterapia Combinada , Qualidade de Vida , Anticorpos Monoclonais Humanizados/administração & dosagem , Anticorpos Monoclonais Humanizados/uso terapêutico , Administração Tópica , Fármacos Dermatológicos/uso terapêutico , Fármacos Dermatológicos/administração & dosagemRESUMO
Xylem-limited bacterial pathogens cause some of the most destructive plant diseases. Though imposed measures to control these pathogens are generally ineffective, even among susceptible taxa, some hosts can limit bacterial loads and symptom expression. Mechanisms by which this resistance is achieved are poorly understood. In particular, it is still unknown how differences in vascular structure may influence biofilm growth and spread within a host. To address this, we developed a novel theoretical framework to describe biofilm behaviour within xylem vessels, adopting a polymer-based modelling approach. We then parameterised the model to investigate the relevance of xylem vessel diameters on Xylella fastidiosa resistance among olive cultivars. The functionality of all vessels was severely reduced under infection, with hydraulic flow reductions of 2-3 orders of magnitude. However, results suggest wider vessels act as biofilm incubators; allowing biofilms to develop over a long time while still transporting them through the vasculature. By contrast, thinner vessels become blocked much earlier, limiting biofilm spread. Using experimental data on vessel diameter distributions, we were able to determine that a mechanism of resistance in the olive cultivar Leccino is a relatively low abundance of the widest vessels, limiting X. fastidiosa spread.
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Olea , Xylella , Olea/metabolismo , Olea/microbiologia , Biofilmes , Xilema , Doenças das Plantas/microbiologia , Modelos TeóricosRESUMO
The purpose of this article was to describe a simple graphical driven method for determining the necessary two-vector mechanics (TVM) as an alternative solution to the ideal or single force. In orthodontics, some tooth movements are difficult to achieve, mainly because of the impossibility of getting the point of application for the necessary force system. Given two points in biomechanically accessible areas, adding together two vectors applied to those points will result in an equivalent force system. The method was developed based on previous research, 3,880 hypothetical cases were analyzed to determine the trends between the resulting forces and their relative locations. A graphical driven TVM method (GTVM) for establishing the necessary TVM is presented in a manner that combine different procedures from the traditional method that simplify the analysis and may allow the user to perform more complex orthodontic cases making easier to compare systems of force equivalents.
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Fenômenos Mecânicos , Técnicas de Movimentação Dentária , Fenômenos Biomecânicos , Estresse Mecânico , Técnicas de Movimentação Dentária/métodos , Análise de Elementos FinitosRESUMO
Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) are a specialized DC subset mainly associated with sensing viral pathogens and high-type I interferon (IFN-I) release in response to toll-like receptor (TLR)-7 and TLR-9 signaling. Currently, pDC contribution to inflammatory responses is extensively described; nevertheless, their regulatory mechanisms require further investigation. CD39 and CD73 are ectoenzymes driving a shift from an ATP-proinflammatory milieu to an anti-inflammatory environment by converting ATP to adenosine. Although the regulatory function of the purinergic halo CD39/CD73 has been reported in some immune cells like regulatory T cells and conventional DCs, its presence in pDCs has not been examined. In this study, we uncover for the first time the expression and functionality of the purinergic halo in human blood pDCs. In healthy donors, CD39 was expressed in the cell surface of 14.0 ± 12.5% pDCs under steady-state conditions, while CD73 showed an intracellular location and was only expressed in 8.0 ± 2.2% of pDCs. Nevertheless, pDCs stimulation with a TLR-7 agonist (R848) induced increased surface expression of both molecules (43.3 ± 23.7% and 18.6 ± 9.3%, respectively), as well as high IFN-α secretion. Furthermore, exogenous ATP addition to R848-activated pDCs significantly increased adenosine generation. This effect was attributable to the superior CD73 expression and activity because blocking CD73 reduced adenosine production and improved pDC allostimulatory capabilities on CD4 + T cells. The functional expression of the purinergic halo in human pDCs described in this work opens new areas to investigate its participation in the regulatory pDC mechanisms in health and disease.
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Adenosina , Linfócitos T CD4-Positivos , Humanos , Adenosina/metabolismo , Transdução de Sinais , Trifosfato de Adenosina/metabolismo , Células Dendríticas/metabolismoAssuntos
Dasatinibe , Dessensibilização Imunológica , Hipersensibilidade a Drogas , Hipersensibilidade Imediata , Humanos , Dasatinibe/efeitos adversos , Dasatinibe/administração & dosagem , Dessensibilização Imunológica/métodos , Hipersensibilidade a Drogas/diagnóstico , Hipersensibilidade a Drogas/imunologia , Hipersensibilidade a Drogas/terapia , Hipersensibilidade a Drogas/etiologia , Hipersensibilidade Imediata/imunologia , Hipersensibilidade Imediata/etiologia , Administração Oral , Feminino , Inibidores de Proteínas Quinases/efeitos adversos , Inibidores de Proteínas Quinases/administração & dosagem , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Antineoplásicos/efeitos adversos , Antineoplásicos/administração & dosagem , Leucemia Mielogênica Crônica BCR-ABL Positiva/tratamento farmacológico , Leucemia Mielogênica Crônica BCR-ABL Positiva/imunologiaRESUMO
The aim of this study was to evaluate the stress distribution in cortical and cancellous bones and within the screw when a stainless steel extra-alveolar screw (EA-S) is inserted into the retromolar region of the mandible using the finite element method (FEM). The stress values in the EA-S were highest at 60° with horizontal (shear) force and lowest at 90° with axial force. In the bones (cortical and cancellous), the stress value was greatest at 90° with horizontal force. Greater stability of the screw may be achieved by tilting it to the force when horizontal loads are applied.
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BACKGROUND: Zygomatic implants have been used to treat severe atrophy maxilla. Since its description, the technique has been improved in order to reduce patient morbidity as well as prosthesis rehabilitation time. Despite the improvements in the procedure, zygomatic implant treatments still have complications related to the peri-implant soft-tissue; a probing depth greater than 6 millimeter (mm) and a prevalence of bleeding on probing of 45% have been described. The mobilization of the buccal fat has been used to manage different oral and maxillofacial soft-tissue pathologies. The aim of this study was to assess whether the buccal fat pad might prevent mucosal dehiscence and avoid potential postoperative complications when is placed covering the body part of the zygomatic implants. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this pilot study, 7 patients were enrolled and a total of 28 zygomatic implants were placed and evaluated during a 12-month follow-up period. Surgical sites were randomly divided into two groups before implant placement: control group (A; in which no buccal fat pad was applied) and experimental group (B). Peri-implant soft tissue thickness difference, pain using a Visual Analog Scale (VAS), swelling, hematoma, buccal soft tissue healing and sinusitis, were evaluated. The implant survival rate was determined according the Aparicio success criteria and compared between the control and experimental procedure. RESULTS: A nonstatistical difference was found between groups regarding to pain. The experimental group showed higher soft-tissues thickness (p= 0.03) and the implant survival rate was 100% in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: The mobilization of the buccal fat pad to cover the body of the zygomatic implants increases peri-implant soft-tissue thickness, without increasing the postoperative pain.
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Implantação Dentária Endóssea , Implantes Dentários , Humanos , Tecido Adiposo/cirurgia , Implantação Dentária Endóssea/métodos , Implantes Dentários/efeitos adversos , Maxila/cirurgia , Dor Pós-Operatória , Projetos Piloto , Zigoma/cirurgiaRESUMO
Biomechanics is a branch of biophysics that deals with mechanics applied to biology. Corneal biomechanics have an important role in managing patients with glaucoma. While evidence suggests that patients with thin and stiffer corneas have a higher risk of developing glaucoma, it also influences the accurate measurement of intraocular pressure. We reviewed the pertinent literature to help increase our understanding of the biomechanics of the cornea and other ocular structures and how they can help optimize clinical and surgical treatments, taking into consideration individual variabilities, improve the diagnosis of suspected patients, and help monitor the response to treatment.
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Alternative splicing impacts most multi-exonic human genes. Inaccuracies during this process may have an important role in ageing and disease. Here, we investigated mis-splicing using RNA-sequencing data from ~14K control samples and 42 human body sites, focusing on split reads partially mapping to known transcripts in annotation. We show that mis-splicing occurs at different rates across introns and tissues and that these splicing inaccuracies are primarily affected by the abundance of core components of the spliceosome assembly and its regulators. Using publicly available data on short-hairpin RNA-knockdowns of numerous spliceosomal components and related regulators, we found support for the importance of RNA-binding proteins in mis-splicing. We also demonstrated that age is positively correlated with mis-splicing, and it affects genes implicated in neurodegenerative diseases. This in-depth characterisation of mis-splicing can have important implications for our understanding of the role of splicing inaccuracies in human disease and the interpretation of long-read RNA-sequencing data.
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Floating plastic debris is a pervasive pollutant in seas and oceans, affecting a wide range of animals. In particular, microplastics (<5 mm in size) increase the possibility that marine species consume plastic and enter the food chain. The present study investigates this potential mistake between plastic debris and zooplankton by calculating the plastic debris to zooplankton ratio over the whole Mediterranean Sea. To this aim, in situ data from the Tara Mediterranean Expedition are combined with environmental and Lagrangian diagnostics in a machine learning approach to produce spatially-explicit maps of plastic debris and zooplankton abundance. We then analyse the plastic to zooplankton ratio in regions with high abundances of pelagic fish. Two of the major hotspots of pelagic fish, located in the Gulf of Gabès and Cilician basin, were associated with high ratio values. Finally, we compare the plastic to zooplankton ratio values in the Pelagos Sanctuary, an important hotspot for marine mammals, with other Geographical Sub-Areas, and find that they were among the larger of the Western Mediterranean Sea. Our results indicate a high potential risk of contamination of marine fauna by plastic and advocate for novel integrated modelling approaches which account for potential trophic transfer within the food chain.
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Plásticos , Zooplâncton , Animais , Mar Mediterrâneo , Monitoramento Ambiental , Peixes , Medição de Risco , Ingestão de Alimentos , MamíferosRESUMO
Phosphorus (P) is a key yield-limiting nutrient for crops, but the main source of P fertiliser is finite. Therefore, efficient fertilisation is crucial. Optimal P application requires understanding of the dynamic processes affecting P availability to plants, including fertiliser dissolution rate and soil buffer power. However, standard soil testing methods sample at fixed time points, preventing a mechanistic understanding of P uptake variability. We used image-based modelling to investigate the effects of fertiliser dissolution rate and soil buffer power on P uptake by wheat roots imaged using X-ray CT. We modelled uptake based on 1-day, 1-week, and 14-week dissolution of a fixed quantity of total P for two common soil buffer powers. We found rapid fertiliser dissolution increased short-term root uptake, but total uptake from 1-week matched 1-day dissolution. We quantified the large effects root system architecture had on P uptake, finding that there were trade-offs between total P uptake and uptake per unit root length, representing a carbon investment/phosphorus uptake balance. These results provide a starting point for predictive modelling of uptake from different P fertilisers in different soils. With the addition of further X-ray CT image datasets and a wider range of conditions, our simulation approach could be developed further for rapid trialling of fertiliser-soil combinations to inform field-scale trials or management.
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Fertilizantes , Solo , Carbono , Fertilizantes/análise , Fósforo , Raízes de Plantas/química , SolubilidadeRESUMO
OBJECTIVES: We aimed to evaluate the role of SARC-F and SARC-CalF scores as risk factors for mortality in adults over 60 years of age with cancer of the Centro Médico Naval (CEMENA) in Callao, Peru during 2012-2015. METHODS: We performed a secondary analysis of data from a prospective cohort carried out from September 2012 to February 2013 in the Geriatrics Department of CEMENA. The outcome variable was mortality at two years of follow-up, while the exposure variable was the risk of sarcopenia assessed using the SARC-F and SARC-CalF scales. We carried out Cox proportional-hazards models to assess the role of SARC-F and SARC-CalF scores as risk factors for mortality. We estimated crude (cHR) and adjusted (aHR) hazard ratios (HR) with their respective 95% confidence intervals (95%CI). Likewise, we calculated the area under the curve (AUC) of both exposure variables in relation to mortality. RESULTS: We analyzed data from 922 elderly men with cancer; 43.1% (n=397) were between 60 and 70 years old. 21.5% (n=198) and 45.7% (n=421) were at risk of sarcopenia according to SARC-F and SARC-CalF, respectively, while the incidence of mortality was 22.9% (n=211). In the adjusted Cox regression model, we found that the risk of sarcopenia measured by SARC-F (aHR=2.51; 95%CI: 1.40-2.77) and SARC-CalF (aHR=2.04; 95%CI: 1.55-4.02) was associated with a higher risk of death in older men with cancer. In the diagnostic performance analysis, we found that the AUC for mortality prediction was 0.71 (95%CI: 0.68-0.75) for SARC-F and 0.80 (95%CI: 0.78-0.82) for SARC-CalF. CONCLUSIONS: The risk of sarcopenia evaluated by SARC-F and SARC-CalF scores was associated with an increased risk of mortality in older men with cancer. Both scales proved to be useful and accessible instruments for the identification of groups at risk of mortality.
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Neoplasias , Sarcopenia , Idoso , Avaliação Geriátrica , Humanos , Estudos Longitudinais , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Neoplasias/complicações , Peru/epidemiologia , Estudos Prospectivos , Fatores de Risco , Sarcopenia/complicações , Sarcopenia/epidemiologia , Inquéritos e QuestionáriosRESUMO
Aims: Recent laboratory studies revealed that root hairs may alter soil physical behaviour, influencing soil porosity and water retention on the small scale. However, the results are not consistent, and it is not known if structural changes at the small-scale have impacts at larger scales. Therefore, we evaluated the potential effects of root hairs on soil hydro-mechanical properties in the field using rhizosphere-scale physical measurements. Methods: Changes in soil water retention properties as well as mechanical and hydraulic characteristics were monitored in both silt loam and sandy loam soils. Measurements were taken from plant establishment to harvesting in field trials, comparing three barley genotypes representing distinct phenotypic categories in relation to root hair length. Soil hardness and elasticity were measured using a 3-mm-diameter spherical indenter, while water sorptivity and repellency were measured using a miniaturized infiltrometer with a 0.4-mm tip radius. Results: Over the growing season, plants induced changes in the soil water retention properties, with the plant available water increasing by 21%. Both soil hardness (P = 0.031) and elasticity (P = 0.048) decreased significantly in the presence of root hairs in silt loam soil, by 50% and 36%, respectively. Root hairs also led to significantly smaller water repellency (P = 0.007) in sandy loam soil vegetated with the hairy genotype (-49%) compared to the hairless mutant. Conclusions: Breeding of cash crops for improved soil conditions could be achieved by selecting root phenotypes that ameliorate soil physical properties and therefore contribute to increased soil health. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11104-022-05530-1.
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OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the incidence of pigment epithelial tear when intravitreal delayed-release dexamethasone implant is administered (off-label use) prior to antiangiogenic treatment in pigment epithelium detachments (PED) secondary to neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) with high-risk rupture characteristics and investigate if it causes a decrease in the PED size. METHODS: Patients with nAMD, PED height >500 microns and Ozurdex implant prior to the antiangiogenic therapy were included. The presence of pigment epithelium rupture in optical coherence tomography scans, best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and PED measurements (maximum height and diameter) were registered. RESULTS: The study included 14 eyes of 14 patients: mean age 77⯱â¯7 years, 11 (79%) females. 25⯱â¯13 days after the Ozurdex, patients started with at least 3 anti-VEGF monthly injections. BCVA improved from 64⯱â¯14-69⯱â¯11 letters after anti-VEGF therapy (pâ¯>â¯0.05). Mean baseline PED height was 817⯱â¯269⯵m, being 639⯱â¯268⯵m after Ozurdex and 370⯱â¯260⯵m after anti-VEGF injections (pâ¯=â¯0.035 and pâ¯=â¯0.009). One retinal pigment epithelium tear occurred (7%). No other adverse effects were reported. CONCLUSIONS: Dexamethasone implant prior to anti-VEGF therapy may represent a promising therapeutic modality for large PED in nAMD, reducing PED dimensions and the risk of pigment epithelium tears prior to anti VEGF therapy.