Neuroinflammation and COVID-19

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused a historic pandemic of respiratory disease. COVID-19 also causes acute and post-acute neurological symptoms, which range from mild, such as headaches, to severe, including hemorrhages. Current evidence suggests that there is no widespread infection of the central nervous system (CNS) by SARS-CoV-2, thus what is causing COVID-19 neurological disease? Here, we review potential immunological mechanisms driving neurological disease in COVID-19 patients. We begin by discussing the implications of imbalanced peripheral immunity on CNS function. Next, we examine the evidence for dysregulation of the blood-brain barrier during SARS-CoV-2 infection. Last, we discuss the role myeloid cells may play in promoting COVID-19 neurological disease. Combined, we highlight the role of innate immunity in COVID-19 neuroinflammation and suggest areas for future research

The Amber Project: A survey of methods and inks for the reproduction of the color of translucent objects

Unlike regular pigments based on selective light absorption, the so-called “effect pigments” are based on the phenomena of structural color, or selective reflectance. Structural color has appealing aesthetic qualities, such as angle-dependent hue, and is able to produce lightfast colors. When used as a pigment, however, the gamut of the print is more limited, the color is difficult to measure, and therefore color management and preprint process become challenging. The aim of this paper is to compare the behavior of effect pigments in the processes of lithographic and screen printing with standard pigments used in so-called process inks, and to analyze their optical properties when used on their own or in combination with absorption pigments. An image of amber beads was printed as screen prints and lithographs. Three sets of inks were used: Set one: Standard process inks in the colors cyan, magenta, yellow and black (CMYK); set two: RGB inks formulated with Merck Spectraval™ pearlescent pigments which allow additive red, green, blue printing on a black substrate; and set three: golden inks formulated with pigments from the Merck Iriodin™ and Pyrisma™ effect pigment range. The image was printed on white and black paper. The optical appearance was assessed visually, and spectra and color coordinates were measured

COVID-19 induces CNS cytokine expression and loss of hippocampal neurogenesis

Infection with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is associated with acute and postacute cognitive and neuropsychiatric symptoms including impaired memory, concentration, attention, sleep and affect. Mechanisms underlying these brain symptoms remain understudied. Here we report that SARS-CoV-2-infected hamsters exhibit a lack of viral neuroinvasion despite aberrant blood-brain barrier permeability. Hamsters and patients deceased from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) also exhibit microglial activation and expression of interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6, especially within the hippocampus and the medulla oblongata, when compared with non-COVID control hamsters and humans who died from other infections, cardiovascular disease, uraemia or trauma. In the hippocampal dentate gyrus of both COVID-19 hamsters and humans, we observed fewer neuroblasts and immature neurons. Protracted inflammation, blood-brain barrier disruption and microglia activation may result in altered neurotransmission, neurogenesis and neuronal damage, explaining neuropsychiatric presentations of COVID-19. The involvement of the hippocampus may explain learning, memory and executive dysfunctions in COVID-19 patients

A INEXIGIBILIDADE CONCRETA DO DIREITO SOCIAL À SAÚDE NO BRASIL: A JUSTICIABILIDADE A PARTIR DA TEORIA DE CHRISTIAN COURTIS E VÍCTOR ABRAMOVICH

A principal finalidade deste artigo é analisar a teoria desenvolvida por Christian Courtis e Víctor Abramovich na obra Los derechos sociales como derechos exigibles, no que atine, especificamente, a respeito da justiciabilidade do direito social à saúde. A metodologia utilizada é a pesquisa conceitual. No tema principal deste texto está a exigibilidade dos direitos sociais, o que para os autores poderá ser exercitada por intermédio do Poder Judiciário, o qual é responsável por assegurar o cumprimento das obrigações estabelecidas ao Estado de acordo com os direitos sociais. A construção teórica se fundamenta no igual patamar que ocupam os direitos econômicos, sociais e culturais, se comparados com os direitos civis e políticos. Para Courtis e Abramovich os direitos sociais são exigíveis e plenos com políticas públicas de efetivação e de controle social, o que deveria ser feito com o diálogo institucional entre os Poderes políticos. Este estudo contribui para assegurar o cumprimento do direito social à saúde no Brasil, ainda que por intermédio da judicialização, na máxima da exigibilidade concreta das prestações de direitos sociais

O DIREITO FUNDAMENTAL AO ESQUECIMENTO E A SUA (IN)EFICIÊNCIA NA ERA DIGITAL

 No presente artigo analisou-se a aplicação do Direito Humano Fundamental ao Esquecimento no ambiente virtual. Nesse contexto, ressaltou-se que a invenção da internet modificou profundamente a vida social, sendo necessário repensar as consequências dessa alteração no que se refere ao Direito ao Esquecimento, eis que as informações são repassadas pela internet velozmente. Assim, foi desenvolvida uma pesquisa acadêmica qualitativa e teórica, por meio do método analítico, no qual se empregou a pesquisa bibliográfica. O trabalho foi dividido em três tópicos: no primeiro, avaliou-se a distinção dos Direitos Humanos Fundamentais à privacidade e ao esquecimento; por sua vez, no segundo, analisou-se a aplicação do Direito ao Esquecimento em casos práticos, bem como sua previsão no ordenamento jurídico pátrio; já no último tópico, investigou-se a (in)eficiência do Direito Humano Fundamental ao esquecimento na internet, restando evidenciado que a exclusão dos links, nas ferramentas de busca, não garante a eficiência do Direito ao Esquecimento, pois, embora não sejam mais listados, os resultados permanecem na rede. Ademais, destacou-se a impossibilidade de excluir definitivamente uma informação da internet, porque com as ferramentas corretas é possível reavê-las. Por fim, concluiu-se pela ineficiência do Direito ao Esquecimento no âmbito virtual.Palavras-chave: Direito ao Esquecimento. Direitos Fundamentais. Privacidade. Era digital

Retrieving the ancient colours: Artistic practice as a tool for heritage reconstruction

The frieze of the Palace of the stuccoes, dated between the 5 th and 6 th century BC, was a polychrome Maya relief discovered in the 1907 in Yucatán, Mexico. It was documented in watercolours and hand tinted photographs by Adela Breton. After years of exposure to the harsh environmental conditions of the Maya area, the colours and the stucco relief disappeared. The aim of the project is to develop a hybrid digital-analogue printing method for reconstructing the appearance of the original polychrome relief based on digitised handmade records. A description of the process to produce full colour images combining digital and photomechanical printing is provided. Using photopolymer plates, an intaglio printing process has been used to produce colour images, whilst inverse relief plates have been created based on height maps to transfer a positive embossing on paper when applying pressure on a printing press. The influence of physical parameters related to the appearance is studied. Reflectance Transformation Imaging was carried out to record the colour and surface shape of the prints. Measurements of gloss were made on relief inkjet prints and intaglio prints on paper to compare the outcomes of commercial 2.5D print and the method proposed here. By modifying an analogue process with digital technology, it is possible to incorporate ancient materials to the printmaking process and therefore approach naturally the appearance of the original. On the other hand, incorporating imaging techniques and quality measurements enables to improve the quality in analogue printing techniques

Testing a brief web-based intervention to increase recognition of tobacco constituents

Objective: We examined website formats to increase smokers\u27 recognition of harmful and potentially harmful constituents (HPHCs) in cigarettes. Methods: Adult, daily smokers (N = 279) were randomized to view a brief, single-page study website showing HPHC names and uses. The intervention site was tailored + interactive, labeled by cigarette brand/subbrand showing color imagery and pop-up boxes; the generic + static website (control) was unbranded in greyscale. Eye tracking equipment measured attention (dwell time) to precise website features. Linear regression analyses compared attention to HPHC descriptions and the correct recognition of 15 HPHC chemicals. A randomly selected sub-sample (N = 30) of participants qualitatively rated website usability. Results: Despite spending less dwell time on the HPHC text and entire website, adult smokers who viewed the generic + static website had greater improvement in HPHC recognition compared to the tailored + interactive website (4.6 vs 3.6; p = .02); this finding contrasts with current literature on tailoring and interactivity. Both websites were rated highly on ease-of-use and readability. Conclusions: Basic formats and narrative HPHC Web-based content attracted less visual attention, yet increased recognition of these chemicals in cigarettes, compared to brand-tailored, interactive web-based content

Printing with tonalli: Reproducing featherwork from precolonial Mexico using structural colorants

Two of the most significant cases of extant 16th-century featherwork from Mexico are the so-called Moctezuma’s headdress and the Ahuizotl shield. While the feathers used in these artworks exhibit lightfast colors, their assembly comprises mainly organic materials, which makes them extremely fragile. Printed media, including books, catalogs, educational materials, and fine copies, offer an accessible means for audiences to document and disseminate visual aspects of delicate cultural artifacts without risking their integrity. Nevertheless, the singular brightness and iridescent colors of feathers are difficult to communicate to the viewer in printed reproductions when traditional pigments are used. This research explores the use of effect pigments (multilayered reflective structures) and improved halftoning techniques for additive printing, with the objective of enhancing the reproduction of featherwork by capturing its changing color and improving texture representation via a screen printing process. The reproduced images of featherwork exhibit significant perceptual resemblances to the originals, primarily owing to the shared presence of structural coloration. We applied structure-aware halftoning to better represent the textural qualities of feathers without compromising the performance of effect pigments in the screen printing method. Our prints show angle-dependent color, although their gamut is reduced. The novelty of this work lies in the refinement of techniques for printing full-color images by additive printing, which can enhance the 2D representation of the appearance of culturally significant artifact