Money Immobility and Mobility in Moliere’s Last Comedies

In the 17th century society reflected in Moliere’s comedies money appears to be a fundamental power:Above all,it is defined as a way of life.From a certain point of view,in Moliere’s last works money appears tracing the channels of capital circulation or emphasizing the capital immobility marked by the avarice of the main characters.Money and particularly the inheritance or even the dowry represent an important value for the times and highlight a power in these works,which is by no means to be despised.On the one hand,we will be interested in the money mobility and immobility in Moliere’s last three comedies while sketching the socio-professional framework of his times,that of the bourgeoisie,and on the other,we will explore the psychological attitudes of the characters towards money and the means used to realize their own ambitions.

Differential Effect on Two Immobility Responses by Chronic Administration of 1,3-di-o-Tolyl-Guanidine (Sigma Receptor Agonist) in Rats with Neonatal Ventral Hippocampal Lesion

The effect of chronic administration of the sigma agonist: 1,3-di-o-tolyl-guanidine (DTG), in neonatal ventral hippocampal lesioned (nVHL) rats, on the immobility by clamping and dorsal immobility, were investigated. The nVHL increases the duration of immobility by clamping, but does not affect the duration of the dorsal immobility. We found that DTG augments the duration of the dorsal immobility in the unlesioned rats, but does not modify the duration of immobility induced by clamping the neck. DTG also counteracts the increase in the duration of the immobility by clamping produced by nVHL. However, the increase in the duration of the dorsal immobility produced by DTG is counteracted by nVHL. These results are discussed with respect to the differential effect on the two immobility responses tested, suggesting that they are different forms of immobility mediated by different mechanisms although they behaviorally share common characteristics.

Immobility Responses Affected by Potassium in Old Rats

Four immobility responses (IR): elicited by clamping, bandaging, grasping and inversion, and their modification by potassium and spironolactone was studied in old Wistar rats (body weight, 500 g). When undrugged, only clamping and grasping, but not bandaging and inversion induced an IR in rats. Potassium and spironolactone significantly enhanced the duration of IR induced by clamping but not by grasping. They also induced an immobility response by bandaging, but not by inversion. The data suggest that IR induced by clamping and bandaging are somehow related to changes in the potassium serum levels. Consequently, such a relationship may be a suitable model to study some forms of paralysis in human beings which are related to changes in the potassium serum levels.

Differential Effects of Valproic Acid on Immobility Responses and Locomotor Activity in Female and Male Rats

Valproic acid (VPA) is used in the treatment of epilepsy and behavioral disorders. However, the exposure to VPA during pregnancy increases the risk of having offspring with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Reports indicate that men are more likely to suffer ASD than women who were exposed to VPA prenatally. Few studies have related the sex differences and behavioral changes in the ASD rat model. Our aim was to determinate whether male and female Wistar rats whose mothers were exposed to either VPA (600 mg/kg;animal model for ASD) or saline (0.9%) i.p. at 12.5 day of gestation, have different effects on immobility induce by clamping (IC), dorsal immobility (DI), catalepsy, locomotor activity, stereotypes, and analgesia (tail flick). For this purpose, we made four groups (n = 8). Group: A) saline male rats, B) saline female rats, C) VPA male rats and D) VPA female rats. At 35 (prepubertal age), 56 (postpubertal age) and 180 days, we tested the behaviors previously mentioned. Finding that VPA has the same effect on IC, catalepsy, and analgesia in male and female rats, the time of these tests was increased. However, VPA only has an effect on DI in males but not in female rats. On the contrary, there is hyperactivity and an increase of stereotypes in female but not in male rats. Thereby, VPA has an effect on the three immobility responses tested (IC, DI and catalepsy), locomotor activity and analgesia but in a differential way on DI, stereotypes and locomotor activity between male and female rats.

Injection medialization laryngoplasty improves dysphagia in patients with unilateral vocal fold immobility

Objective: To assess patient reported swallowing outcomes before and after injec-tion medialization laryngoplasty in patients with unilateral vocal fold immobility (UVFI). Methods: Case series with chart review of patients with UVFI who underwent injection media-lization laryngoplasty at a community laryngology practice by a single clinician between October 2015 and December 2017. Patient-reported validated surveys of swallowing impair-ment, Eating Assessment Tool (EAT-10), demographics, etiology and duration of symptoms were recorded before and after injection. A paired t test was done on EAT-10 surveys before and after IML to assess for statistical significance. Results: Twenty-one patients with UVFI and glottic insufficiency underwent IML between October 2015 and December 2017. Nineteen of 21 patients (90％) presented with dysphagia (EAT-10 ≥ 3). 76％ of patients with dysphagia reported improvement in swallowing function af-ter IML. The EAT-10 scores of UVFI patients with dysphagia before and after IML were 17.0 ± 14.0 and 4.2 ± 9.6, respectively (p = 0.004). Conclusions: Nearly all patients with UVFI and glottic insufficiency report associated dysphagia. Three fourths of these patients perceive improvement in their swallowing function after injection medialization laryngoplasty. Patients with idiopathic UVFI may have a more sus-tained improvement and those with severe preop dysphagia may not benefit. Further research is necessary to refine patient selection and to assess duration of improved swallowing function.

CCNO mutation as a cause of primary ciliary dyskinesia:A case report

BACKGROUND Primary ciliary dyskinesia(PCD)is an uncommon and genetically diverse condition.According to reports,most patients had more than 50 visits before being diagnosed with PCD,and the age at diagnosis was mostly in preschool,with an average age of about(10.9±14.4)years old.CCNO is a pathogenic gene that regulates the cell cycle,and its mutation is linked to the uncommon human genetic disorder PCD.Although the prevalence of the CCNO mutation is regarded to be exceptionally low,new reports of this mutation have increased in comparison to prior ones.PCD patients with CCNO are rare,and the incidence rate is no more than 2%in whole PCD patients.CASE SUMMARY Here,we report a case of a young Chinese woman diagnosed with PCD,who was found to carry the CCNO gene by whole exon gene sequencing.In this case,a young non-smoking Chinese female exhibiting recurrent cough and sputum at birth.Chest computed tomography(CT)showed bronchiectasis with infection,and sinus CT showed chronic sinusitis.However,the patient had no visceral transposition and no history of infertility.Under electron microscope,it was found that cilia were short and reduced in number,and no power arm of cilia was observed.Whole exon sequencing analysis of the genome of the patient showed that the patient carried CCNO pathogenic gene,exon c.303C>A nonsense mutation and c.248_252dup frameshift mutation.Her clinical symptoms and CT images were improved after two months of treatment with aerosol inhalation and oral azithromycin.CONCLUSION The results showed that CCNO is an important cause of PCD.More mutant genes that may contribute to genetically diverse disorders like PCD have been discovered as sequencing technology has advanced.Furthermore,the increase of genetic information makes it easier to diagnose uncommon diseases in clinical practice.

Determination of the antidepressant effect of mirtazapine augmented with caffeine using Swiss-albino mice

Depression is a serious health condition affecting an estimate of 350 million people worldwide.Monotherapy with antidepressants as first line treatment however is found to have limited benefits as compared to augmentation therapy.Psychoactive agents such as caffeine,when added to the antidepressants are found to have positive effects with depression by acting as an antagonist to adenosine receptors.Male Swiss albino mice were grouped into six,first three groups with arbitrary doses of the combination of mirtazapine and caffeine and last three control groups being the untreated,mirtazapine-treated and caffeine-treated groups.

The Effect of Light-Emitting Diode Light on the Physical Traits of Chicks

Environmental conditions including light are considered a critical element of chicks well-being. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of LED light on the physical traits of chicks. We took forty-one-day-old chicks and randomly separated it into two groups. The chicks in the first group were reared under the effect of incandescent lamp light and in the second one were under the effect of white LED lighting. Chicks were daily monitored for individual chick body, weight gain, feed intake, feather color and fear responses. The distance between chicks and source of light was 50 cm. Student’s t-test test was used for statistical evaluation at p < 0.05 level. The results of the current study showed that chicks reared under incandescent light bulb had significantly higher body weight compared with chicks reared under LED light. The magnitude of body weight in LED group was lower (1192.75 ± 149.9 g) compared to incandescent light group (1307.75 ± 110.5 g). The obtained results revealed that LED light reared chicks were more active;it showed long mobility duration and high levels of exploration in the farm as compared to those in incandescent light group. The results also indicated that incandescent light chicks were less fearful than LED chicks. Furthermore, the study showed that LED light reared chicks have pale pink combs and white feathers that cover all over the body. On the other hand, incandescent light reared chicks have dark red combs and whitish-yellow feathers that cover certain areas of the body especially chick wings, tail and head.

Conversion of L-Tryptophan into Melatonin Is the Possible Action Pathway Involved in the Effect of L-Tryptophan on Antidepressant-Related Behavior in Female Rats: Analysis of the Influence of Treatment Duration

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of pharmacological doses of melatonin (MEL) and L-tryptophan (L-TRP) on depression-like behavior in female rats submitted to the forced swimming test (FST) after 2, 4, 6 or 8 weeks of treatment. This will allow exploring the different mechanisms of L-TRP actions particularly that due to its conversion into MEL. For this purpose, four groups of 24 rats each were constituted;(Group 1: Control): received saline solution NaCl (0.9%), (Group 2: MEL4): received 4 mg/Kg of MEL, (Group 3: L-TRP4): received 4 mg/Kg of L-TRP and (Group 4: L-TRP20): received 20 mg/Kg of L-TRP. Animals of each group were distributed on 4 subgroups of 6 rats submitted to different time treatments. The duration of immobility (TIM) and struggling period (TST) of rats in FST were measured after 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks of drug treatment and the effects of MEL and L-TRP were compared. Chronical administration of different doses of MEL or L-TRP failed to induce any anti-depressant activity in rats subjected to FST after 2 weeks of treatment. However, after 4 weeks, daily administration of MEL at 4 mg/Kg significantly reduced the immobility period and enhanced struggling time. After 6 weeks, MEL at 4 mg/Kg and L-TRP at 20 mg/Kg were both effective in reducing immobility and increasing struggling movement, their effects being statistically comparable. All treatments were able to significantly reduce immobility time and increase struggling duration after 8 weeks, but L-TRP at 4 mg/Kg was less potent than MEL and L-TRP at 20 g/Kg. The antidepressant-like activity of L-TRP was dose and time dependent, and that of MEL was time dependent. In conclusion, the study showed that at pharmacological doses, MEL and L-TRP have anti-depressant action, and such effect is dependent on time treatment;MEL?is more effective than L-TRP. In conclusion, L-TRP, through MEL, 5-HT or by itself could modulate aminergic neurotransmission in the different brain areas to ensure its behavioral effects.

Effects of Micro Vibration Therapy Nursing Care on Muscle Hardness and Skin Blood Flow: A Pre/Post Group Comparison Study

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Micro Vibrational therapy (MVT) on muscle stiffness and blood flow in the skin before and after Micro Vibrational therapy in healthy subjects in order to scientifically verify the effects of MVT. Methods: Micro Vibrational therapy is nurse care use in Japan. It was performed on the backs of 30 subjects (8 males and 22 females) in their 20 s to 50 s according to the eligibility criteria. The resting state before implementation was set as the baseline for the control group, and after 30 seconds of MVT was set as the intervention group. The effects of the MVT were statistically analyzed by these factors and subjective sensation by Visual Analog Scale. Results: The muscle hardness of the area where the MVT was applied for 30 seconds decreased to 29.54 (SD 5.04) after the application, compared to 30.45 (SD 5.05) before. A corresponding t-test showed a significant difference (p = 0.019). Skin blood flow increased from a median of 0.76 (variance 0.062) before to a median of 0.86 (variance 0.16) after the procedure. The Wilcoxon rank test showed a significant difference (p = 0.000). Circulatory response was confirmed by SBP, DBP, and HR. SBP of 108.6 mmHg (SD 14.8) before the study decreased to 105.7 mmHg (SD 15.0) after the study, and DBP of 65.6 mmHg (SD 11.1) before the study decreased to 62.7 mmHg (SD 11.8) after the study. HR decreased from 71.6 beats per minute (SD 10.3) before to 69.2 beats per minute (SD 11.7) after. There was a significant difference in all cardiovascular indices (p < 0.05). VAS (pain, stiffness, and fatigue) was significantly decreased after MVT (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Micro Vibrational therapy tended to decrease muscle hardness and increase skin blood flow even in the short time of 30 seconds. The results suggest that local vibration stimulation is not likely to cause a sudden increase in blood pressure or pulse rate fluctuation. These results suggest that hand vibration nursing care may be applicable to acute patients with unstable circulatory conditions.

How Do Electric and Magnetic Fields Move?

In nature, there are two fundamentally different types of motion of the electric and magnetic fields: dynamic and kinematic. A typical manifestation of the first type of motion takes place in a plane harmonic EM-wave. For already more than a century the question about the ratio of the phases of the electric and magnetic fields, oscillating in such a wave, remains open. From time to time in this regard, fierce disputes arise. The point is that far from any phase difference turns out to be compatible with the full system of Maxwellian equations. Maxwell’s classical theory as applied to such a wave leads to the conclusion that the electric and magnetic vectors in it oscillate harmoniously with zero phase shift. In the framework of this theory, a rigorous mathematical proof is given.

Personality of hosts and their brood parasites

Brood parasites such as the common cuckoo Cuculus canorus exploit the parental abilities of their hosts,hosts avoid brood parasitism and predation by showing specific behavior such as loss of feathers,emission of fear screams and contact calls,displaying wriggle behavior to avoid hosts or potential prey,pecking at hosts and prey,and expressing tonic immobility(showing behavior like feigning death or rapid escape from predators and brood parasites).These aspects of escape behavior are consistent for individuals but also among sites,seasons,and years.Escape behavior expressed in response to a broad range of cuckoo hosts and prey are consistently used against capture by humans,but also hosts and brood parasites and predators and their prey.An interspecific comparative phylogenetic analysis of escape behavior by hosts and their brood parasites and prey and their predators revealed evidence of consistent behavior when encountering potential parasites or predators.We hypothesize that personality axes such as those ranging from fearfulness to being bold,and from neophobic to curiosity response in brood parasites constitute important components of defense against brood parasitism that reduces the overall risk of parasitism.

Forced swimming stress does not affect monoamine levels and neurodegeneration in rats

Objective The current study was aimed to investigate the correlations between immobility time in the forced swimming test （FST, a behavioral indicator of stress level） and hippocampal monoamine levels （markers of depression）, plasma adrenalin level （a peripheral marker of stress） as well as fluoro-jade C staining （a marker of neurodegeneration）. Methods Male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to acute, sub-chronic （7 d） or chronic （14 d） FSTs and immobility time was recorded. Levels of noradrenalin, serotonin and dopamine in the hippocampus, and adrenalin level in the plasma were quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. Brain sections from rats after chronic forced swimming or rotenone treatment （3 mg/kg subcutaneously for 4 d） were stained with fluoro-jade C. Results The rats subjected to swimming stress （acute, sub-chronic and chronic） showed long immobility times [（214 ± 5）, （220 ± 4） and （231 ± 7） s, respectively], indicating that the animals were under stress. However, the rats did not exhibit significant declines in hippocampal monoamine levels, and the plasma adrenalin level was not significantly increased compared to that in unstressed rats. The rats that underwent chronic swimming stress did not manifest fluoro-jade C staining in brain sections, while degenerating neurons were evident after rotenone treatment. Conclusion The immobility time in the FST does not correlate with markers of depression （monoamine levels） and internal stress （adrenalin levels and neurodegeneration）, hence this parameter may not be a true indicator of stress level.

Deadly Simulacra

Taking the lead from a tale by French writer Prosper Mérimée,narrating the terrifying story of a statue of Venus that suddenly—and tragically—becomes alive,the paper will dwell on the several versions of this narrative topos(William of Malmesbury in the 12th Century,Gautier de Coincy in the 13th,Hermann Kroner in the 15th,up to Richard Burton in the 17th,Joseph von Eichendorff in the 19th,Gabriele D’Annunzio in the 20th)in order to semiotically refl ect on two streams of the human imaginary:on the one hand,the statue that becomes alive;on the other hand,the human being that becomes a statue.Following such historical,anthropological,and semiotic excursus,the paper will conclude with an in-depth analysis of a very common present-day urban performance:living statues.Also with reference to contemporary British novel Observatory Mansions,by Edward Carey,the paper will seek to answer the following questions:why is the spectacle of the human body that becomes like stone so fascinating?Why are spectators attracted by immobility and yet offer their coins in order to see it turn into movement and life again?