A börtönoktatás hatékonyságának vizsgálata női fogvatartottak körében

In our study, we present the empirical data used by international research to prove the effectiveness and usefulness of education in prisons. The goal of our research is related to this, the establishment of female prisoners’ profile of from the point of view of education and training, which is also a neglected area on international level. In our study, we used a measuring device that can be easily incorporated and applied in the prison education system. With the Cognitive Profile Test, we measured three main areas: cognitive abilities, information processing, school skills. We sought the answer to the following question: to what extent the current school preparation supporting reintegration contribute to the social reintegration of women after release. Based on our results, the studied group shows a significant difference compared to the characteristics of the adult population serving as reference group. Deficiencies in the cognitive areas necessary for the development of a life management strategy supporting reintegration are significant. It was confirmed that women’s strengths in education (attention, holistic thinking) and their advantageous skill level has not been exploited yet. There is no targeted help for their weaknesses (school skills, abstraction, sequential thinking), so the impact of the improvements is contingent. Our research confirmed that the methodology of prison education organized on the model of the majority school is not very effective for female convicts who struggle with a complex network of problems.Tanulmányunkban bemutatjuk, hogy a nemzetközi kutatások milyen empirikus adatokkal igazolják a börtönben zajló oktatás eredményességét, hasznosulását. Ehhez kapcsolódik kutatásunk célja, a női fogvatartottak nevelési és képzési szempontú profiljának felállítása, amely nemzetközi szinten is elhanyagolt terület. Vizsgálatunkban a börtönoktatás rendszerébe egyszerűen beépíthető és alkalmazható mérőeszközt használtunk. A Kognitív Profil Teszttel három fő területen mértünk: kognitív képességek, információfeldolgozás, iskolai készségek. Arra a kérdésre kerestük a választ, hogy a jelenlegi reintegrációt támogató iskolai felkészítés mennyiben járul hozzá szabadulást követően a nők társadalmi visszailleszkedéséhez. Eredményeink alapján a vizsgálati csoport jelentős eltérést mutat a viszonyítási csoportként szolgáló felnőtt populáció jellemzőihez képest. A reintegrációt támogató életvezetési stratégia kialakításához szükséges kognitív területek hiányosságai jelentősek. Alátámasztást nyert, hogy az oktatásban a nők erőssége (figyelem, holisztikus gondolkodás), illetve előnyös képességszintje nem kiaknázott. Gyengeségeikre (iskolai készségek, absztrakció, szekvenciális gondolkodás) nincs célzott segítség, így a fejlesztések hatása esetleges. Kutatásunk megerősítette, hogy a többségi iskola mintáján szerveződő börtönoktatás módszertana kevéssé hatékony az összetett problémahálóval küzdő női elítéltek számára

Endocannabinoid signaling modulates neurons of the pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN) via astrocytes.

The pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN) is known as the cholinergic part of the reticular activating system (RAS) and it plays an important role in transitions of slow-wave sleep to REM sleep and wakefulness. Although both exogenous and endocannabinoids affect sleep, the mechanism of endocannabinoid neuromodulation has not been characterized at cellular level in the PPN. In this paper, we demonstrate that both neurons and glial cells from the PPN respond to cannabinoid type 1 (CB1) receptor agonists. The neuronal response can be depolarization or hyperpolarization, while astrocytes exhibit more frequent calcium waves. All these effects are absent in CB1 gene-deficient mice. Blockade of the fast synaptic neurotransmission or neuronal action potential firing does not change the effect on the neuronal membrane potential significantly, while inhibition of astrocytic calcium waves by thapsigargin diminishes the response. Inhibition of group I metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) abolishes hyperpolarization, whereas blockade of group II mGluRs prevents depolarization. Initially active neurons and glial cells display weaker responses partially due to the increased endocannabinoid tone in their environment. Taken together, we propose that cannabinoid receptor stimulation modulates PPN neuronal activity in the following manner: active neurons may elicit calcium waves in astrocytes via endogenous CB1 receptor agonists. Astrocytes in turn release glutamate that activates different metabotropic glutamate receptors of neurons and modulate PPN neuronal activity

Small Extracellular Vesicles Isolated from Serum May Serve as Signal-Enhancers for the Monitoring of CNS Tumors

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In vivo imaging of Aminopeptidase N (CD13) receptors in experimental renal tumors using the novel radiotracer 68Ga-NOTA-c(NGR)

Purpose: Aminopeptidase N (APN/CD13) plays an important role in tumor neoangiogenic process and the development of metastases. Furthermore, it may serve as a potential target for cancer diagnosis and therapy. Previous studies have already shown that asparagine–glycine–arginine (NGR) peptides specifically bind to APN/CD13. The aim of the study was to synthesize and investigate the APN/CD13 specificity of a novel 68Ga-labeled NOTA-c(NGR) molecule in vivo using miniPET. Methods: c[KNGRE]-NH2 peptide was conjugated with p-SCN-Bn-NOTA and was labeled with Ga-68 (68Ga-NOTA-c(NGR)). Orthotopic and heterotopic transplanted mesoblastic nephroma (NeDe) bearing Fischer-344 rats were prepared, on which biodistribution studies and miniPET scans were performed for both 68Ga-NOTA-c(NGR) and amb3 integrin selective 68Ga-NODAGA-[c(RGD)]2 tracers. APN/CD13 receptor expression of NeDe tumors and metastases was analyzed by western blot. Results: 68Ga-NOTA-c(NGR) was produced with high specific activity (5.13–5.92 GBq/lmol) and with excellent radiochemical purity (95%<), at all cases. Biodistribution studies in normal rats showed that uptake of the 68Ga-NOTA-c(NGR) was significantly (p 6 0.05) lower in abdominal organs in comparison with 68Ga-NODAGA-[c(RGD)]2. Both radiotracers were mainly excreted from the kidney. In NeDe tumor bearing rats higher 68Ga-NOTA-c(NGR) accumulation was found in the tumors than that of the 68Ga-NODAGA-[ c(RGD)]2. Using orthotopic transplantation, metastases were developed which showed specific 68Ga-NOTA-c(NGR) uptake. Western blot analysis confirmed the presence of APN/CD13 expression in NeDe tumors and metastases

Nicotinic acid suppresses sebaceous lipogenesis of human sebocytes via activating hydroxycarboxylic acid receptor 2 (HCA )

Nicotinic acid (NA) activates hydroxycarboxylic acid receptor 2 (HCA2), and it is widely used in treating dyslipidemias. Since its side effects include skin dryness, whereas its deficiency can be accompanied by dyssebacia, characterized by sebaceous gland enlargement, we asked if HCA2 is expressed on human sebocytes, and if NA influences sebocyte functions. By using human immortalized SZ95 sebocytes, we found that non-cytotoxic (≤100 μM; MTT-assay) concentrations of NA had no effect on the homeostatic sebaceous lipogenesis (SLG; Nile Red), but normalized excessive, acne-mimicking SLG induced by several lipogenic agents (arachidonic acid, anandamide, linoleic acid+testosterone; Nile Red; 48-hr treatments). Moreover, it exerted significant anti-proliferative actions (CyQUANT-assay), and increased [Ca2+]IC (Fluo-4 AM-based Ca2+-measurement). Although NA did not prevent the lipopolysaccharide-induced pro-inflammatory response (up-regulation [Q-PCR] and release [ELISA] of several pro-inflammatory cytokines) of the sebocytes, collectively, these data support the concept that NA may be effective in suppressing sebum production in vivo. While exploring the mechanism of the sebostatic actions, we found that sebocytes express HCA2 (Q-PCR, immunofluorescent labeling), siRNA-mediated silencing of which prevented the NA-induced Ca2+-signal and the lipostatic action. Collectively, our data introduce NA, and HCA2 activators in general, as novel, potent, and most likely safe sebostatic agents, with possible anti-acne potential.K