Changes in murine anorectum signaling across the life course

Background: Increasing age is associated with an increase in the incidence of chronic constipation and fecal impaction. The contribution of the natural aging process to these conditions is not fully understood. This study examined the effects of increasing age on the function of the murine anorectum.Methods: The effects of increasing age on cholinergic, nitrergic, and purinergic signaling pathways in the murine anorectum were examined using classical organ bath assays to examine tissue function and electrochemical sensing to determine age‐related changes in nitric oxide and acetylcholine release.Key Results: Nitrergic relaxation increased between 3 and 6 months, peaked at 12 months and declined in the 18 and 24 months groups. These changes were in part explained by an age‐related decrease in nitric oxide (NO) release. Cholinergic signaling was maintained with age by an increase in acetylcholine (ACh) release and a compensatory decrease in cholinesterase activity. Age‐related changes in purinergic relaxation were qualitatively similar to nitrergic relaxation although the relaxations were much smaller. Increasing age did not alter the response of the anorectum smooth muscle to exogenously applied ACh, ATP, sodium nitroprusside or KCl. Similarly, there was no change in basal tension developed by the anorectum.Conclusions and Inferences: The decrease in nitrergic signaling with increasing age may contribute to the age‐related fecal impaction and constipation previously described in this model by partially obstructing defecation

MAGIC sensitivity to millisecond-duration optical pulses

The MAGIC telescopes are a system of two Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescopes (IACTs) designed to observe very high energy (VHE) gamma rays above ~50 GeV. However, as IACTs are sensitive to Cherenkov light in the UV/blue and use photo-detectors with a time response well below the ms scale, MAGIC is also able to perform simultaneous optical observations. Through an alternative system installed in the central PMT of MAGIC II camera, the so-called central pixel, MAGIC is sensitive to short (1ms - 1s) optical pulses. Periodic signals from the Crab pulsar are regularly monitored. Here we report for the first time the experimental determination of the sensitivity of the central pixel to isolated 1-10 ms long optical pulses. The result of this study is relevant for searches of fast transients such as Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs).Comment: Proceedings of the 35th International Cosmic Ray Conference (ICRC 2017), Bexco, Busan, Korea (arXiv:1708.05153

Phototherapy in Childhood: a 17-Year Retrospective Study Regarding Effectiveness and Safety

Introduction: Skin diseases in paediatric age are often distressing conditions with significant impact in children’s psychosocial development. Additionally, systemic therapeutic options are often limited in childhood, due to its potential toxicity in this vulnerable group. Phototherapy is therefore an endorsed option for photo-responsive dermatological conditions. Objective and Methods:This observational retrospective study aims to access efficacy and safety of Phototherapy in our paediatric population. Relevant clinical data from 1996 to present concerning patients aged 18 years or less was collected. Results: 78 patients were included, of which64,1%was female. Mean age was 12,9 years (range 2-18). Distribution according to diagnosis was:47,4%psoriasis, 34,6% alopecia areata, 9,0% vitiligo, 9,0% other diagnosis. Mean number of cycles was 1,5 (range 1-7), with an average of 16,3 treatments per cycle and mean cumulative dose 134 J/cm2. 70,5% was treated with one single cycle. Topic and systemic PUVA were the first choice in 37,2% and 39,7%, respectively, while UVB TL01 and broadband UVB were used in 11,5% each. On the first cycle 67,5% improved, 14,3% showed no sustained clinical response and 19,5% were lost to follow-up. Psoriasis patients had the best response rates (81,8%), followed by alopecia areata (59,3%). Side effects occurred in 21%, being erythema the most common (12%). None led to therapeutic interruption. Discussion: Phototherapy is a safe and effective option in childhood, yet the withdraw rate might be an important limitation

Hábitos alimentares de utentes adultos do centro de saúde de Castelo Branco

Em Portugal têm vindo a revelar-se alguns erros alimentares praticados por grande parte da população. Esses erros cometem-se por excesso de ingestão de certo tipo de alimentos que, consequentemente, levam a problemas no organismo, como é o caso da obesidade, diabetes, hipertensão arterial, entre outras doenças

Students' knowledge sharing to improve learning in academic engineering courses

This paper presents an example of scaffolding during the development of an engineering course, in which students are supported by teachers and other students. This proposal covers the benefits of the use of shared knowledge repositories in which content was created by students. Teamwork is the transversal competence that is considered to be the central knowledge topic. The cooperation among students through teamwork methodology has generated more than 500 learning resources and a knowledge management system, BRACO, which has been created with these resources to manage information and conduct searches according to each student''s profile and needs. The generated knowledge spiral is composed of knowledge circles that increase during each iteration of the action-research implementation. The reflection phase of this research consists of the evaluation of the impact on learning for students in the experimental group after using the knowledge resources generated by students in relation with teamwork competence, in contrast with the control group that does not experience this intervention. With regard to the assessments, several surveys and a learning analytics system, this paper explains the underlying methodological foundations and the empirical study. In comparison to the control group, the experimental group obtained better results in relation to indicators of positive learning results, such as studentstudent interaction, teamwork development and final grades during the teamwork process

Optimal experimental design for cytogenetic dose-response calibration curves

Purpose: To introduce optimal experimental design techniques in the cytogenetic biological dosimetry practice. This includes the development of a new optimatility criterion for the calibration of radiation doses. Materials and Methods: The most typical optimal design criterion and the one developed in this research are introduced and applied in an example from the litera- ture. In another example from the literature, a simulation study has been performed to compare the standard error of the dose estimation using di erent experimental designs. An RStudio project and a GitHub project have been developed to repro- duce these results. Results: It is appreciated how the application of optimal experimental design tech- niques can reduce the standard error of biodosimetric dose estimations. Conclusions: Optimal experimental design techniques jointly with practitioners re- quirements may be applied. This practice would not involve an additional laboratory work

Medición de la calidad de vida en niños y adolescentes: comprobación preliminar de la validez y fiabilidad de la versión española del cuestionario KINDL

ObjetivosObtener una versión española del cuestionario KINDL transculturalmente equivalente a la versión original alemana, y evaluar sus propiedades psicométricas en una muestra de padres y de niños/adolescentes sanos de 8–16 añosDiseñoEstudio transversalEmplazamientoDos colegios públicos de EGB y ESO de la cuenca minera central de Asturias de similares condiciones sociodemográficasParticipantesUn total de 243 niños de 8-16 años y 153 padresMediciones principalesCalidad de vida relacionada con la salud (CVRS) valorada mediante la versión adaptada del cuestionario alemán KINDL. Adicionalmente, se realizó una valoración externa de la CVRS infantil a través de un grupo de padres de los alumnos. También se comprobaron las propiedades psicométricas de la versión española adaptadaResultadosSólo 6 ítems (6/24) necesitaron sucesivas traducciones y discusión conceptual durante la fase de adaptación idiomática. El análisis factorial confirmó la validez de construcción de las escalas, excepto en la dimensión “Escuela” de la versión 13–16 años. La consistencia interna, medida mediante el coeficiente α de Cronbach, fue buena para el total del cuestionario (> 0,70) y aceptable en la mayoría de las escalas (> 0,50). El sexo femenino y la mayor edad de los niños se correspondieron con peores puntuaciones de CVRS en la mayoría de las dimensiones investigadas (p < 0,01)ConclusionesLa versión española del KINDL presentó coeficientes de fiabilidad y validez aceptables. Se encontraron insuficiencias puntuales en este primer paso de la investigación en la escala “Escuela” entre adolescentes. Los resultados constituyen un importante punto de partida para disponer de un instrumento de medida de la CVRS infantil, en lengua españolaObjectivesTo obtain a first Spanish version of the KINDL questionnaire idiomatic and culturally equivalent to the German original version, and then to evaluate its psychometric properties in a sample of healthy children/adolescents 8-16 years old, and their parentsDesignCross-sectional studySetting2 public schools of Asturias of similar sociodemographic conditionsParticipants243 children 8–16 year-old, and 153 parents were investigatedMain measurementsHRQoL evaluated through the generic questionnaire KINDL. An external assessment through the parents was made as well. The psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the questionnaire were investigated and results on HRQoL are presented for different ages and gender in the Spanish sampleResults6 ítems (6/24) needed successive translations and conceptual discussion during the phase of idiomatic adaptation. The factorial analysis confirmed the validity of construction of the instrument for most scales. The internal consistency, measured by αCronbach coefficent, was good for the total of the questionnaire (>0.70) and acceptable in most of the scales (>0.50). Only the school scale for adolescents shows very poor reliability. Females and children with higher age scored lower in most of the investigated dimensions (P<.01)ConclusionsThe first Spanish version of the Kindl showed acceptable reliability and validity. In spite of the punctual inadequacies found in this first step of the investigation, the results constitute an important starting point to work futher on the KINDL as an HRQoL instrument -in Spanish language-, to measure subjective well-being in childre

Cocoa Bar Antioxidant Profile Enrichment with Underutilized Apples Varieties

: The impact of dried apples (Malus × domestica Borkh.) addition on improving the antioxidant characteristics of dark chocolate was evaluated. The antioxidant activity was measured through DPPH scavenging activity and showed an increase in the cocoa bar with 'Nesta' dry apple (17.3% vs. 46.8%) in comparison to cocoa mass. The 15 polyphenols analyzed by UHPLC-ESI-MS/MS indicated great variability among the apple varieties. Quercetin was detected in the highest concentrations (ranged from 753.3 to 1915.5 µg g-1), while the lowest were for kaempferol 7-O-glucoside, measured only in 'Mora' and 'Nesta' cocoa bars (from 0.034 to 0.069 µg g-1, respectively). P-coumaric acid, trans-ferulic acid, and chlorogenic acid contribute largely to the antioxidant activity in cocoa bars. Principal component analysis shows that a cocoa bar with the addition of 'Nesta' dry apple differ from others due to its higher content of polyphenols (1614 ± 61.8 mg gallic acid equivalents per 100 g). In conclusion, data confirm that cocoa bars with dry apples might be considered as a polyphenol-enriched food

Differential responses of the antioxidant defence system and ultrastructure in a salt-adapted potato cell line

Changes in lipid peroxidation and ion content and the possible involvement of the antioxidant system in salt tolerance at the cellular level was studied in a potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) callus line grown on 150 mM NaCl (salt-adapted) and in a non-adapted line exposed to 150 mM NaCl (salt-stressed). Salinity reduced the growth rate and increased lipid peroxidation in salt-stressed line, which remained unaltered in the adapted line. Na+ and Cl− content increased due to salinity in both lines, but the adapted line displayed greater K+/Na+ ratio than the stressed one. Total superoxide dismutase (SOD, EC 1.15.1.1), ascorbate peroxidase (APX, EC 1.11.1.11), and glutathione reductase (GR, EC 1.6.4.2) activities decreased in both salt-exposed lines; catalase (CAT, EC 1.11.1.6) activity did not change in the adapted line, but decreased in the stressed cell line. Salinity caused the suppression of one GR isoform, while the isozyme patterns of SOD, APX, and CAT were not affected. Ascorbate and reduced glutathione increased in both salt-exposed calli lines. α-Tocopherol increased as a result of salt exposure, with higher levels found in adapted calli. Electron microscopy showed that neither the structural integrity of the cells nor membrane structure were affected by salinity, but plastids from adapted cells had higher starch content. The results suggest that the enzymic and non-enzymic components of the antioxidant system are differentially modulated by salt. Different concentrations of antioxidant metabolites are more relevant to the adaptive response to salinity in potato calli than the differences in activity of the antioxidant enzymes.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio