ILLNESS IN PATIENTS FOLLOWING EXPOSURE TO DENTAL AEROSOLS *

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/65789/1/j.1752-7325.1972.tb03939.x.pd

Molecular Level in Silico Studies for Oncology. Direct Models Review

The combination of therapy and diagnostics in one process "theranostics" is a trend in a modern medicine, especially in oncology. Such an approach requires development and usage of multifunctional hybrid nanoparticles with a hierarchical structure. Numerical methods and mathematical models play a significant role in the design of the hierarchical nanoparticles and allow looking inside the nanoscale mechanisms of agent-cell interactions. The current position of in silico approach in biomedicine and oncology is discussed. The review of the molecular level in silico studies in oncology, which are using the direct models, is presented

Structural plasticity of the social brain: Differential change after socio-affective and cognitive mental training

Although neuroscientific research has revealed experience-dependent brain changes across the life span in sensory, motor, and cognitive domains, plasticity relating to social capacities remains largely unknown. To investigate whether the targeted mental training of different cognitive and social skills can induce specific changes in brain morphology, we collected longitudinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data throughout a 9-month mental training intervention from a large sample of adults between 20 and 55 years of age. By means of various daily mental exercises and weekly instructed group sessions, training protocols specifically addressed three functional domains: (i) mindfulness-based attention and interoception, (ii) socio-affective skills (compassion, dealing with difficult emotions, and prosocial motivation), and (iii) socio-cognitive skills (cognitive perspective-taking on self and others and metacognition). MRI-based cortical thickness analyses, contrasting the different training modules against each other, indicated spatially diverging changes in cortical morphology. Training of present-moment focused attention mostly led to increases in cortical thickness in prefrontal regions, socio-affective training induced plasticity in frontoinsular regions, and socio-cognitive training included change in inferior frontal and lateral temporal cortices. Module-specific structural brain changes correlated with training-induced behavioral improvements in the same individuals in domain-specific measures of attention, compassion, and cognitive perspective-taking, respectively, and overlapped with task-relevant functional networks. Our longitudinal findings indicate structural plasticity in well-known socio-affective and socio-cognitive brain networks in healthy adults based on targeted short daily mental practices. These findings could promote the development of evidence-based mental training interventions in clinical, educational, and corporate settings aimed at cultivating social intelligence, prosocial motivation, and cooperation

Nuclear Resonance Vibrational Spectroscopy of Iron Sulfur Proteins

Nuclear inelastic scattering in conjunction with density functional theory (DFT) calculations has been applied for the identification of vibrational modes of the high-spin ferric and the high-spin ferrous iron-sulfur center of a rubredoxin-type protein from the thermophylic bacterium Pyrococcus abysii

DFT Calculations as a Tool to Analyse Quadrupole Splittings of Spin Crossover Fe(II) complexes

Density functional methods have been applied to calculate the quadrupole splitting of a series of iron(II) spin crossover complexes. Experimental and calculated values are in reasonable agreement. In one case spin-orbit coupling is necessary to explain the very small quadrupole splitting value of 0.77 mm/s at 293 K for a high-spin isomer

Recommended motor assessments based on psychometric properties in individuals with dementia: A systematic review

Abstract Background Motor assessments are important to determine effectiveness of physical activity in individuals with dementia (IWD). However, inappropriate and non-standardised assessments without sound psychometric properties have been used. This systematic review aims to examine psychometric properties of motor assessments in IWD combined with frequency of use and effect sizes and to provide recommendations based on observed findings. We performed a two-stage systematic literature search using Pubmed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, ALOIS, and Scopus (inception - July/September 2018, English and German). The first search purposed to identify motor assessments used in randomised controlled trials assessing effectiveness of physical activity in IWD and to display their frequency of use and effect sizes. The second search focused on psychometric properties considering influence of severity and aetiology of dementia and cueing on test-retest reliability. Two reviewers independently extracted and analysed findings of eligible studies in a narrative synthesis. Results Literature searches identified 46 randomised controlled trials and 21 psychometric property studies. While insufficient information was available for validity, we observed sufficient inter-rater and relative test-retest reliability but unacceptable absolute test-retest reliability for most assessments. Combining these findings with frequency of use and effect sizes, we recommend Functional Reach Test, Groningen Meander Walking Test (time), Berg Balance Scale, Performance Oriented Mobility Assessment, Timed Up & Go Test, instrumented gait analysis (spatiotemporal parameters), Sit-to-Stand assessments (repetitions> 1), and 6-min walk test. It is important to consider that severity and aetiology of dementia and cueing influenced test-retest reliability of some assessments. Conclusion This review establishes an important foundation for future investigations. Sufficient relative reliability supports the conclusiveness of recommended assessments at group level, while unacceptable absolute reliability advices caution in assessing intra-individual changes. Moreover, influences on test-retest reliability suggest tailoring assessments and instructions to IWD and applying cueing only where it is inevitable. Considering heterogeneity of included studies and insufficient examination in various areas, these recommendations are not comprehensive. Further research, especially on validity and influences on test-retest reliability, as well as standardisation and development of tailored assessments for IWD is crucial. This systematic review was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42018105399)

Episodic Radiations in the Fly Tree of Life

Flies are one of four superradiations of insects (along with beetles, wasps, and moths) that account for the majority of animal life on Earth. Diptera includes species known for their ubiquity (Musca domestica house fly), their role as pests (Anopheles gambiae malaria mosquito), and their value as model organisms across the biological sciences (Drosophila melanogaster). A resolved phylogeny for flies provides a framework for genomic, developmental, and evolutionary studies by facilitating comparisons across model organisms, yet recent research has suggested that fly relationships have been obscured by multiple episodes of rapid diversification. We provide a phylogenomic estimate of fly relationships based on molecules and morphology from 149 of 157 families, including 30 kb from 14 nuclear loci and complete mitochondrial genomes combined with 371 morphological characters. Multiple analyses show support for traditional groups (Brachycera, Cyclorrhapha, and Schizophora) and corroborate contentious findings, such as the anomalous Deuterophlebiidae as the sister group to all remaining Diptera. Our findings reveal that the closest relatives of the Drosophilidae are highly modified parasites (including the wingless Braulidae) of bees and other insects. Furthermore, we use micro-RNAs to resolve a node with implications for the evolution of embryonic development in Diptera. We demonstrate that flies experienced three episodes of rapid radiation—lower Diptera (220 Ma), lower Brachycera (180 Ma), and Schizophora (65 Ma)—and a number of life history transitions to hematophagy, phytophagy, and parasitism in the history of fly evolution over 260 million y