Lhx6 controls cIN development on a stage and IN-subtype specific manner

Οι ανασταλτικοί ενδονευρώνες αποτελούν μία από τις δύο κύριες κατηγορίες νευρώνων του φλοιού και παίζουν σημαντικό ρόλο στην λειτουργία του εγκεφάλου. Έχει δειχθεί πως ανωμαλίες στην λειτουργία των ενδονευρώνων εμπλέκονται στην αιτιολογία αρκετών νευροαναπτυξιακών ασθενειών. Πρόσφατα, δημιουργήσαμε στελέχη διαγονιδιακών ποντικών, στα οποία ο μεταγραφικός παράγοντας Lhx6 μπορεί να απαλοιφεί σε ένα συγκεκριμένο αναπτυξιακό στάδιο ή/και κυτταρικό τύπο. Προηγούμενες μελέτες έχουν δείξει πως ο μεταγραφικός παράγοντας Lhx6 είναι απαραίτητος για την ανάπτυξη των ενδονευρώνων που προέρχονται από τη μεσαία πρόδρομη περιοχή του ραβδωτού (MGE), οι οποίοι εκφράζουν είτε την πρωτεΐνη παρβαλβουμίνη (PV) είτε το νευροπεπτίδιο σωματοστατίνη (SST). ‘Όταν, κατά το στάδιο της εμβρυογένεσης, απαλοίφεται ο Lhx6 από τους ενδονευρώνες της MGE, παρατηρούνται σοβαρά προβλήματα τόσο στην επιβίωση όσο και στη διαφοροποίηση και ωρίμανση των συγκεκριμένων ενδονευρώνων. Αντιθέτως, όταν ο Lhx6 διαγράφεται από τους ενδονευρώνες που εκφράζουν PV κατά τη δεύτερη εβδομάδα μετά τη γέννηση, η επιβίωση των συγκεκριμένων ενδονευρώνων δεν επηρεάζεται ωστόσο υπάρχουν επιπτώσεις στην έκφραση ειδικών γονιδιακών δεικτών, που εμπλέκονται στην ωρίμανση των PV ενδονευρώνων. Προκειμένου να κατανοήσουμε τον μηχανισμό λειτουργίας του Lhx6 σε κάθε αναπτυξιακό στάδιο, έχουμε πραγματοποιήσει γενωμική ανάλυση (RNA-seq) και για τις δύο μεταλλαγμένες διαγονιδιακές σειρές. Τα αποτελέσματά μας θα διασαφηνίσουν την επίδραση της λειτουργίας του Lhx6 στη ρύθμιση των γονιδιακών δικτύων που ελέγχουν ξεχωριστές διεργασίες σε συγκεκριμένο στάδιο και κυτταρικό τύπο κατά τη διάρκεια της ανάπτυξης των ενδονευρώνων του φλοιού.Inhibitory interneurons comprise one of the two main classes of cortical neurons that are essential for the assembly and function of cortical neural circuits. Deficits of the GABAergic system have been implicated in the etiology of several neurodevelopmental disorders. Recently, we have generated transgenic mice, in which the transcription factor Lhx6, that is essential for the development of Medial Ganglionic Eminence (MGE)-derived, Parvalbumin (PV) and Somatostatin (SST) expressing cortical interneurons (cINs), can be deleted in a stage and cell-type specific manner. Mice in which Lhx6 has been deleted in MGE-derived cINs during embryogenesis, show several defects in their differentiation and maturation. On the other hand, when Lhx6 is deleted during early postnatal stages in PV-expressing cINs, we observe a less dramatic phenotype. To understand the mechanism of Lhx6 function in each developmental process, we have performed genome-wide profiling (RNA-seq) for both mutant lines. Our results will elucidate the impact of Lhx6 function in gene regulatory networks controlling distinct stage and cell-type specific processes during cortical interneuron development

Cesarean Section and Breastfeeding Outcomes

The cesarean section rates in the developed countries are well above the 5% to 15% rate of all births as suggested by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2009 and currently range widely between 25% and 50%. Moreover, the WHO guidance promotes early breastfeeding initiation during the first hour postpartum, exclusive breastfeeding up until the 6th month and maintaining breastfeeding at least up to the second year of the infant’s life. In this review, we discuss the current evidence on whether a cesarean section interferes with the initiation and the long-term duration of breastfeeding practice among new mothers. The literature shows that a cesarean birth does have a detrimental effect on breastfeeding outcomes, however it is not per se a negative factor. It rather seems that infants who have feeding difficulties in the immediate postpartum period may experience long term problems. Therefore, interventions are discussed to promote breastfeeding after cesarean section for health professionals. Emphasis is given on promoting early skin-to-skin contact and on counseling new mothers about the advantages of breastfeeding as well as providing practical support and guidance throughout the early postpartum period

Fuels by Waste Plastics Using Activated Carbon, MCM-41, HZSM-5 and Their Mixture

Waste material was pyrolyzed in a horizontal tubular reactor at 530-540°C using different catalysts, such as activated carbon, MCM-41, HZSM-5 and their mixtures. Products were investigated by gas-chromatography, EDXRFS and standardized methods. Catalysts significantly affected the yields of volatiles; e.g. HZSM-5 catalyst increased especially the yield of gaseous hydrocarbons, while MCM-41 catalyst was responsible for increasing the pyrolysis oil yield. Synergistic effects were found using mixtures of different catalysts. Furthermore the catalysts modified the main carbon frame of the products. Pyrolysis oil obtained over HZSM-5 catalyst contained large amounts of aromatics, while MCM-41 catalyst mainly isomerized the carbon frame. Regarding contaminants it was concluded, that the sulphur content could be significantly decreased by activated carbon, however it had only a slight effect to the other properties of the products

Διερεύνηση της σχέσης μεταξύ της πολυπολιτισμικής επάρκειας και της αυτοαποτελεσματικότητας εκπαιδευτικών πρωτοβάθμιας και δευτεροβάθμιας εκπαίδευσης

Περίληψη Οι πληθυσμιακές αλλαγές, των τελευταίων δεκαετιών έχουν μετατρέψει την ελληνική κοινωνία σε πολυπολιτισμική και το ελληνικό σχολείο σε πολυπολιτισμικό. Οι υιοθετούμενες εκπαιδευτικές πολιτικές για τη διαχείριση της ετερότητας στην Ελλάδα φαίνονται αφομοιωτικές, ενώ οι μη προνομιούχες ομάδες στο σχολείο, παρουσιάζουν δυσκολίες αναφορικά με την ψυχοκοινωνική προσαρμογή και την ακαδημαϊκή επίδοση τους. Σε αυτό το πλαίσιο, στόχο της παρούσας μελέτης αποτέλεσε η διερεύνηση των αντιλήψεων των εκπαιδευτικών σχετικά με την πολυπολιτισμική τους επάρκεια και την αυτοαποτελεσματικότητά τους, διαστάσεις οι οποίες συνδέονται με την κατανόηση του ρόλου του πολιτισμού στον εαυτό και τους άλλους και την επάρκεια του εκπαιδευτικού να ανταποκριθεί στις πολύμορφες ανάγκες που προκύπτουν στη σύγχρονη πολυπολιτισμική τάξη. Για την έρευνα, χορηγήθηκαν δυο ερωτηματολόγια, η κλίμακα της Πολυπολιτισμικής Επάρκειας (MAKSS Form-T) και η κλίμακα της Aυτοαποτελεσματικότητας (TSES Short-Form). Συμμετέχοντες ήταν 281 εκπαιδευτικοί από 32 διαπολιτισμικά και γενικά σχολεία με χαμηλό έως υψηλό ποσοστό παιδιών από ποικίλα πολιτισμικά περιβάλλοντα, Δημοτικά και Γυμνάσια της ευρύτερης περιοχής των Αθηνών. Σύμφωνα με τα αποτελέσματα φάνηκε να υπάρχει στατιστικά σημαντική θετική συσχέτιση μεταξύ της πολυπολιτισμικής επάρκειας και των διαστάσεων της αυτοαποτελεσματικότητας. Επιπλέον η πολυπολιτισμική επάρκεια, βρέθηκε ως στατιστικά σημαντικός προβλεπτικός παράγοντας για τη διακύμανση σε κάθε διάσταση της αυτοαποτελεσματικότητας. Τα δημογραφικά και επαγγελματικά χαρακτηριστικά των εκπαιδευτικών βρέθηκαν σε κάποιες αναλύσεις να διαφοροποιούν τα επίπεδα της πολυπολιτισμικής επάρκειας και των επιμέρους διαστάσεων της αυτοαποτελεσματικότητας των εκπαιδευτικών. Στη συζήτηση επιχειρείται να φανεί η σύμπτωση ή αντίθεση των αποτελεσμάτων της παρούσας έρευνας με αποτελέσματα διεθνών και εγχώριων ερευνών . Τέλος, δίδονται προτάσεις για περαιτέρω έρευνες και εφαρμογές με βάση τα αποτελέσματα και τους περιορισμούς της παρούσας έρευνας.Αbstract The demographic changes in the last decades have turned the greek society into a multicultural society and the greek school into a multicultural school. The adapted educational policies for managing diversity in Greece, seem to be assimilating, while the disadvantaged groups in school face difficulties as far as their psychosocial adjustment and their academic performance are concerned. In this context, the purpose of the current research was the investigation of teachers attitudes towards their multicultural competence and their self-efficacy, dimensions that are related to the understanding of the role of culture on self and others and the competence of teachers to meet the multifaceted needs that arise in the contemporaneous multicultural classroom. For the research two scales were used, a Μulticultural Competence scale (MAKKS Form –T) and a Self-efficacy scale (TSES-Short Form). The scales were completed by 281 teachers ,working in 32, intercultural and mainstream schools with different percentage of students from diverse cultural backrounds, first and second grade, in the range of the city of Athens. The results indicated that there was a statistically significant positive correlation between teachers multicultural competence and their self- efficacy. Furthermore, multicultural competence was a predictive factor on each subscale of self efficacy. Demographic and professional charachteristics were found to differentiate in some analysies, the levels of multicultural competence and that of self efficacy. In the discussion, an attempt is made to present the coincidence or the difference of the present results, to results from other national studies or studies performed in the greek school. At the end of the study, implications for further research as well as practices are suggested, based upon the results and the limitations of the current research

Catalytic pyrolysis of rice husk for bio-oil production

Catalytic pyrolysis experiments have been carried out on Brunei rice husk (BRH) to obtain bio-oil using a fixed-bed pyrolysis rig. ZSM-5, Al-MCM-41, Al-MSU-F and Brunei rice husk ash (BRHA) were used as the catalysts for the catalytic pyrolysis experiments and comparison was done to analyse the changes in the bio-oil properties and yield. Properties of the liquid catalytic and non-catalytic bio-oil were analysed in terms of water content, pH, acid number, viscosity, density and calorific value. The bio-oil chemical composition shows that ZSM-5 increases the production of aromatic hydrocarbons and light phenols, whilst Al-MCM-41 reduces the acetic acid production. The catalytic runs increased the calorific value and water content in the bio-oil, whilst viscosity, density and acid number is decreased

On the hydrothermal stability of MCM-41. Evidence of capillary tension-induced effects

MCM-41's limited hydrothermal stability has been often related to the hydrolysis of Si-O-Si bonds due to the low degree of condensation, its thin walls or a combination of them. In this work, evidence for an additional factor is provided; a physical effect that occurs during the drying of the hydrothermally treated calcined material due to the intense capillary stress exerted in water. Depending on both physical (i.e. mechanical) and chemical (i.e. hydrolysis) resistances, the structure undergoes differently. Three MCM-41 samples with different degree of condensation were investigated. The most remarkable results are found with un-aged TEOS based material, which gets fully disordered and shrunk for all applied hydrothermal temperatures in water. Comparison between water and a low-surface-tension-solvent drying revealed that capillarity is responsible for the loss of ordering (and shrinkage) at moderate hydrothermal temperatures. The material's structure is hexagonal and shrinkage-free under the low-surface-tension-solvent route. At a high hydrothermal temperature, hydrolysis is extensive and responsible for the loss of ordering. The other remarkable finding regards the aged MCM-41 mesostructure that maintains the hexagonal features at all applied temperatures in water, and it is more stable against capillarity at high temperature. The Na-metasilicate based material is mechanically very stable and gets disordered at high temperature due to hydrolysis

EFSA NDA Panel (EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies), 2013. Scientific Opinion on nutrient requirements and dietary intakes of infants and young children in the European Union.

Following a request from the European Commission, the EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) was asked to deliver a Scientific Opinion on the nutrient requirements and dietary intakes of infants and young children in the European Union. This Opinion describes the dietary requirements of infants and young children, compares dietary intakes and requirements in infants and young children in Europe and, based on these findings, concludes on the potential role of young-child formulae in the diets of infants and young children, including whether they have any nutritional benefits when compared with other foods that may be included in the normal diet of infants and young children. The Panel concluded on the levels of nutrient and energy intakes that are considered adequate for the majority of infants and young children, and evaluated the risk of inadequate nutrient intakes in infants and young children in living Europe. Dietary intakes of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), iron, vitamin D and iodine (in some European countries) are low in infants and young children living in Europe, and particular attention should be paid to ensuring an appropriate supply of ALA, DHA, iron, vitamin D and iodine in infants and young children with inadequate or at risk of inadequate status of these nutrients. No unique role of young -child formulae with respect to the provision of critical nutrients in the diet of infants and young children living in Europe can be identified, so that they cannot be considered as a necessity to satisfy the nutritional requirements of young children when compared with other foods that may be included in the normal diet of young children (such as breast milk, infant formulae, follow-on formulae and cow\u2018s milk)