Hypothalamic Vitamin D Improves Glucose Homeostasis and Reduces Weight

Despite clear associations between vitamin D deficiency and obesity and/or type 2 diabetes, a causal relationship is not established. Vitamin D receptors (VDRs) are found within multiple tissues, including the brain. Given the importance of the brain in controlling both glucose levels and body weight, we hypothesized that activation of central VDR links vitamin D to the regulation of glucose and energy homeostasis. Indeed, we found that small doses of active vitamin D, 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25D3) (calcitriol), into the third ventricle of the brain improved glucose tolerance and markedly increased hepatic insulin sensitivity, an effect that is dependent upon VDR within the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus. In addition, chronic central administration of 1,25D3 dramatically decreased body weight by lowering food intake in obese rodents. Our data indicate that 1,25D3-mediated changes in food intake occur through action within the arcuate nucleus. We found that VDR colocalized with and activated key appetite-regulating neurons in the arcuate, namely proopiomelanocortin neurons. Together, these findings define a novel pathway for vitamin D regulation of metabolism with unique and divergent roles for central nervous system VDR signaling. Specifically, our data suggest that vitamin D regulates glucose homeostasis via the paraventricular nuclei and energy homeostasis via the arcuate nuclei

Higher Twist Contributions To R-Hadron Phenomenology In The Light Gluino Scenario

The open light gluino window allows non-trivial higher twist gluino contributions to the proton wave function. Using a two-component model originally developed for charm hadroproduction, higher twist intrinsic gluino contributions to final state R-hadron formation are shown to enhance leading twist production in the forward $x_{F}$ region. We calculate R-hadron production at $p_{\rm{lab}}=800$ GeV in pp, pBe, and pCu interactions with light gluino masses of 1.2, 1.5, 3.5, and 5.0 GeV.Comment: 22 pages, 10 figures, revte

Ansiedad, estrategias y recursos para el afrontamiento de trabajadores de salud en primera línea COVID-19 del primer nivel de atención, Cajamarca, 2021

The COVID 19 pandemic causes a serious disorder to the health system throughout the world, with a great effect on mental health in those who provide health services, one of the manifestations being anxiety; The magnitude of this problem in the health workers of the first level of care in Cajamarca is unknown, so a cross-sectional descriptive study is carried out with the objective of describing the anxiety, coping strategies and support resources that workers prefer.To a sample of 122 health workers (95% CI), a questionnaire is applied that collects data regarding the characteristics of health workers and health establishments; A GAD-7 test is administered to screen for anxiety and a questionnaire on coping strategies and support resources with rating scales. The prevalence of anxiety symptoms is 54.1%; corresponding to mild (32.8%), moderate and severe (10.7% respectively). 92.6% use at least one or more coping strategies, 95.9% have some level of interest in one or more proposed support resources; anxiety is more frequent in those who are interested in at least one support resource and independently in 3 of these (P <0.05). Concluding that during the COVID-19 pandemic there is a high prevalence of anxiety, one in 5 health workers requires intervention from a mental health specialist due to symptoms of moderate and severe anxiety, the majority use coping strategies and have preferences for support resources proposedLa pandemia COVID 19 ocasiona un grave trastorno al sistema de salud en todo el mundo, con gran efecto en la salud mental en los que brindan servicios de salud, siendo una de las manifestaciones la ansiedad; desconociéndose la magnitud de este problema en los trabajadores de salud del primer nivel de atención de Cajamarca, por lo que se realiza un estudio descriptivo transversal con el objetivo de describir la ansiedad, estrategias de afrontamiento y recursos de apoyo que prefieren los trabajadores. A una muestra de 122 trabajadores de salud (IC 95%), se aplica un cuestionario que recoge datos respecto a características de los trabajadores y establecimientos de salud; se administra un test de GAD-7 para cribaje de ansiedad y un cuestionario de estrategias de afrontamiento y recursos de apoyo con escalas valorativas. La prevalencia de síntomas de ansiedad es del 54,1%; correspondienedo a leve (32,8%), moderada y grave (10,7% respectivamente). El 92.6% utiliza por lo menos una o más estrategias de afrontamiento, el 95.9% tiene algún nivel de interés por uno o más recursos de apoyo propuestos; la ansiedad es mas frecuente en los que tienen interés al menos en algún recurso de apoyo e independientemente en 3 de estos (P< 0.05). Concluyéndose que durante la pandemia COVID-19 hay alta prevalencia de ansiedad, uno de cada 5 trabajadores de salud requiere intervención de especialista en salud mental por presentar síntomas de ansiedad moderada y grave, la mayoría utiliza estrategias de afrontamiento y tiene prefeencias por recursos de apoyo propuestos

Experimental Assessment of a Forward-Collision Warning System Fusing Deep Learning and Decentralized Radio Sensing

This paper presents the idea of an automatic forward-collision warning system based on a decentralized radio sensing (RS) approach. In this framework, a vehicle in receiving mode employs a continuous waveform (CW) transmitted by a second vehicle as a probe signal to detect oncoming vehicles and warn the driver of a potential forward collision. Such a CW can easily be incorporated as a pilot signal within the data frame of current multicarrier vehicular communication systems. Detection of oncoming vehicles is performed by a deep learning (DL) module that analyzes the features of the Doppler signature imprinted on the CW probe signal by a rapidly approaching vehicle. This decentralized CW RS approach was assessed experimentally using data collected by a series of field trials conducted in a two-lanes high-speed highway. Detection performance was evaluated for two different DL models: a long short-term memory network and a convolutional neural network. The obtained results demonstrate the feasibility of the envisioned forward-collision warning system based on the fusion of DL and decentralized CW RS

Ξ−\Xi^- and Ω\Omega Distributions in Hadron-Nucleus Interactions

Strange baryons have long been known to exhibit a leading particle effect. A recent comparison of $\Xi^-$ production in $\pi^-$, $n$, and $\Sigma^-$ interactions with nuclei show this effect clearly. These data are supplemented by earlier measurements of $\Xi^-$ and $\Omega$ production by a $\Xi^-$ beam. We calculate the $\Xi^-$ and $\Omega$ $x_F$ distributions and nuclear dependence in $hA$ interactions using the intrinsic model.Comment: 23 pages, 5 eps figure

Bariatric surgery emphasizes biological sex differences in rodent hepatic lipid handling

Abstract Background Eighty percent of patients who receive bariatric surgery are women, yet the majority of preclinical studies are in male rodents. Because sex differences drive hepatic gene expression and overall lipid metabolism, we sought to determine whether sex differences were also apparent in these endpoints in response to bariatric surgery. Methods Two cohorts of age-matched virgin male and female Long-Evans rats were placed on a high fat diet for 3 weeks and then received either Sham or vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG), a surgery which resects 80% of the stomach with no intestinal rearrangement. Results Each sex exhibited significantly decreased body weight due to a reduction in fat mass relative to Sham controls (p < 0.05). Microarray and follow-up qPCR on liver revealed striking sex differences in gene expression after VSG that reflected a down-regulation of hepatic lipid metabolism and an up-regulation of hepatic inflammatory pathways in females vs. males after VSG. While the males had a significant reduction in hepatic lipids after VSG, there was no reduction in females. Ad lib-fed and fasting circulating triglycerides, and postprandial chylomicron production were significantly lower in VSG relative to Sham animals of both sexes (p < 0.01). However, hepatic VLDL production, highest in sham-operated females, was significantly reduced by VSG in females but not males. Conclusions Taken together, although both males and females lose weight and improve plasma lipids, there are large-scale sex differences in hepatic gene expression and consequently hepatic lipid metabolism after VSG.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/135948/1/13293_2017_Article_126.pd

Physiological lentiviral vectors for the generation of improved CAR-T cells

Anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells have achieved impressive outcomes for the treatment of relapsed and refractory B-lineage neoplasms. However, important limitations still remain due to severe adverse events (i.e., cytokine release syndrome and neuroinflammation) and relapse of 40%-50% of the treated patients. Most CAR-T cells are generated using retroviral vectors with strong promoters that lead to high CAR expression levels, tonic signaling, premature exhaustion, and overstimulation, reducing efficacy and increasing side effects. Here, we show that lentiviral vectors (LVs) expressing the transgene through a WAS gene promoter (AW-LVs) closely mimic the T cell receptor (TCR)/CD3 expression kinetic upon stimulation. These AW-LVs can generate improved CAR-T cells as a consequence of their moderate and TCR-like expression profile. Compared with CAR-T cells generated with human elongation factor alpha (EF1 alpha)-driven-LVs, AW-CAR-T cells exhibited lower tonic signaling, higher proportion of naive and stem cell memory T cells, less exhausted phenotype, and milder secretion of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and interferon (IFN)-gamma after efficient destruction of CD19(+) lymphoma cells, both in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, we also showed their improved efficiency using an in vitro CD19(+) pancreatic tumor model. We finally demonstrated the feasibility of large-scale manufacturing of AW-CAR-T cells in guanosine monophosphate (GMP)-like conditions. Based on these data, we propose the use of AWLVs for the generation of improved CAR-T products

Magnesium Removal from an Aluminum A-332 Molten Alloy Using Enriched Zeolite with Nanoparticles of SiO 2

In order to improve the Mg removal from an A-380 molten alloy, mixtures of zeolite and SiO2 nanoparticles (SiO2(NPs)) were tested. Zeolite was enriched with 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, or 12.5 wt-% of amorphous SiO2(NPs). The SiO2(NPs) and zeolite were mixed for 30 min in ethanol for each experiment and then dried in a furnace at 80°C for 12 h. The enriched zeolites were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and N2 gas adsorption analysis. The Mg removal was carried out injecting each mixture into the molten aluminum alloy at 750°C using argon. The Mg content of the molten alloy was measured after different periods of the injection time. Zeolites enriched with 2.5 and 5 wt-% of SiO2(NPs) were demonstrated to be the better mixtures, removing Mg from an initial content of 1.6 to a final content of 0.0002 and 0.0101 wt-%, respectively, in 45 min of injection