Night-time neuronal activation of Cluster N in a North American songbird.

Night-migrating songbirds utilize the Earth's magnetic field to help navigate to and from their breeding sites each year. A region of the avian forebrain called Cluster N has been shown to be activated during night migratory behavior and it has been implicated in processing geomagnetic information. Previous studies with night-migratory European songbirds have shown that neuronal activity at Cluster N is higher at night than during the day. Comparable work in North American migrants has only been performed in one species of swallows, so extension of examination for Cluster N in other migratory birds is needed. In addition, it is unclear if Cluster N activation is lateralized and the full extent of its boundaries in the forebrain have yet to be described. We used sensory-driven gene expression based on ZENK and the Swainson's thrush, a night-migratory North American songbird, to fill these knowledge gaps. We found elevated levels of gene expression in night- vs. day-active thrushes and no evidence for lateralization in this region. We further examined the anatomical extent of neural activation in the forebrain using 3D reconstruction topology. Our findings demonstrate that Swainson's thrushes possess an extensive bilateral night-activated Cluster N region in the forebrain similar to other European avian species, suggesting that Cluster N is highly conserved in nocturnal migrants.

Secondary Hemochromatosis Leading to Acute Coronary Syndrome in a Thalassemic Patient.

Thalassemia, a congenital hemoglobinopathy, is characterized by impaired erythropoiesis and peripheral hemolysis, leading to anemia. Thalassemia major, in particular, necessitates regular blood transfusions, resulting in iron accumulation in the body. Iron overload primarily affects the heart and can induce cardiac disorder, including defects in the pump and conduction system, which is one of the leading causes of mortality among thalassemics. The existing literature has revealed limited support for the occurrence of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) due to hemochromatosis. However, it does show that elevated troponin levels can be observed even in cases not associated with ACS. Here, we offer a rare case study of acute coronary syndrome in a patient with thalassemia major who also had elevated ferritin levels and abnormal troponin I values. The difficulty of cardiac problems in thalassemia major is highlighted by this case, as well as the necessity for more clinical attention and study to better comprehend and handle such instances.

Assessment of medication adherence among Lebanese adult patients with non-communicable diseases during COVID-19 lockdown: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Medical treatment is considered a cornerstone in non-communicable diseases (NCDs) management, lack of adherence remains the main challenge that may compromise optimal therapeutic outcome achievement. Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate treatment adherence levels and associated factors among Lebanese adult patients with non-communicable diseases. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional survey conducted during the COVID-19 lockdown imposed by the Lebanese Government (between September 2020 and January 2021) enrolled 263 adult patients through an anonymous online questionnaire to assess adherence to medications using the Lebanese Medication Adherence Scale (LMAS-14). Results: Of the total sample, 50.2% showed low adherence with a total mean adherence score of 4.41 ± 3.94. The results showed that depression (ß = 1.351) and peptic ulcer (ß = 1.279) were significantly associated with higher LMAS scores (lower adherence). However, age between 50 and 70 (ß = -1.591, p = 0.011), practicing physical exercise (ß = -1.397, p = 0.006), having kidney disease (ß = -1.701, p = 0.032), and an intermediate (ß = -1.336, p = 0.006) to high income (ß = -3.207, p < 0.001) were significantly associated with lower LMAS scores (higher adherence). Conclusion: Our study shed light on the factors affecting medication adherence in patients with non-communicable diseases. It showed that depression and peptic ulcer were associated with lower adherence, contrary to older age, exercising, having chronic kidney disease, and a higher socioeconomic status.