A preliminary timeline of the midbrain development in the Monodelphis Domestica animal model

Introduction: The Brazilian short-tailed opossum (Monodelphis Domestica) is an understudied animal model compared to the Mus musculus that has been identified as a perfect candidate to study neurodevelopment (Baggott, L. & Moore, H., 1990). What makes the Monodelphis Domestica a perfect specimen for neurodevelopment is that the embryo develops outside the pouch of the mother providing easy noninvasive access to track changes across different developmental stages (Mate et al., 1994). Objective: The objective of the study is to compare the area and volume in the development of the Monodelphis’s midbrain across three different developmental stages. Our research is beneficial because it facilitates the study of neurodevelopmental mental health disorders and its impact in the brain. Methods: We utilized ImageJ and Zen software to perform the volumetric and area analysis of these stages. To conduct a volumetric analysis a Volume Macro code was used in ImageJ software. The area analysis was completed using Zen software. A descriptive analysis was used to compare the differences in area and volume across the developmental stages

Paghilom: A Narrative Analysis of the Healing testimonials of The Mary, Mediatrix of All Grace Devotees in Facebook Groups

Popular Religiosity is deeply embedded in the Philippine culture, especially devotions to arguably the most venerated figure in the Philippines, the Virgin Mary. The Our Lady of Mediatrix of all Grace is just one of the several figures of Mary, highly revered and honored by the people in Lipa, Batangas. With the advent of COVID19, testimonies of healing attributed to this patroness have emerged in Facebook devotional groups, an attestation to the faith of her devotees. The aim of this research is to look into the narrative categories of these testimonies through the use of Narrative Analysis. The data garnered are 10 video testimonies from the devotees of Our Lady Mediatrix of All Grace, posted at selected Facebook devotional groups. In the end, the researchers have generated five narrative categories that are present within the healing testimonies, namely: Pagsubok, Pagkilala, Pamamanata, Paggaling, and Pagpapatotoo to these miraculous experiences. These narrative categories will not just add to the existing body of literature about the devotion to Our Lady of Mediatrix of All Grace and the message of hope within these testimonies, but also Popular Religiosity within the Philippine context

Surface mucous as a source of genomic DNA from Atlantic billfishes (Istiophoridae) and swordfish (Xiphiidae)

Procedures for sampling genomic DNA from live billfishes involve manual restraint and tissue excision that can be difficult to carry out and may produce stresses that affect fish survival. We examined the collection of surface mucous as a less invasive alternative method for sourcing genomic DNA by comparing it to autologous muscle tissue samples from Atlantic blue marlin (Makaira nigricans), white marlin (Tetrapturus albidus), sailfish (Istiophorus platypterus), and swordfish (Xiphias gladius). Purified DNA from mucous was comparable to muscle and was suitable for conventional polymerase chain reaction, random amplified polymorphic DNA analysis, and mitochondrial and nuclear locus sequencing. The nondestructive and less invasive characteristics of surface mucous collection may promote increased survival of released specimens and may be advantageous for other marine fish genetic studies, particularly those involving large live specimens destined for release

Investigating Interrater-reliability in Assessing Social Behavior of Monodelphis Domestica

Background: Reliable, consistent, and objective data is a goal all studies aim to achieve, but many struggle to obtain when subjective biases between researchers can occur. Inter-rater reliability (IRR) is a statistical measure used to quantify the degree of agreement between researchers qualitatively scoring the same phenomenon. The primary goal of this study is to enhance the methodology used to achieve optimal IRR. Using an established ethogram, our team of researchers scored the social behavior of the adult gray short-tailed opossum (Monodelphis domestica) to propose an effective method for achieving high IRR that can contribute to future research in data accuracy across multiple disciplinary fields, including clinical research and practice. Methods: A team of two raters used the Behavioral Observation Research Interactive Software (BORIS) to individually score the social behavior of each paired Monodelphis domestica subjects based on an ethogram with species-typical behaviors through observational recordings. Raters scored animal subjects’ behaviors while pausing throughout each observational video. After the first session of scoring, the team discussed misunderstandings of the ethogram during a review of our respective behavioral scorings for the first-paired animals throughout various timestamps. The team proceeded to individually score the behavior of the remaining four-paired subjects with continued pausing and without further consultations between raters on IRR. To measure IRR for every subject, Cohen’s Kappa Coefficient was used due to its strict statistical outcome that accounts for the possibility of false agreement between raters. Results: Initial scoring sessions for the first-paired subjects yielded low IRR scores (k=0.356, k=0.317). Subsequent scoring sessions for the second-paired subjects demonstrated an increase in IRR (k=0.743, k=0.730). Our final scoring sessions for the third-paired subjects resulted in the highest IRR amongst all scoring sessions (k=0.906, k=0.879). A progressive trend towards increased agreement and inter-rater reliability scores were obtained as familiarity and understanding of the ethogram and BORIS program heightened in each rater. Conclusions: By using an animal model to train our research team in increasing IRR, our study demonstrated how adjustments of an approach towards reducing subjectivity can contribute to the understanding of improving consistency in future studies. Reliable evaluations are critical for providing excellent healthcare, decreasing misdiagnoses, and optimizing treatment plans for patients. Examining methods towards increasing inter-rater reliability amongst healthcare providers and scientists can strengthen the standardization of clinical research and practice. A limitation in our study was that the consistent pausing while scoring social behaviors led to variation in the time raters spent scoring each subject. These variations in time may contribute to confounding variables, such as potentially inaccurate IRR scores. Our identified limitation emphasizes the importance of delving deeper into researching IRR for a more standardized scoring approach. Therefore, our goal in future investigations is to revise our initial methodology by scoring behavior in real time, decrease time spent on scoring, and assess any disparities in interrater-reliability scores as shown by differences in our methodology

Perceptions and understanding of research situations as a function of consent form characteristics and experimenter instructions

Two studies examined how research methodology affected participant behaviors. Study 1 tested (a) consent form perspective (1st, 2nd, or 3rd person) and (b) information on participants’ right to sue upon perceptions of coercion, ability to recall consent information, and performance on experimental tasks. Unexpectedly, participants who received instructions without the right to sue information had significantly better recall of their research rights. Study 2 manipulated (a) consent form complexity (presence or absence of jargon) and (b) the detail of verbal instructions (simple, elaborate); participants who received a consent form with simpler language spent more time on a difficult task, and participants in the elaborate instruction condition recalled more details. Together, these studies suggest (a) explaining the right to sue may actually be counterproductive; (b) providing a more detailed explanation may help participants remember procedural details; and (c) using jargon may decrease task performance

The ALMA Early Science View of FUor/EXor Objects - V. Continuum Disc Masses and Sizes

Low-mass stars build a significant fraction of their total mass during short outbursts of enhanced accretion known as FUor and EXor outbursts. FUor objects are characterized by a sudden brightening of ∼5 mag at visible wavelengths within 1 yr and remain bright for decades. EXor objects have lower amplitude outbursts on shorter time-scales. Here we discuss a 1.3 mm Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) mini-survey of eight outbursting sources (three FUors, four EXors, and the borderline object V1647 Ori) in the Orion Molecular Cloud. While previous papers in this series discuss the remarkable molecular outflows observed in the three FUor objects and V1647 Ori, here we focus on the continuum data and the differences and similarities between the FUor and EXor populations. We find that FUor discs are significantly more massive (∼80–600 MJup) than the EXor objects (∼0.5–40 MJup). We also report that the EXor sources lack the prominent outflows seen in the FUor population. Even though our sample is small, the large differences in disc masses and outflow activity suggest that the two types of objects represent different evolutionary stages. The FUor sources seem to be rather compact (Rc \u3c 20–40 au) and to have a smaller characteristic radius for a given disc mass when compared to T Tauri stars. V1118 Ori, the only known close binary system in our sample, is shown to host a disc around each one of the stellar components. The disc around HBC 494 is asymmetric, hinting at a structure in the outer disc or the presence of a second disc

Membrane interactions and the effect of metal ions of the amyloidogenic fragment Aβ(25–35) in comparison to Aβ(1–42)

AbstractAβ(1−42) peptide, found as aggregated species in Alzheimer's disease brain, is linked to the onset of Alzheimer's disease. Many reports have linked metals to inducing Aβ aggregation and amyloid plaque formation. Aβ(25–35), a fragment from the C-terminal end of Aβ(1−42), lacks the metal coordinating sites found in the full-length peptide and is neurotoxic to cortical cortex cell cultures. We report solid-state NMR studies of Aβ(25–35) in model lipid membrane systems of anionic phospholipids and cholesterol, and compare structural changes to those of Aβ(1–42). When added after vesicle formation, Aβ(25–35) was found to interact with the lipid headgroups and slightly perturb the lipid acyl-chain region; when Aβ(25–35) was included during vesicle formation, it inserted deeper into the bilayer. While Aβ(25–35) retained the same β-sheet structure irrespective of the mode of addition, the longer Aβ(1–42) appeared to have an increase in β-sheet structure at the C-terminus when added to phospholipid liposomes after vesicle formation. Since the Aβ(25–35) fragment is also neurotoxic, the full-length peptide may have more than one pathway for toxicity