Efek Daun Sirih Merah (Piper Crocatum) Terhadap Kadar Gula Darah Dan Gambaran Morfologi Endokrin Pankreas Tikus Wistar (Rattus Norvegicus)

: Leaves of 'sirih merah‘ (Piper Crocatum) contain compounds such as flavonoid, alkaloid and tannin, wich are capable of lowering blood sugar levels. This study aimed to investigate the effects of the administration of ‘sirih merah' broth on blood sugar levels and histopathological features of pancreatic endocrine. This was a laboratory experimental study which was conducted for five month using 12 wistar rats as objects. The rats were divided into four groups: Group A (negative control), which received no treatment; group B, which were given the broth of ‘sirih merah' at 2,4 ml; Group C, which were given sugar solution at 2,4 ml; and Group D, which were given the broth (1,2 ml) and sugar solution (1,2 ml). The results revealed that the levels of blood sugar decreased in rats in Groups B and D but increased in Group C. When compared with rats in Group A, the size and the number of Langerhans islets increased in Group C (more than twice). On the contrary, the number of Langerhans islets in Group D was relatively similar with that of Group A. Conclusion: The administration of the broth of ‘sirih merah' leaves is able to lower blood sugar levels and to cause hyperplasia of pancreatic Langerhans islets

A new insight into MYC action: control of RNA polymerase II methylation and transcription termination

MYC oncoprotein deregulation is a common catastrophic event in human cancer and limiting its activity restrains tumor development and maintenance, as clearly shown via Omomyc, an MYC-interfering 90 amino acid mini-protein. MYC is a multifunctional transcription factor that regulates many aspects of transcription by RNA polymerase II (RNAPII), such as transcription activation, pause release, and elongation. MYC directly associates with Protein Arginine Methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5), a protein that methylates a variety of targets, including RNAPII at the arginine residue R1810 (R1810me2s), crucial for proper transcription termination and splicing of transcripts. Therefore, we asked whether MYC controls termination as well, by affecting R1810me2S. We show that MYC overexpression strongly increases R1810me2s, while Omomyc, an MYC shRNA, or a PRMT5 inhibitor and siRNA counteract this phenomenon. Omomyc also impairs Serine 2 phosphorylation in the RNAPII carboxyterminal domain, a modification that sustains transcription elongation. ChIP-seq experiments show that Omomyc replaces MYC and reshapes RNAPII distribution, increasing occupancy at promoter and termination sites. It is unclear how this may affect gene expression. Transcriptomic analysis shows that transcripts pivotal to key signaling pathways are both up- or down-regulated by Omomyc, whereas genes directly controlled by MYC and belonging to a specific signature are strongly down-regulated. Overall, our data point to an MYC/PRMT5/RNAPII axis that controls termination via RNAPII symmetrical dimethylation and contributes to rewiring the expression of genes altered by MYC overexpression in cancer cells. It remains to be clarified which role this may have in tumor development

Can stigmatizing attitudes be prevented in psychology students?

Background: Stigmatizing attitudes have been found among psychology students in many studies, and they are becoming more common with time. Aims: This study examines whether participation in clinical psychology lessons reduces levels of stigmatization in a population of psychology students and whether it leads to any change in stigmatization. Methods: The study is a pre/post evaluation of the effectiveness of clinical psychology lessons (63 hours of lectures) as a tool to fight stigma. The presence of stigmatizing attitudes was detected using the Italian version of the Attribution Questionnaire-27 (AQ-27-I). Stigmatization was described before and after the lessons with structured equation modeling (SEM). Results: Of a total of 387 students contacted, 302 (78.04%) agreed to be involved in the study, but only 266 (68.73%) completed the questionnaires at both t0 and t1. A statistically significant reduction was seen in all six scales and the total score on the AQ-27-I. The models defined by the SEM (pre- and post-intervention) showed excellent model fit indices and described different dynamics of the phenomenon of stigma. Conclusions: A cycle of clinical psychology lessons can be a useful tool for reducing stigmatizing attitudes in a population of students seeking a psychology degree

From nano voids to blisters in hydrogenated amorphous silicon

AFM and FTIR spectroscopy were applied to study thè relationship between surface blisters and nanovoids in annealed hydrogenated a-Si. The influence of thè H bonding configuration on thè way thè nanovoids give rise to thè blisters is discussed. Annealing causes an increase of thè polymers density. As they reside on thè voids walls their density increase causes an increase of thè voids volume. The polymers may release H inside thè voids with creation of H2 gas, whose expansion, upon annealing, further contributes to thè volume increase of thè voids till thè formation of surface blisters

Interação coração-pulmão em pacientes críticos: aplicação da ventilação mecânica como terapêutica não farmacológica na disfunção ventricular

Mechanical ventilation is normally used as a method of support in patients with acute respiratory failure. Invasive and non-invasive mechanical ventilation can improve the performance of cardiovascular system as a non-pharmacological therapeutic option. Mechanical ventilation with positive end-expiratory pressure or continuous positive airway pressure induces changes in all intrathoracic cardiovascular structures, which canimprove the cardiac function and alleviate symptoms of patients with heart failureA ventilação mecânica constitui o método usual de suporte para pacientes com insuficiência respiratória aguda. Sua utilização como terapêutica não-farmacológica em pacientes com disfunção sistólica ventricular esquerda tem sido recentementeempregada. Observa-se que tanto a ventilação mecânica invasiva, com uso de pressão expiratória final positiva, quanto a ventilação mecânica não-invasiva, com uso de pressão positiva contínua, modificam a pressão intratorácica, afetando e modificando os gradientes de pressão sobre as câmaras atriais, ventriculares e raiz da aorta. Estes efeitos resultam em alterações hemodinâmicas que contribuem para a melhora dossintomas em pacientes com insuficiência cardíaca

Interplay of source/seed electrons and wave-particle interactions in producing relativistic electron PSD enhancements in the outer Van Allen belt

We perform a superposed epoch analysis on two groups of selected geospace disturbance events, emerging from single and isolated interplanetary drivers, and resulting in either the enhancement or the depletion of the average relativistic electron Phase Space Density (PSD). We investigate the occurrence of behavioural/temporal patterns of solar wind and geomagnetic parameters, chorus and ULF Pc5 wave activity, and the source/seed electron PSD in the outer Van Allen radiation belt. Our results indicate that the source electron population of μ = 10 MeV/G exhibits a similar behaviour during both event groups, while the μ = 1 MeV/G population can be considered as negligible for the whole process of wave excitation and electron energisation. Moreover, events that result in relativistic electron enhancement are characterised by statistically stronger and prolonged storm, substorm and wave activity, combined with an abundance of seed electrons of μ = 100 MeV/G, mostly at L* = 4–5, the nominal heart of the outer radiation belt.First author draf