Thyroid hormones modulate GABA(A) receptor-mediated currents in hippocampal neurons( 2011) .

Thyroid hormones (THs) play a crucial role in the maturation and functioning of mammalian central nervous system. Thyroxine (T4) and 3, 3', 5-L-triiodothyronine (T3) are well known for their genomic effects, but recently attention has been focused on their non genomic actions as modulators of neuronal activity. In the present study we report that T4 and T3 reduce, in a non competitive manner, GABA-evoked currents in rat hippocampal cultures with IC₅₀s of 13±4μM and 12±3μM, respectively. The genomically inactive compound rev-T3 was also able to inhibit the currents elicited by GABA. Blocking PKC or PKA activity, chelating intracellular calcium, or antagonizing the integrin receptor αVβ3 with TETRAC did not affect THs modulation of GABA-evoked currents. THs affect also synaptic activity in hippocampal and cortical cultured neurons. T3 and T4 reduced to approximately 50% the amplitude and frequency of spontaneous inhibitory synaptic currents (sIPSCs), without altering their decay kinetic. Tonic currents evoked by low GABA concentrations were also reduced by T3 (40±5%, n=14), but not by T4. Similarly, T3 decreased currents elicited by low concentrations of THIP, a low affinity GABAA receptor agonist that preferentially activates extrasynaptic receptors, whereas T4 was ineffective. Thus, our data demonstrate that T3 and T4 selectively affect GABAergic phasic and tonic neurotransmission. Since THs concentrations can be regulated at the level of the synapses these data suggest that the network activity of the whole brain could be differently modulated depending on the relative amount of these two hormones

Mechanisms of Peripheral and Central Pain Sensitization: Focus on Ocular Pain

Persistent ocular pain caused by corneal inflammation and/or nerve injury is accompanied by significant alterations along the pain axis. Both primary sensory neurons in the trigeminal nerves and secondary neurons in the spinal trigeminal nucleus are subjected to profound morphological and functional changes, leading to peripheral and central pain sensitization. Several studies using animal models of inflammatory and neuropathic ocular pain have provided insight about the mechanisms involved in these maladaptive changes. Recently, the advent of new techniques such as optogenetics or genetic neuronal labelling has allowed the investigation of identified circuits involved in nociception, both at the spinal and trigeminal level. In this review, we will describe some of the mechanisms that contribute to the perception of ocular pain at the periphery and at the spinal trigeminal nucleus. Recent advances in the discovery of molecular and cellular mechanisms contributing to peripheral and central pain sensitization of the trigeminal pathways will be also presented

Comparative study of mandibular cortical index in orthopantomogram and bone mineral density of lumbar vertebrae in dual energy x-ray absorptiometry in postmenopausal females in North India.

Osteoporosis is a bone disorder which results in low bone mineral content leading to recurrent fractures commonly seen in females after menopause. Few studies have proposed the use of orthopantomogram as a diagnostic marker for osteoporosis as it is simple, quick, easy, inexpensive, non-invasive and widely used. Present study was undertaken to assess the efficacy of OPG to diagnose osteoporosis apropos bone densitometry (DEXA).The study comprised fifty post-menopausal females who were subjected to panoramic radiographs and DEXA. The visual analysis was done based on the radiographic appearance of the lower border of the mandible on the left side by two observers who were blinded about DEXA results. Intra/Inter-observer variability was ruled out by repeated analysis followed by comparison of different grades of MCI (Mandibular Cortical Index) and BMD (Bone Mineral density) statistically. Significant difference in three groups of mandibular cortical index of panoramic radiograph as interpreted by the two observers (p value < 0.05) was found. The intra-observer reproducibility of this index had moderate agreement (Kappa value of 0.35 & 0.31) and the inter-observer agreement of this index followed fair reproducibility (kappa value of 0.38 &0.32). There was significant correlation between results obtained by mandibular cortical index (MCI) and bone mineral density (BMD) of the lumbar vertebrae as determined by the dual energy x-ray absorptiometry implicating visual assessment of the OPG as an important screening tool for osteoporosis in postmenopausal females

Efek Kapilaritas Absorber pada Unjuk Kerja Destilasi Air Energi Surya Jenis Vertikal

Permasalahan umum pada alat destilasi air energi surya jenis vertikal saat ini adalah masih rendahnya efisiensi yang dihasilkan. Penelitian ini akan meneliti pengaruh sifat kapilaritas absorber terhadap efisiensi yang dihasilkan. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah (1) membuat model alat destilasi air energi surya jenis vertikal, (2) menganalisis pengaruh sifat kapilaritas absorber terhadap efisiensi yang dihasilkan alat destilasi air energi surya jenis vertikal dan (3) menganalisis pengaruh temperatur kaca penutup dan jumlah energi surya yang diterima terhadap efisiensi yang dihasilkan alat destilasi air energi surya jenis vertikal. Alat destilasi air energi surya pada penelitian ini terdiri dari 4 (empat) konfigurasi sebagai berikut: (1) Alat destilasi berpendingin udara tanpa reflektor dengan aliran kapilaritas alami dan paksa, (2) alat destilasi berpendingin air tanpa reflektor dengan aliran kapilaritas alami dan paksa, (3) alat destilasi berpendingin air dengan reflektor dengan aliran kapilaritas alami dan paksa dan (4) alat destilasi jenis konvensional sebagai pembanding. Variabel yang divariasikan adalah (1) jenis aliran kapilaritas sebanyak 2 variasi (alami dan paksa), (2) temperatur kaca penutup, divariasikan dengan mevariasikan fluida pendingin kaca sebanyak 2 variasi (udara dan air) dan (3) jumlah energi surya yang diterima sebanyak 2 variasi (divariasikan dengan menggunakan dan tidak menggunakan reflektor). Hasil penelitian menunjukkan pada variasi pendingin air dan reflektor alat destilasi vertikal dengan aliran kapilaritas alam menghasilkan efisiensi teoritis 14,69 %, efisiensi aktual 5,76 % dan air destilasi 0,87 liter/m2 per hari pada kondisi yang sama efisiensi aktual alat destilasi konvensional mencapai 27,56 % dan air destilasi 1,85 liter/m2 per hari. Alat destilasi vertikal dengan aliran kapilaritas paksa menghasilkan efisiensi teoritis 47,26%, efisiensi aktual 26,26% dan air destilasi 1,12 liter/m2 per hari pada variasi pendingin udara. Pada kondisi yang sama alat destilasi konvensional dapat menghasilkan efisiensi teoritis sebesar 32,63% dan air destilasi 1,34 liter/m2 per hari

Adrenal ganglioneuroma; a rare neurogenic tumor in a 25-year-old female

Ganglioneuromas (GNs) are rare benign tumors originating from the neural crest tissue. They are characteristically located in the posterior mediastinum and retroperitoneum; and are rarely found in the adrenal gland. GNs are usually hormonally inactive, and most of the cases are detected incidentally. We report a case of 25-year-old female who presented with pain abdomen in the right upper quadrant. Imaging studies showed a large well defined hypodense lesion with calcification measuring 14.5×11.5×11cm in the region of right adrenal gland and a possibility of adrenocortical carcinoma was suggested. The patient underwent right adrenalectomy and histopathological examination revealed ganglioneuroma. This report emphasizes that GN can be misdiagnosed preoperatively as the presenting symptoms are nonspecific and imaging characteristics are variable. Histopathological examination is the mainstay of diagnosis

Neuraminidase inhibitors: who, when, where?

Although the neuraminidase inhibitors (NIs), oseltamivir and zanamivir were first licensed in 1999, their clinical effectiveness is still hotly debated. Two rigorous systematic reviews and meta-analyses of the data from clinical trials conducted in community settings against relatively benign influenza, both suggest that reductions in symptom duration are extremely modest, under one day. Whilst one of these reviews could find no evidence of reductions in complications, the most recent review reported clinically meaningful and statistically significant reductions in the likelihood of requiring antibiotics (44%) and hospitalizations (63%) in adult patients with confirmed influenza, treated with oseltamivir. A further meta-analysis of observational data from the 2009 influenza A(H1N1) pandemic suggested that, in hospitalised patients, NIs significantly reduced mortality in adults by 25% overall, and by 62% if started within 48 hours of symptom onset, compared with no treatment. But, the effectiveness of NIs in children is far less clear. Taken together, these data suggest that NIs should be reserved for patients with influenza who are at high-risk of complications, or when clinically assessed found to be markedly unwell, or rapidly deteriorating. In such patients, treatment should be initiated empirically, as soon as possible, preferably with follow-on virological confirmation

Multiple Constructs and the Effects of Accommodations on Standardized Test Scores for Students with Disabilities

Students with disabilities frequently use accommodations to participate in large-scale, standardized assessments. Accommodations can include changes to the administration of the test, such as extended time, changes to the test items, such as read aloud, or changes to the student’s response, such as the use of a scribe. Some accommodations or modifications risk changing the difficulty of the test items or decreasing the validity of how test scores are interpreted. Questions regarding the validity of accommodated tests are heightened when scores are used in high-stakes decisions such as grade promotion, graduation, teacher merit pay, or other accountability initiatives. The purpose of this article is to review existing literature on multiple constructs that affect validity of interpretations of accommodated assessment scores. Research on assessment accommodations continues to grow but offers few conclusive findings on whether they facilitate fair and accurate measurement of student knowledge and skill. The validity of an accommodated score appears to vary depending on several factors such as student characteristics, test characteristics, and the accommodations themselves. A multiple construct approach may facilitate more accurate evaluations of the effects of accommodated test scores Accessed 12,923 times on https://pareonline.net from October 19, 2009 to December 31, 2019. For downloads from January 1, 2020 forward, please click on the PlumX Metrics link to the right

The Effect of Contextual Worksheets Assisted MEA Learning on Critical and Creative Thinking Ability

The ability to think critically and creatively is needed in solving math problems. Secondary school students in Indonesia still possess these two abilities according to the results of PISA research. Therefore, learning studies that influence these two abilities are still feasible to do. This study aims to examine the effect of MEA learning with contextual worksheets on the ability to think critically and creatively in solving math problems. The study was a quasi-experimental study using a post-test only control group design. The research population consisted of 137 class X students of SMK Kharisma Mengwi, Badung Regency, Bali for the 2019/2020 school year, which was spread into five classes with equivalent math abilities. A random sampling technique determined a sample of 2 classes. Data on the ability to think critically and creatively in solving mathematical problems were collected using a test in the form of a description. Data were analyzed using the MANOVA test. The results of the analysis show that MEA learning with contextual worksheets has a positive effect on the ability to think critically and creatively in solving math problems (F = 90.018; p &lt;0.05)