A 2:1 cocrystal of 6,13-dihydropentacene and pentacene

6,13-Dihydropentacene and pentacene cocrystallize in a ratio of 2:1, i.e. C22H16·0.5C22H14, during vapour transport of commercial pentacene in a gas flow. The crystal structure is monoclinic, space group P21/n, and contains one dihydropentacene molecule and half a pentacene molecule in the asymmetric unit.

Localisation of RNAs into the germ plasm of vitellogenic xenopus oocytes

We have studied the localisation of mRNAs in full-grown Xenopus laevis oocytes by injecting fluorescent RNAs, followed by confocal microscopy of the oocyte cortex. Concentrating on RNA encoding the Xenopus Nanos homologue, nanos1 (formerly Xcat2), we find that it consistently localised into aggregated germ plasm ribonucleoprotein (RNP) particles, independently of cytoskeletal integrity. This implies that a diffusion/entrapment-mediated mechanism is active, as previously reported for previtellogenic oocytes. Sometimes this was accompanied by localisation into scattered particles of the “late”, Vg1/VegT pathway; occasionally only late pathway localisation was seen. The Xpat RNA behaved in an identical fashion and for neither RNA was the localisation changed by any culture conditions tested. The identity of the labelled RNP aggregates as definitive germ plasm was confirmed by their inclusion of abundant mitochondria and co-localisation with the germ plasm protein Hermes. Further, the nanos1/Hermes RNP particles are interspersed with those containing the germ plasm protein Xpat. These aggregates may be followed into the germ plasm of unfertilized eggs, but with a notable reduction in its quantity, both in terms of injected molecules and endogenous structures. Our results conflict with previous reports that there is no RNA localisation in large oocytes, and that during mid-oogenesis even germ plasm RNAs localise exclusively by the late pathway. We find that in mid oogenesis nanos1 RNA also localises to germ plasm but also by the late pathway. Late pathway RNAs, Vg1 and VegT, also may localise into germ plasm. Our results support the view that mechanistically the two modes of localisation are extremely similar, and that in an injection experiment RNAs might utilise either pathway, the distinction in fates being very subtle and subject to variation. We discuss these results in relation to their biological significance and the results of others

Thermal manifestations and nanoindentation of bone cements for orthopaedic surgery

Improving of bone cements properties is possible by research of variables influencing exothermal behaviour and mechanical properties. Paper deals with exothermal behaviour experimental evaluation of bone cements used for medical purposes. Specimens were prepared by a conventional manual mixing technique. The work addresses primary risk factor associated with application of bone cement to femoral canal. Different size samples of bone cement has been created with diameter d = 2; 5;12,5 mm fixed in dentacryl. As an experimental material, Palacos R+G high viscosity, radiopaque bone cement containing Gentamicin and Radiopaque bone cement Antibiotic Simplex with Tobramycin, was used. Thermal effect during exothermic polymerisation was measured with period I minute. Evaluated factors were mass and thickness of bone cement. Significant influence of bone cement mass on temperature has been found

Thermal manifestations and nanoindentation of bone cements for orthopaedic surgery

Improving of bone cements properties is possible by research of variables influencing exothermal behaviour and mechanical properties. Paper deals with exothermal behaviour experimental evaluation of bone cements used for medical purposes. Specimens were prepared by a conventional manual mixing technique. The work addresses primary risk factor associated with application of bone cement to femoral canal. Different size samples of bone cement has been created with diameter d = 2; 5;12,5 mm fixed in dentacryl. As an experimental material, Palacos R+G high viscosity, radiopaque bone cement containing Gentamicin and Radiopaque bone cement Antibiotic Simplex with Tobramycin, was used. Thermal effect during exothermic polymerisation was measured with period I minute. Evaluated factors were mass and thickness of bone cement. Significant influence of bone cement mass on temperature has been found

The Preoperative Supplementation With Vitamin D Attenuated Pain Intensity and Reduced the Level of Pro-inflammatory Markers in Patients After Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion

The aim of this experimental study was to assess whether 5 weeks of preoperative supplementation with vitamin D affects the intensity of pain and the level of inflammatory markers in patients undergoing posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) followed by rehabilitation. 42 patients were divided, by double-blind randomization, into two groups: supplemented (SUPL) vitamin D (3200 IU dose of vitamin D/day for 5 weeks) and placebo group (PL) treated with vegetable oil. The 10-week program of early rehabilitation (3 times a week) was initiated 4 weeks following PLIF. Measurements of serum 25(OH)D3 and CRP, IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-10 were performed. Pain intensity was measured using VAS. After supplementation with vitamin D serum, the concentration of 25(OH)D3 significantly increased in the SUPL group (∗p < 0.005) and was significantly higher as compared to the PL group (∗p < 0.001). A significant reduction in pain intensity was observed 4 weeks after surgery and after rehabilitation in both groups. In the SUPL group, serum CRP and IL-6 concentration significantly decreased after rehabilitation, compared with the postsurgical level (ap < 0.04). The level of TNF-α was significantly lower after rehabilitation only in the supplemented group (∗p < 0.02). There were no significant changes in the IL-10 level in both groups during the study. Our data indicate that supplementation with vitamin D may reduce systemic inflammation and when combined with surgery and early postsurgical rehabilitation, it may decrease the intensity of pain in LBP patients undergoing PLIF. Data indicate that LBP patients undergoing spine surgery should use vitamin D perioperatively as a supplement

Experimental in-vitro bone cements disintegration with ultrasonic pulsating water jet for revision arthroplasty

The paper deals with the study of using the selective property of ultrasonic pulsating water jet for the disintegration of the interface created by bone cement between cemented femoral stem and trabecular bone tissue as a potential technique for revision arthroplasty. Six types of commercial bone cements based on Polymethyl Methacrylate were used for investigation. The cements were mixed using the DePuy - SmartMix (R) CTS / vacuum mixing bowl. Mechanical properties of hardened bone cements were determined by nanoindentation. The bone cement samples were disintegrated using the pulsating water jet technology. The water pressure varied between 8 divided by 20 MPa. A circular nozzle with an orifice diameter of 0,7 mm was used for water jetting. The stand-off distance from the target material was 2 mm and the traverse speed 1 mm/s. The volume of material removal and depth of created traces were measured by MicroProf FRT optical profilometer. The results positively support an assumption that pulsating water jet has a potential to be a suitable technique for the quick and safe disintegration of bone cement during revision arthroplasty

A Second-Order Adaptive Network Model for Exam-Related Anxiety Regulation

A common type of performance anxiety is the so-called “exam anxiety”, in which students can experience physical and emotional reactions before or during the exam due to the testing situation. If exam anxiety was already quite prevalent in students’ lives, one could expect that this condition got even worse due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Besides all the worrying factors that COVID-19 brought to the general population, students had to rapidly adapt to the reality of online exam modalities – introducing extra sources of stress. Therefore, our aim is to model the differences between online and offline modalities in the emotion regulation processes to overcome exam anxiety. To model these processes, we used a second-order adaptive network model. We employed reappraisal, since it is considered the most effective emotion regulation strategy to deal with this type of anxiety. We showed that, even though the reappraisal processes take place and the exam anxiety is regulated, the exam anxiety levels are higher in the online exams than in the offline exams

Effect of 12-Week BMI-Based Vitamin D₃ Supplementation in Parkinson’s Disease with Deep Brain Stimulation on Physical Performance, Inflammation, and Vitamin D Metabolites

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease. To manage motor symptoms not controlled adequately with medication, deep brain stimulation (DBS) is used. PD patients often manifest vitamin D deficiency, which may be connected with a higher risk of falls. We administered a 12-week vitamin D3 supplementation based on BMI (with higher doses given to patients with higher BMI) to investigate its effects on physical performance and inflammation status in PD patients with DBS. Patients were randomly divided into two groups: treated with vitamin D3 (VitD, n = 13), and supplemented with vegetable oil as the placebo group (PL, n = 16). Patients underwent functional tests to assess their physical performance three times during this study. The serum 25(OH)D3 concentration increased to the recommended level of 30 ng/mL in the VitD group, and a significant elevation in vitamin D metabolites in this group was found. We observed significant improvement in the Up and Go and the 6 MWT in the VitD group. In inflammation status, we noticed a trend toward a decrease in the VitD group. To conclude, achieving the optimal serum 25(OH)D3 concentration is associated with better functional test performance and consequently may have a positive impact on reducing falling risk in PD