Christians, Jews and Muslims we all inhabit the same sea. Ion the etymology of Europe

Starting from a reflection on the name of Europe and the ancient myths connected to it, and hinting at least, at the almost archetypical figure of Noah and his sons, at the history of the foundation of the Salerno Medical School and again at the late nineteenth-century utopia of a common language, we discuss more generally the value of intercultural and interreligious dialogue between Europeans, Jews and Muslims, whom a common root links to a shared Mediterranean sea (in a purely etymological sense), which is harbinger of an already ancient globalisation

Child abuse/neglect, the role of the dentist : a scoping review

Introduction : Dental professionals play a significant role in identifying and reporting child abuse and neglect. However, several studies have pointed out non-reporting behaviour among these professionals, evidencing difficulties identifying and reporting suspected cases. Objective: This scoping review aimed to explore frequency and possible barriers in identifying and reporting by dental professionals and to identify associated factors. There is a need to highlight the identification of abuse in dental settings and the need of knowledge improvement to tackle such cases if they come across one. The main objective of this scoping review is to demonstrate the reasons of (non)recognizing and (non)reporting child abuse and neglect cases. Methods: This review was conducted in the Pubmed, Scopus, and VHL databases between October 2022 and March 2023. Analytical studies in English were selected. Protocol for scoping reviews proposed by members of the Joanna Briggs Institute was used, and the Extension for PRISMA- ScR checklist was adopted. The search strategy was focused on the use of MeSH terms and key words to find relevant publications, followed by an abstract and full-text review. Results: A total of 99 articles and 12 grey literature references were included in our literature review. Mapping research shows the need for a better approach in relation to dentists’ knowledge in recognizing cases of child abuse in daily practice and how to deal with the situation. The selected articles highlighted the worldwide common problems, showing the great importance of education in this field. Conclusion: The review enhances the need of abuse and neglect issue awareness in dental profession. As the amount of unpreparedness is considerable high, an improvement of education about child abuse/neglect in recognizing and reporting to intercept abusing and protect vulnerable children, are strongly recommended, professionally and institutionally.Introdução: Os profissionais de medicina dentária desempenham um papel significativo na identificação e denúncia de abuso infantil e negligência. No entanto, diversos estudos têm apontado comportamentos de não denúncia por parte desses profissionais, evidenciando dificuldades na identificação de casos suspeitos. Objetivo: Esta revisão de escopo teve como objetivo explorar a frequência e possíveis barreiras na identificação e denúncia por profissionais médicos dentistas, além de identificar os fatores associados. É necessário destacar a identificação de abuso em ambientes de medicina dentária e a necessidade de aprimoramento do conhecimento para lidar com tais casos, caso sejam encontrados. O principal objetivo desta revisão abrangente é demonstrar as razões de (não) reconhecimento e (não) denúncia de casos de abuso e negligência infantil. Métodos: Esta revisão foi conduzida nas bases de dados Pubmed, Scopus e VHL, no período de outubro de 2022 a março de 2023. Foram selecionados estudos analíticos em inglês. Foi utilizado o protocolo para revisões abrangentes proposto pelos membros do Instituto Joanna Briggs, e adotada a extensão para a lista de verificação PRISMA-ScR. A estratégia de busca concentrou-se no uso de termos MeSH e palavras-chave para encontrar publicações relevantes, seguida por uma revisão de resumos e textos completos. Resultados: Um total de 99 artigos e 12 referências de literatura cinzenta foram incluídos nessa revisão. O mapeamento da pesquisa demonstra a necessidade de uma abordagem melhor em relação ao conhecimento dos médicos dentistas na identificação de casos de abuso infantil na prática diária e como lidar com a situação. Os artigos selecionados destacaram os problemas comuns em todo o mundo, mostrando a grande importância da educação nessa área. Conclusão: A revisão ressalta a necessidade de conscientização sobre a questão do abuso e negligência infantil perante os profissionais de medicina dentária, ressaltando a considerável falta de preparo. É altamente recomendável o aprimoramento da educação sobre abuso/negligência infantil no reconhecimento e na denúncia, tanto em nível profissional quanto institucional, a fim de interceptar os casos de abuso e proteger crianças vulneráveis

Synaptic Plasticity at Intrathalamic Connections via CaV3.3 T-type Ca2+ Channels and GluN2B-Containing NMDA Receptors.

The T-type Ca(2+) channels encoded by the Ca(V)3 genes are well established electrogenic drivers for burst discharge. Here, using Ca(V)3.3(-/-) mice we found that Ca(V)3.3 channels trigger synaptic plasticity in reticular thalamic neurons. Burst discharge via Ca(V)3.3 channels induced long-term potentiation at thalamoreticular inputs when coactivated with GluN2B-containing NMDA receptors, which are the dominant subtype at these synapses. Notably, oscillatory burst discharge of reticular neurons is typical for sleep-related rhythms, suggesting that sleep contributes to strengthening intrathalamic circuits

Manipulating sleep spindles - expanding views on sleep, memory, and disease.

Sleep spindles are distinctive electroencephalographic (EEG) oscillations emerging during non-rapid-eye-movement sleep (NREMS) that have been implicated in multiple brain functions, including sleep quality, sensory gating, learning, and memory. Despite considerable knowledge about the mechanisms underlying these neuronal rhythms, their function remains poorly understood and current views are largely based on correlational evidence. Here, we review recent studies in humans and rodents that have begun to broaden our understanding of the role of spindles in the normal and disordered brain. We show that newly identified molecular substrates of spindle oscillations, in combination with evolving technological progress, offer novel targets and tools to selectively manipulate spindles and dissect their role in sleep-dependent processes

Constructal law analysis of Cl− transport in eyes aqueous humor

Progressive loss-of-vision related to any intraocular disorder is known as glaucoma. Secretion of aqueous humor is physiologically important to provide nutrients and oxygen to the avascular anterior segment and ensuring normal visual function, even if, nowadays reducing the secretory rate to lower intraocular pressure is a major strategy in treating glaucomatous patients. Understanding the mechanisms and regulation of aqueous humor formation is very important to develop possible new approaches to lower intraocular pressure,but today there isn’t any comprehensive model of the regulation of these component in forming aqueous humor. In this paper Construcal law is used to suggest how the Cl− fluxes can determine the water inflow and outflow, and, consequently, how the intraocular pressure is controlled by these fluxes

Notch1 Regulates Hippocampal Plasticity Through Interaction with the Reelin Pathway, Glutamatergic Transmission and CREB Signaling

Notch signaling plays a crucial role in adult brain function such as synaptic plasticity, memory and olfaction. Several reports suggest an involvement of this pathway in neurodegenerative dementia. Yet, to date, the mechanism underlying Notch activity in mature neurons remains unresolved. In this work, we investigate how Notch regulates synaptic potentiation and contributes to the establishment of memory in mice. We observe that Notch1 is a postsynaptic receptor with functional interactions with the Reelin receptor, apolipoprotein E receptor 2 (ApoER2) and the ionotropic receptor, N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR). Targeted loss of Notch1 in the hippocampal CA fields affects Reelin signaling by influencing Dab1 expression and impairs the synaptic potentiation achieved through Reelin stimulation. Further analysis indicates that loss of Notch1 affects the expression and composition of the NMDAR but not AMPAR. Glutamatergic signaling is further compromised through downregulation of CamKII and its secondary and tertiary messengers resulting in reduced cAMP response element-binding (CREB) signaling. Our results identify Notch1 as an important regulator of mechanisms involved in synaptic plasticity and memory formation. These findings emphasize the possible involvement of this signaling receptor in dementia. HIGHLIGHTS: In this paper, we propose a mechanism for Notch1-dependent plasticity that likely underlies the function of Notch1 in memory formation: Notch1 interacts with another important developmental pathway, the Reelin cascade.Notch1 regulates both NMDAR expression and composition.Notch1 influences a cascade of cellular events culminating in CREB activation

Suppression of Sleep Spindle Rhythmogenesis in Mice with Deletion of CaV3.2 and CaV3.3 T-type Ca(2+) Channels.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: Low-threshold voltage-gated T-type Ca(2+) channels (T-channels or CaV3 channels) sustain oscillatory discharges of thalamocortical (TC) and nucleus Reticularis thalami (nRt) cells. The CaV3.3 subtype dominates nRt rhythmic bursting and mediates a substantial fraction of spindle power in the NREM sleep EEG. CaV3.2 channels are also found in nRt, but whether these contribute to nRt-dependent spindle generation is unexplored. We investigated thalamic rhythmogenesis in mice lacking this subtype in isolation (CaV3.2KO mice) or in concomitance with CaV3.3 deletion (CaV3.double-knockout (DKO) mice). METHODS: We examined discharge characteristics of thalamic cells and intrathalamic evoked synaptic transmission in brain slices from wild-type, CaV3.2KO and CaV3.DKO mice through patch-clamp recordings. The sleep profile of freely behaving CaV3.2KO and CaV3.DKO mice was assessed by polysomnographic recordings. RESULTS: CaV3.2 channel deficiency left nRt discharge properties largely unaltered, but additional deletion of CaV3.3 channels fully abolished low-threshold whole-cell Ca(2+) currents and bursting, and suppressed burst-mediated inhibitory responses in TC cells. CaV3.DKO mice had more fragmented sleep, with shorter NREM sleep episodes and more frequent microarousals. The NREM sleep EEG power spectrum displayed a relative suppression of the σ frequency band (10-15 Hz), which was accompanied by an increase in the δ band (1-4 Hz). CONCLUSIONS: Consistent with previous findings, CaV3.3 channels dominate nRt rhythmogenesis, but the lack of CaV3.2 channels further aggravates neuronal, synaptic, and EEG deficits. Therefore, CaV3.2 channels can boost intrathalamic synaptic transmission, and might play a modulatory role adjusting the relative presence of NREM sleep EEG rhythms

Development of T-B cell collaboration in neonatal mice

The neonatal immune response is impaired during the first weeks after birth. To obtain a better understanding of this immaturity, we investigated the development of T cell interactions with B cells in mice. For this purpose, we analyzed the immune response to three T-dependent antigens in vivo: (i) the polyclonal antibody response induced by vaccinia virus; (ii) the production of polyclonal and specific antibodies following immunization with hapten-carrier conjugates; (iii) the mouse mammary tumor virus superantigen (sAg) response involving an increase in sAg-reactive T cells and induction of polyclonal antibody production. After vaccinia virus injection into neonates, the polyclonal antibody response was similar to that observed in adult mice. The antibody response to hapten-carrier conjugates, however, was delayed and reduced. Injection with sAg-expressing B cells from neonatal or adult mice allowed us to determine whether B cells, T cells or both were implicated in the reduced immune response. In these sAg responses, neonatal T cells were stimulated by both neonatal and adult sAg-presenting B cells but only B cells from adult mice differentiated into IgM- and IgG-secreting plasma cells in the neonatal environment in vivo. Injecting neonatal B cells into adult mice did not induce antibody production. These results demonstrate that the environment of the neonatal lymph node is able to support a T and B cell response, and that immaturity of B cells plays a key role in the reduced immune response observed in the neonat