Green fluorescent protein as an indicator of cryoinjury in tissues.

The fluorescence intensity of Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) has previously been demonstrated to be an accurate indicator of cellular viability following cryoinsult in individual GFP-transfected cells. In an attempt to ascertain whether GFP fluorescence intensity may also be used as a viability indicator following cryogenic insults in whole tissues, this study examines the transient fluorescence intensity of GFP-transfected mouse hepatic tissue ex vivo following cryoinsult. The observed trends are compared with diffusion-based models. It was observed that the fluorescence intensity of the exposed tissues exhibited slow exponential decay, while the solution in which the tissues were placed inversely gained fluorescence. This slow decay (~3 h) is in contrast to the rapidly diminished fluorescence intensity (seconds) seen in GFP-cell cultures following cryoinsult. These trends suggest that mass diffusion of GFP in the interstitial space, and ultimately into the surrounding medium, is the primary mechanism which determines the fluorescence loss in cryoinjured tissues. These results suggest GFP-transfected tissues may be effectively used as indicators of cryoinjury, and hence viability, following hypothermal insult provided that a sufficiently long incubation is held before observation. It was found that a meaningful observation (15% reduction in fluorescence) could be made three hours subsequent to cryoinjury for the tissues used in this study

Analysis of the role of Arabidopsis class I TCP genes AtTCP7, AtTCP8, AtTCP22, and AtTCP23 in leaf development

TCP family of plant-specific transcription factors regulates plant form through control of cell proliferation and differentiation. This gene family is comprised of two groups, class I and class II. While the role of class II TCP genes in plant development is well known, data about the function of some class I TCP genes is lacking. We studied a group of phylogenetically related class I TCP genes: AtTCP7, AtTCP8, AtTCP22, and AtTCP23. The similar expression pattern in young growing leaves found for this group suggests similarity in gene function. Gene redundancy is characteristic in this group, as also seen in the class II TCP genes. We generated a pentuple mutant tcp8 tcp15 tcp21 tcp22 tcp23 and show that loss of function of these genes results in changes in leaf developmental traits. We also determined that these factors are able to mutually interact in a yeast two-hybrid assay and regulate the expression of KNOX1 genes. To circumvent the issue of genetic redundancy, dominant negative forms with SRDX repressor domain were used. Analysis of transgenic plants expressing AtTCP7-SRDX and AtTCP23-SRDX indicate a role of these factors in the control of cell proliferation

Quality of life associated with treatment adherence in patients with type 2 diabetes: a cross-sectional study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Despite certain contradictions, an association has been identified between adherence to drug treatment and the quality of life in patients with type 2 diabetes. The contradictions observed emphasize the importance of using different methods to measure treatment adherence, or the association of psychological precursors of adherence with quality of life. For this reason, we have used an indirect method to measure adherence (pill count), as well as two adherence behaviour precursors (attitude and knowledge), to assess the association between adherence and the quality of life in type 2 diabetes patients.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A cross-sectional comparative study on a random sample of 238 type 2 diabetic patients was carried out over one year in four family medicine units of the Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS) in Aguascalientes, Mexico. Treatment adherence was measured using the indirect method of pill count to assess adherence behaviour, obtaining information at two home visits. In the first we recorded the medicine prescribed and in the second, we counted the medicine remaining to determine the proportion of the medicine taken. We also assessed two adherence behaviour precursors: the patients' knowledge regarding their medical prescription measured through a structured questionnaire; and attitudes to treatment adherence using a Likert scale. Quality of life was measured through the WHOQOL-100 (the WHO Quality of Life questionnaire). Information concerning both knowledge and attitude was obtained through interviews with the patients. A multiple linear regression model was constructed to establish the relationship between each quality of life domain and the variables related to adherence, controlling for covariates.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>There was no association between quality of life and treatment adherence behaviour. However, the combination of strong knowledge and a positive attitude was associated with five of the six quality of life domains.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The results suggest that it is important to explore psychological precursors of treatment adherence behaviour in type 2 diabetic patients. Indeed, we consider that it will be useful to carry out interventions that change negative attitudes towards treatment adherence and that promote medical prescription knowledge, which may help to improve the quality of life of such patients.</p

Design of a rib impactor equipment

The human ribs must be analyzed as long and as curved bones, due to their physiology. For the development of an experimental equipment that simulate the application of loads, over the rib in the moment of a frontal collision in an automobile with seat belt, it was applied a methodology that constituted in the identification of needs and the variables which led the design of 3D model, from this it was used the technique of fused deposition modeling for the development of the equipment pieces. The supports that hold the rib ends were design with two and three degrees of freedom that allows the simulation of rib movement with the spine and the breastbone in the breathing. For the simulation of the seat belt, it was determined to applied two loads over the front part of the rib from the sagittal and lateral plane respectively, for this it was made a displacement through a lineal actuator with a speed of 4mm/s. The outcomes shown a design of an equipment able to obtain the load parameters required to generate fractures in rib specimens. The equipment may be used for the study of specimens with nearby geometries to the rib taken as a reference

The exergy costs of electrical power, cooling, and waste heat from a hybrid system based on a solid oxide fuel cell and an absorption refrigeration system

This paper applies the Exergy Cost Theory (ECT) to a hybrid system based on a 500 kWe solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) stack and on a vapor-absorption refrigeration (VAR) system. To achieve this, a model comprised of chemical, electrochemical, thermodynamic, and thermoeconomic equations is developed using the software, Engineering Equation Solver (EES). The model is validated against previous works. This approach enables the unit exergy costs (electricity, cooling, and residues) to be computed by a productive structure defined by components, resources, products, and residues. Most importantly, it allows us to know the contribution of the environment and of the residues to the unit exergy cost of the product of the components. Finally, the simulation of different scenarios makes it possible to analyze the impact of stack current density, fuel use, temperature across the stack, and anode gas recirculation on the unit exergy costs of electrical power, cooling, and residues

Certifying an irreducible 1024-dimensional photonic state using refined dimension witnesses

We report on a new class of dimension witnesses, based on quantum random access codes, which are a function of the recorded statistics and that have different bounds for all possible decompositions of a high-dimensional physical system. Thus, it certifies the dimension of the system and has the new distinct feature of identifying whether the high-dimensional system is decomposable in terms of lower dimensional subsystems. To demonstrate the practicability of this technique we used it to experimentally certify the generation of an irreducible 1024-dimensional photonic quantum state. Therefore, certifying that the state is not multipartite or encoded using non-coupled different degrees of freedom of a single photon. Our protocol should find applications in a broad class of modern quantum information experiments addressing the generation of high-dimensional quantum systems, where quantum tomography may become intractable.Comment: Journal version (except for small editorial modifications), 4+12 pages, 7 figure

Mixing with vector-like quarks: constraints and expectations

We argue why vector-like quarks are usually expected to mix predominantly with the third generation, and discuss about the expected size of this mixing and its naturalness

Intermittent voluntary wheel running promotes resilience to the negative consequences of repeated social defeat in mice

A novel approach to reduce the incidence of substance use disorders is to promote resilience to stress using environmental resources such as physical exercise. In the present study we test the hypothesis that Voluntary Wheel Running (VWR) during adolescence blocks the negative consequences of stress induced by intermittent repeated social defeat (IRSD). Four groups of adolescent male C57BL/6 mice were employed in the experiment; two groups were exposed to VWR (1 h, 3 days/week) from postnatal day (PND) 21 until the first social defeat (PND 47), while the remaining two groups did not have access to activity wheels (controls). On PND 47, 50, 53 and 56 mice, who had performed VWR, were exposed to an episode of social defeat by a resident aggressive mouse (VWR+IRSD group) or allowed to explore an empty cage (VWR+EXPL group). The same procedure was performed with control mice that had not undergone VWR (CONTROL+IRSD and CONTROL+EXPL groups). On PND 57, all the mice performed the Elevated Plus Maze (EPM), Hole-Board, Social Interaction, Tail Suspension and Splash tests. After an interval of 3 weeks, all mice underwent a conditioned place preference (CPP) procedure with 1 mg/kg of cocaine. Exposure to VWR prevented the negative consequences of social stress in the EPM, splash test and CPP, since the VWR+IRSD group did not display anxiety- or depression-like effects or the potentiation of cocaine reward observed in the Control+IRSD group. Our results support the idea that physical exercise promotes resilience to stress and represents an excellent target in drug abuse prevention. © 202

Brief maternal separation inoculates against the effects of social stress on depression-like behavior and cocaine reward in mice

Exposure to intermittent repeated social defeat (IRSD) increases the vulnerability of mice to the rewarding effects of cocaine in the conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm. According to the “inoculation of stress” hypothesis, a brief period of maternal separation (MS) can provide protection against the negative effects of IRSD. The aim of the present study was to assess whether exposure to a brief episode of MS prevents the subsequent short-term effects of IRSD on depression- and anxiety-like behaviors and to explore its long-term effects on cocaine CPP in mice. Four groups of male C57BL/6 mice were employed; two groups were separated from their mother 6 h on postnatal day (PND) 9], while the other two groups were not (controls). On PND 47, 50, 53 and 56, mice that had experienced MS were exposed to social defeat in the cage of an aggressive resident mouse (MS + IRSD group) or were allowed to explore an empty cage (MS + EXPL group). The same procedure was performed with control mice that had not experienced MS (CONTROL + IRSD and CONTROL + EXPL groups). On PND57-58, all the mice performed the elevated plus maze and the hole-board, social interaction and splash tests. Three weeks after the last episode of defeat, all the mice underwent the CPP procedure with cocaine (1 mg/kg). Irrespective of whether or not MS had taken place, a reduction in open arms measures, dips, and social interaction was observed in mice that experienced IRSD. A higher latency of grooming and acquisition of cocaine-induced CPP were observed only in mice exposed to IRSD alone (CONTROL + IRSD). These results suggest that exposure to a brief episode of stress early in life increases the subsequent resilience of animals to the effects of social stress on vulnerability to cocaine. Copyright © 2022 Calpe-López, Martínez-Caballero, García-Pardo and Aguilar

El cerdo Pelón Mexicano: programa de conservación genética de una raza en peligro

Here is described the programme of genetic conservation of the Mexican Hair-less pig under development in the Yukatan State (Mexico). It consists of several actions on the characterization of the population and its management system, the in situ and ex situ conservation, and the coordination. The results obtained by the moment are summarized.Aquí se describe el programa de conservación genética del cerdo Pelón Mexicano en desarrollo en el Estado de Yukatan (México). Consiste en varias acciones sobre la caracterización de la población y de sus sistemas de explotación, la conservación in situ y ex situ y la coordinación. Se resumen los resultados obtenidos hasta el momento