Immersive Virtual Reality Field Trips Facilitate Learning About Climate Change

Across four studies, two controlled lab experiments and two field studies, we tested the efficacy of immersive Virtual Reality (VR) as an education medium for teaching the consequences of climate change, particularly ocean acidification. Over 270 participants from four different learning settings experienced an immersive underwater world designed to show the process and effects of rising sea water acidity. In all of our investigations, after experiencing immersive VR people demonstrated knowledge gains or inquisitiveness about climate science and in some cases, displayed more positive attitudes toward the environment after comparing pre- and post-test assessments. The analyses also revealed a potential post-hoc mechanism for the learning effects, as the more that people explored the spatial learning environment, the more they demonstrated a change in knowledge about ocean acidification. This work is unique by showing distinct learning gains or an interest in learning across a variety of participants (high school, college students, adults), measures (learning gain scores, tracking data about movement in the virtual world, qualitative responses from classroom teachers), and content (multiple versions varying in length and content about climate change were tested). Our findings explicate the opportunity to use immersive VR for environmental education and to drive information-seeking about important social issues such as climate change

Design and in vitro study of a dual drug-loaded delivery system produced by electrospinning for the treatment of acute injuries of the central nervous system

Vascular and traumatic injuries of the central nervous system are recognized as global health priorities. A polypharmacology approach that is able to simultaneously target several injury factors by the combination of agents having synergistic effects appears to be promising. Herein, we designed a polymeric delivery system loaded with two drugs, ibuprofen (Ibu) and thyroid hormone triiodothyronine (T3) to in vitro release the suitable amount of the anti-inflammation and the remyelination drug. As a production method, electrospinning technology was used. First, Ibuloaded micro (diameter circa 0.95–1.20 µm) and nano (diameter circa 0.70 µm) fibers were produced using poly(L-lactide) PLLA and PLGA with different lactide/glycolide ratios (50:50, 75:25, and 85:15) to select the most suitable polymer and fiber diameter. Based on the in vitro release results and in-house knowledge, PLLA nanofibers (mean diameter = 580 ± 120 nm) loaded with both Ibu and T3 were then successfully produced by a co-axial electrospinning technique. The in vitro release studies demonstrated that the final Ibu/T3 PLLA system extended the release of both drugs for 14 days, providing the target sustained release. Finally, studies in cell cultures (RAW macrophages and neural stem cell-derived oligodendrocyte precursor cells—OPCs) demonstrated the anti-inflammatory and promyelinating efficacy of the dual drug-loaded delivery platform

COMPUTER-CONTROLLED GAS CHROMATOGRAPH CAPABLE OF ''REAL-TIME'' READOUT OF HIGH-PRECISION DATA.

A gas chromatograph has been assembled which provides computer control of sample injection, column temperature, and flow rate, plus direct computer readout of inlet pressure, mass flow rate, and detector response. Data processing yields, in real-time, a standard deviation of less than 0.05% in retention time, which is comparable to previous results obtained using an off-line computer. However, corrected retention volumes determined in real-time had a standard deviation of about 0.4% which reflected primarily the uncertainty in flow measurement

Teplizumab: toma de posición de la Sociedad Argentina de Diabetes

El conocimiento de los mecanismos etiopatogénicos de la diabetes mellitus tipo 1 (DM1) y la posibilidad de identificar en estadios tempranos individuos en riesgo de desarrollar la enfermedad (fase presintomática o prediabetes 1), han sido las bases para los estudios de prevención por más de tres décadas. A partir de la aprobación del uso teplizumab (TPB) por la Food and Drug Administration (FDA) en personas con riesgo de desarrollar DM1, la Sociedad Argentina de Diabetes ha resuelto comisionar a un grupo de expertos para elaborar una toma de posición al respecto. En este sentido, se responderán las siguientes preguntas: ¿Cuáles son las determinaciones inmunológicas que se utilizan en la predicción de la DM1? ¿Cuál es el valor predictivo positivo, la sensibilidad y la especificidad de los autoanticuerpos? ¿Está indicada la predicción en DM1? ¿En qué grupo? ¿Qué es TPB? ¿Cuál es la eficacia farmacológica y cuáles son los efectos adversos? En la actualidad el TPB está aprobado para retrasar el desarrollo de la DM1 en personas en estadio 2 de prediabetes. La población considerada de riesgo para estudios de predicción son los familiares de primer grado de pacientes con DM1. Si bien la predicción y prevención con TPB no constituyen una recomendación universal, su empleo puede ser considerado en casos individuales cuando los pacientes sean identificados en estadio 2 de prediabetes tipo 1

Rethinking ‘Rational Imitation’ in 14-Month-Old Infants: A Perceptual Distraction Approach

In their widely noticed study, Gergely, Bekkering, and Király (2002) showed that 14-month-old infants imitated an unusual action only if the model freely chose to perform this action and not if the choice of the action could be ascribed to external constraints. They attributed this kind of selective imitation to the infants' capacity of understanding the principle of rational action. In the current paper, we present evidence that a simpler approach of perceptual distraction may be more appropriate to explain their results. When we manipulated the saliency of context stimuli in the two original conditions, the results were exactly opposite to what rational imitation predicts. Based on these findings, we reject the claim that the notion of rational action plays a key role in selective imitation in 14-month-olds

Viscoat versus Visthesia during phacoemulsification cataract surgery: corneal and foveal changes

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Ophthalmic viscosurgical devices (OVDs) are widely used in phacoemulsification cataract surgery to maintain adequate intraocular space, stabilize ocular tissue during the operation and decrease the possible damage of the corneal endothelium. Our study has the purpose to compare the corneal and foveal changes of Viscoat and Visthesia in patients undergoing uneventful phacoemulsification cataract surgery.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Participants in our study were 77 consecutive patients, who were randomized into two groups based on type of OVD used during phacoemulsification: Viscoat or Visthesia. All patients underwent a complete ophthalmological examination i.e., measurement of best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) by means of Snellen charts, intraocular pressure examination by Goldmann tonometry, slit lamp examination, fundus examination, optical coherence tomography, specular microscopy and ultrasound pachymetry preoperatively and at three time points postoperatively (day 3, 15, 28 postoperatively). The differences in baseline characteristics, as well as in outcomes between the two groups were compared by Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon test and Student's t-test, as appropriate.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Intraoperatively, there was no statistically significant difference in the duration of the ultrasound application between the two groups, while Viscoat group needed more time for the operation performance. It is also worthy to mention that Visthesia group exhibited less intense pain than patients in Viscoat group. Postoperatively, there was a statistically significant difference in central corneal thickness, endothelial cell count and macular thickness between the two groups, but BCVA (logMAR) did not differ between the two groups.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our study suggests that Viscoat is more safe and protective for the corneal endothelium during uneventful phacoemulsification cataract surgery, while Visthesia is in superior position regarding intraoperative pain. Patients of both groups acquired excellent visual acuity postoperative. Finally, this is the first study comparing OVDs in terms of macular thickness, finding that Visthesia cause a greater increase in macular thickness postoperatively than Viscoat, although it reaches normal ranges in both groups.</p

Mechanism of Dinitrochlorobenzene-Induced Dermatitis in Mice: Role of Specific Antibodies in Pathogenesis

Dinitrochlorobenzene-induced contact hypersensitivity is widely considered as a cell-mediated rather than antibody-mediated immune response. At present, very little is known about the role of antigen-specific antibodies and B cells in the development of dinitrochlorobenzene-induced hypersensitivity reactions, and this is the subject of the present investigation.Data obtained from multiple lines of experiments unequivocally showed that the formation of dinitrochlorobenzene-specific Abs played an important role in the development of dinitrochlorobenzene-induced contact hypersensitivity. The appearance of dinitrochlorobenzene-induced skin dermatitis matched in timing the appearance of the circulating dinitrochlorobenzene-specific antibodies. Adoptive transfer of sera containing dinitrochlorobenzene-specific antibodies from dinitrochlorobenzene-treated mice elicited a much stronger hypersensitivity reaction than the adoptive transfer of lymphocytes from the same donors. Moreover, dinitrochlorobenzene-induced contact hypersensitivity was strongly suppressed in B cell-deficient mice with no DNCB-specific antibodies. It was also observed that treatment of animals with dinitrochlorobenzene polarized Th cells into Th2 differentiation by increasing the production of Th2 cytokines while decreasing the production of Th1 cytokines.In striking contrast to the long-held belief that dinitrochlorobenzene-induced contact hypersensitivity is a cell-mediated immune response, the results of our present study demonstrated that the production of dinitrochlorobenzene-specific antibodies by activated B cells played an indispensible role in the pathogenesis of dinitrochlorobenzene-induced CHS. These findings may provide new possibilities in the treatment of human contact hypersensitivity conditions

Exosomes released by EBV-infected nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells convey the viral Latent Membrane Protein 1 and the immunomodulatory protein galectin 9

BACKGROUND: Nasopharyngeal carcinomas (NPC) are consistently associated with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Their malignant epithelial cells contain the viral genome and express several antigenic viral proteins. However, the mechanisms of immune escape in NPCs are still poorly understood. EBV-transformed B-cells have been reported to release exosomes carrying the EBV-encoded latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1) which has T-cell inhibitory activity. Although this report suggested that NPC cells could also produce exosomes carrying immunosuppressive proteins, this hypothesis has remained so far untested. METHODS: Malignant epithelial cells derived from NPC xenografts – LMP1-positive (C15) or negative (C17) – were used to prepare conditioned culture medium. Various microparticles and vesicles released in the culture medium were collected and fractionated by differential centrifugation. Exosomes collected in the last centrifugation step were further purified by immunomagnetic capture on beads carrying antibody directed to HLA class II molecules. Purified exosomes were visualized by electron microscopy and analysed by western blotting. The T-cell inhibitory activities of recombinant LMP1 and galectin 9 were assessed on peripheral blood mononuclear cells activated by CD3/CD28 cross-linking. RESULTS: HLA-class II-positive exosomes purified from C15 and C17 cell supernatants were containing either LMP1 and galectin 9 (C15) or galectin 9 only (C17). Recombinant LMP1 induced a strong inhibition of T-cell proliferation (IC50 = 0.17 nM). In contrast recombinant galectin 9 had a weaker inhibitory effect (IC50 = 46 nM) with no synergy with LMP1. CONCLUSION: This study provides the proof of concept that NPC cells can release HLA class-II positive exosomes containing galectin 9 and/or LMP1. It confirms that the LMP1 molecule has intrinsic T-cell inhibitory activity. These findings will encourage investigations of tumor exosomes in the blood of NPC patients and assessment of their effects on various types of target cells

Vascular tube formation on matrix metalloproteinase-1-damaged collagen

Connective tissue damage and angiogenesis are both important features of tumour growth and invasion. Here, we show that endothelial cells maintained on a three-dimensional lattice of intact polymerised collagen formed a monolayer of cells with a cobblestone morphology. When the collagen was exposed to organ culture fluid from human basal cell tumours of the skin (containing a high level of active matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1)), degradation of the collagen matrix occurred. The major degradation products were the $3over 4$- and $1over 4$-sized fragments known to result from the action of MMP-1 on type I collagen. When endothelial cells were maintained on the partially degraded collagen, the cells organised into a network of vascular tubes. Pretreatment of the organ culture fluid with either tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) or neutralising antibody to MMP-1 prevented degradation of the collagen lattice and concomitantly inhibited endothelial cell organisation into the vascular network. Purified (activated) MMP-1 duplicated the effects of skin organ culture fluid, but other enzymes including MMP-9 (gelatinase B), elastase or trypsin failed to produce measurable fragments from intact collagen and also failed to promote vascular tube formation. Together, these studies suggest that damage to the collagenous matrix is itself an important inducer of new vessel formation