Psoriasis treatment: Unconventional and non-standard modalities in the era of biologics

Psoriasis is a potentially debilitating inflammatory dermatosis affecting 0.2%-4.8% of the population worldwide causing a significant occupational, personal or psychosocial morbidity to these patients for life. The basic aim of psoriasis therapy is to control the disease to maximum possible extent and improve the patient's quality of life. Management of triggers for flareups, lifestyle modifications, and dietary supplements are often recommended. Intermittent or rotational therapy with frequent alterations in treatment options is usually needed to reduce toxicity of anti-psoriatic drugs in the absence of safer alternatives. Currently, several biological agents categorized as either T-cell targeted(e.g., Alefacept, Efalizumab) or cytokine modulating(e.g., Adalimumab, Infliximab, Etanercept) are available for treating severe psoriasis. However, their high cost is often precluding for most patients. The usefulness of systemic(methotrexate, cyclosporine, acitretin or several other therapeutic agents) or topical(tar, anthralin, corticosteroids or calcipotriol ointments, phototherapy with or without psoralens) therapies has been well established for the management of psoriasis. The literature is also replete with benefits of less used non-standard and unconventional treatment modalities(hydroxycarbamide, azathioprine, leflunomide, mycophenolate mofetil, isotretinoin, fumarates, topical calcineurin inhibitors, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors agonists, statins, sulfasalazine, pentoxifylline, colchicine, grenz ray therapy, excimer laser, climatotherapy and balneophototherapy, peritoneal dialysis, tonsillectomy, ichthyotherapy, etc.). These can be used alternatively to treat psoriasis patients who have mild/minimal lesions, are intolerant to conventional drugs, have developed side effects or achieved recommended cumulative dose, where comorbidities pose unusual therapeutic challenges, or may be as intermittent, rotational or combination treatment alternatives.

Efficacy of exercise rehabilitation for managing patients with Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease(AD) is a progressive and degenerative neurological disease characterized by the deterioration of cognitive functions. While a definitive cure and optimal medication to impede disease progression are currently unavailable, a plethora of studies have highlighted the potential advantages of exercise rehabilitation for managing this condition. Those studies show that exercise rehabilitation can enhance cognitive function and improve the quality of life for individuals affected by AD. Therefore, exercise rehabilitation has been regarded as one of the most important strategies for managing patients with AD. Herein, we provide a comprehensive analysis of the currently available findings on exercise rehabilitation in patients with AD, with a focus on the exercise types which have shown efficacy when implemented alone or combined with other treatment methods, as well as the potential mechanisms underlying these positive effects. Specifically, we explain how exercise may improve the brain microenvironment and neuronal plasticity. In conclusion, exercise is a cost-effective intervention to enhance cognitive performance and improve quality of life in patients with mild to moderate cognitive dysfunction. Therefore, it can potentially become both a physical activity and a tailored intervention. This review may aid the development of more effective and individualized treatment strategies to address the challenges imposed by this debilitating disease, especially in low-and middle-income countries.

A Survey on Sensor-and Communication-Based Issues of Autonomous UAVs

The application field for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) technology and its adoption rate have been increasingsteadily in the past years. Decreasing cost of commercial drones has enabled their use at a scale broader thanever before. However, increasing the complexity of UAVs and decreasing the cost, both contribute to a lack ofimplemented securitymeasures and raise new security and safety concerns. For instance, the issue of implausible ortampered UAV sensor measurements is barely addressed in the current research literature and thus, requires moreattention from the research community. The goal of this survey is to extensively review state-of-the-art literatureregarding common sensor- and communication-based vulnerabilities, existing threats, and active or passive cyberattacksagainst UAVs, as well as shed light on the research gaps in the literature. In this work, we describe theUnmanned Aerial System (UAS) architecture to point out the origination sources for security and safety issues.Weevaluate the coverage and completeness of each related research work in a comprehensive comparison table as wellas classify the threats, vulnerabilities and cyber-attacks into sensor-based and communication-based categories.Additionally, for each individual cyber-attack, we describe existing countermeasures or detectionmechanisms andprovide a list of requirements to ensureUAV’s security and safety.We also address the problem of implausible sensormeasurements and introduce the idea of a plausibility check for sensor data. By doing so, we discover additionalmeasures to improve security and safety and report on a research niche that is not well represented in the currentresearch literature.

Atypical presentation of a posterior fossa tumour:A case report

BACKGROUND We described a case of a patient with a meningioma in the posterior fossa presenting atypically with an isolated unilateral vocal cord palsy causing severe respiratory distress.This is of interest as the patient had no other symptomatology,especially given the size of the mass,which would typically cause a pressure effect leading to neurological and auditory symptoms.CASE SUMMARY This case report described a 48-year-old male who was married with two children and employed as a car guard.He had a medical history of asthma for the past 10 years controlled with an as-needed beta 2 agonist metered dose inhaler.He initially presented to our facility with severe respiratory distress.He reported a 1-wk history of shortness of breath and wheezing that was not relieved by his bronchodilator.He had no constitutional symptoms or impairment of hearing.On clinical examination,the patient’s chest was“silent.”Our initial assessment was status asthmaticus with type 2 respiratory failure,based on the history of asthma,a“silent chest,”and the arterial blood gas results.CONCLUSION A posterior fossa meningioma of such a large size and with extensive infiltration rarely presents with an isolated unilateral vocal cord palsy.The patient’s chief presenting feature was severe respiratory distress,which combined with his background medical history of asthma,was misleading.Clinicians should thus consider meningioma as a differential diagnosis for a unilateral vocal cord palsy even without audiology involvement.

miRNA-21-5p is an important contributor to the promotion of injured peripheral nerve regeneration using hypoxia-pretreated bone marrow-derived neural crest cells

Our previous study found that rat bone marrow–derived neural crest cells(acting as Schwann cell progenitors)have the potential to promote long-distance nerve repair.Cell-based therapy can enhance peripheral nerve repair and regeneration through paracrine bioactive factors and intercellular communication.Nevertheless,the complex contributions of various types of soluble cytokines and extracellular vesicle cargos to the secretome remain unclear.To investigate the role of the secretome and extracellular vesicles in repairing damaged peripheral nerves,we collected conditioned culture medium from hypoxia-pretreated neural crest cells,and found that it significantly promoted the repair of sensory neurons damaged by oxygen-glucose deprivation.The mRNA expression of trophic factors was highly expressed in hypoxia-pretreated neural crest cells.We performed RNA sequencing and bioinformatics analysis and found that miR-21-5p was enriched in hypoxia-pretreated extracellular vesicles of neural crest cells.Subsequently,to further clarify the role of hypoxia-pretreated neural crest cell extracellular vesicles rich in miR-21-5p in axonal growth and regeneration of sensory neurons,we used a microfluidic axonal dissociation model of sensory neurons in vitro,and found that hypoxia-pretreated neural crest cell extracellular vesicles promoted axonal growth and regeneration of sensory neurons,which was greatly dependent on loaded miR-21-5p.Finally,we constructed a miR-21-5p-loaded neural conduit to repair the sciatic nerve defect in rats and found that the motor and sensory functions of injured rat hind limb,as well as muscle tissue morphology of the hind limbs,were obviously restored.These findings suggest that hypoxia-pretreated neural crest extracellular vesicles are natural nanoparticles rich in miRNA-21-5p.miRNA-21-5p is one of the main contributors to promoting nerve regeneration by the neural crest cell secretome.This helps to explain the mechanism of action of the secretome and extracellular vesicles of neural crest cells in repairing damaged peripheral nerves,and also promotes the application of miR-21-5p in tissue engineering regeneration medicine.

Mid-term survival of the Optimys short stem: A prospective case series of 500 patients

BACKGROUND In recent years,there has been an increase in the number of total hip arthroplasty procedures in the younger patient population.This active group has higher expectations of their prosthesis in comparison to the older population,and there is a greater physical demand for the prosthesis.Short femoral stems were in-troduced to retain proximal bone stock and joint biomechanics and became more common to implant in this specific population.Currently,the long-term survival and functional outcomes of various short stems are still being investigated in different clinics.AIM To determine the 5-year survival of the Optimys hip stem.METHODS This was a prospective multicenter cohort study of 500 patients conducted in two hospitals in the Netherlands.All patients received the Optimys short stem(Mathys Ltd,Bettlach,Switzerland).The primary outcome measure was survival of the hip stem,with revision as the endpoint.The secondary outcome measurements included patient-reported outcome measures(PROMs).Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to calculate the 5-year survival rate.Log-minus-log transformation was performed to calculate the 95%confidence interval(95%CI).Mixed model analyses were performed to assess the course of the PROMs during the 1st 2 years after surgery.Analyses were modeled separately for the 1st and 2nd years to calculate the yearly change in PROMs during both follow-up periods with accompanying 95%CIs.RESULTS The mean age of the total 500 patients was 62.3 years(standard deviation:10.6)and 202 were male(40%).At a median follow-up of 5.5 years(interquartile range:4.5-6.7),7 patients were deceased and 6 revisions were registered,for infection(n=3),subsidence(n=2)and malposition(n=1).This resulted in an overall 5-year survival of 98.8%(95%CI:97.3-99.5).If infection was left out as reason for revision,a stem survival of 99.4%(95%CI:98.1-99.8)was seen.Baseline questionnaires were completed by 471 patients(94%),317 patients(63%)completed the 1-year follow-up questionnaires and 233 patients(47%)completed the 2-year follow-up.Both outcome measures significantly improved across all domains in the 1st year after the operation(P<0.03 for all domains).In the 2nd year after surgery,no significant changes were observed in any domain in comparison to the 1-year follow-up.CONCLUSION The Optimys stem has a 5-year survival of 98.8%.Patient-reported outcome measures increased significantly in the 1st postoperative year with stabilization at the 2-year follow-up.

Does the provision of live black soldier fly and yellow mealworm larvae improve Muscovy duck welfare?

Background The provision of environmental enrichments to Muscovy ducks could reduce the expression of the aggressive behaviors.The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of black soldier fly(BSF)and yellow mealworm(YM)live larva provision on Muscovy duck performance,excreta corticosterone metabolites(ECM),behavior,and blood parameters.Methods A total of 1263-day-old female Muscovy ducklings were allotted to 18 pens(6 replicates/treatment,7 birds/pen)and assigned to 3 experimental treatments:a control group fed commercial feed,and two experimental treatments fed commercial feed plus the 5%(based on the expected daily feed intake,as fed basis)of BSF and YM live larvae(BSF and YM groups,respectively).A two-phase feeding program was applied:starter(from 3 to 31 days of age)and grower-finisher(from 32 to 55 days of age).The live weight,average daily gain,average daily feed intake,and feed conversion ratio were calculated.Larva consumption times were collected,and video recordings were performed during 3 periods(P)each day:the hour before(P1),during(P2),and after(P3)the larva administration.ECM were evaluated at 3,31,and 55-day-old.Finally,the total red and white blood cell counts,serum proteins,lipids,and liver and renal function serum enzymes were evaluated on 12 birds/treatment.Results The experimental treatment did not affect the growth performance of the birds(P>0.05).Larva consumption times were always similar between the two insect species,except at 14–18 days of age,were BSF larvae were consumed faster than YM larvae(P<0.001).The birds showed less walking activity during P2,and preening behavior increased in YM birds during P3.The C birds increased the attack behavior over the weeks(P<0.05).During weeks 1–3 the YM group reduced the attack frequency(P1>P3;P<0.05).Finally,the provision of live BSF and YM larvae significantly reduced the ECM at 55 days of age and the heterophil to lymphocyte ratio(P<0.05).Conclusions Live BSF and YM larva supplementation in Muscovy duck improves duck welfare,without impairing birds'growth performance.

Close relationship between mediators of inflammation and pancreatic cancer:Our experience

In this editorial,we focus specifically on the mechanisms by which pancreatic inflammation affects pancreatic cancer.Cancer of the pancreas remains one of the deadliest cancer types.The highest incidence and mortality rates of pancreatic cancer are found in developed countries.Trends of pancreatic cancer incidence and mortality vary considerably worldwide.A better understanding of the etiology and identification of the risk factors is essential for the primary prevention of this disease.Pancreatic tumors are characterized by a complex microenvironment that orchestrates metabolic alterations and supports a milieu of interactions among various cell types within this niche.In this editorial,we highlight the foundational studies that have driven our understanding of these processes.In our experimental center,we have carefully studied the mechanisms of that link pancreatic inflammation and pancreatic cancer.We focused on the role of mast cells(MCs).MCs contain pro-angiogenic factors,including tryptase,that are associated with increased angiogenesis in various tumors.In this editorial,we address the role of MCs in angiogenesis in both pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma tissue and adjacent normal tissue.The assessment includes the density of c-Kit receptor-positive MCs,the density of tryptase-positive MCs,the area of tryptasepositive MCs,and angiogenesis in terms of microvascularization density.

Unleashing the Potential of Unidirectional Mechanical Materials: Breakthroughs and Promising Applications

The emergence of mechanically one-way materials presents an exciting opportunity for materials science and engineering. These substances exhibit unique nonreciprocal mechanical responses, enabling them to selectively channel mechanical energy and facilitate directed sound propagation, controlled mass transport, and concentration of mechanical energy amidst random motion. This article explores the fundamentals of mechanically one-way materials, their potential applications across various industries, and the economic and environmental considerations related to their production and use.

Analysis of the Quality of Physical and Chemical Parameters of Groundwater in Three Localities in the Sub-Prefecture of Zanzra (Ivory Coast)

The availability of groundwater of acceptable quality has become a difficult challenge to meet in many countries, particularly Côte d’Ivoire. The State of Côte d’Ivoire and rural populations are building hydraulic infrastructure for this purpose. However, the quality of water coming from these infrastructures remains to be determined. This study therefore aims to analyze certain physicochemical parameters of the groundwater of Gloazra, Kouezra and Trahonfla. These are temperature, pH, electrical conductivity, TDS, salinity level, hardness, alkalinity, chloride content and bicarbonate. To determine the pH, electrical conductivity, temperature, TDS, and salinity rate, an electrochemical analysis was carried out. The titrimetric analysis made it possible to determine the chloride and bicarbonate content, alkalinity, and hardness. The results indicate that the studied groundwater is soft and acidic with good mineralization. This water does not present a health hazard to consumers but can affect hydraulic equipment and household containers.

Membrane Proteins as Potential Colon Cancer Biomarkers: Verification of 4 Candidates from a Secretome Dataset

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is an important health issue in Taiwan. There were over ten thousand newly diagnosed CRC patients each year. The outcome of late stage CRC still remains to be improved, and tumor markers are expected to improve CRC detection and management. From a colorectal cancer cell secretome database, we chose four proteins as candidates for clinical verification, including tumor-associated calcium signal transducer 2 (TROP2, TACSTD2), transmembrane 9 superfamily member 2 (TM9SF2), and tetraspanin-6 (TSPAN6), and tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily member 16 (NGFR). Different groups of 30 CRC patients’ tissue samples collected from Chang Gung Memorial Hospital were analyzed by immunohistochemistry (IHC) for the four proteins, and the results were scored by pathologist. For all the four candidate proteins, marked differences of IHC score existed between tumor and adjacent non-tumor counterpart. However, there were only trends between higher protein expression levels and worse outcome. Three proteins (TROP2, TM9SF2 and NGFR) had trends between higher tissue expression and tumor stage or lymph node metastasis. Our study revealed that tissue expression of four proteins (TROP2, TM9SF2, TSPAN6, and NGFR) was markedly different between tumor and adjacent non-tumor counterparts. Overexpression of all these four proteins showed some trends with poorer survival.

Landslide susceptibility assessment in Western Henan Province based on a comparison of conventional and ensemble machine learning

Landslide is a serious natural disaster next only to earthquake and flood,which will cause a great threat to people’s lives and property safety.The traditional research of landslide disaster based on experience-driven or statistical model and its assessment results are subjective,difficult to quantify,and no pertinence.As a new research method for landslide susceptibility assessment,machine learning can greatly improve the landslide susceptibility model’s accuracy by constructing statistical models.Taking Western Henan for example,the study selected 16 landslide influencing factors such as topography,geological environment,hydrological conditions,and human activities,and 11 landslide factors with the most significant influence on the landslide were selected by the recursive feature elimination(RFE)method.Five machine learning methods[Support Vector Machines(SVM),Logistic Regression(LR),Random Forest(RF),Extreme Gradient Boosting(XGBoost),and Linear Discriminant Analysis(LDA)]were used to construct the spatial distribution model of landslide susceptibility.The models were evaluated by the receiver operating characteristic curve and statistical index.After analysis and comparison,the XGBoost model(AUC 0.8759)performed the best and was suitable for dealing with regression problems.The model had a high adaptability to landslide data.According to the landslide susceptibility map of the five models,the overall distribution can be observed.The extremely high and high susceptibility areas are distributed in the Funiu Mountain range in the southwest,the Xiaoshan Mountain range in the west,and the Yellow River Basin in the north.These areas have large terrain fluctuations,complicated geological structural environments and frequent human engineering activities.The extremely high and highly prone areas were 12043.3 km^(2)and 3087.45 km^(2),accounting for 47.61%and 12.20%of the total area of the study area,respectively.Our study reflects the distribution of landslide susceptibility in western Henan Province,which provides a scientific basis for regional disaster warning,prediction,and resource protection.The study has important practical significance for subsequent landslide disaster management.

Deep Learning-Based Classification of Rotten Fruits and Identification of Shelf Life

The freshness of fruits is considered to be one of the essential characteristics for consumers in determining their quality,flavor and nutritional value.The primary need for identifying rotten fruits is to ensure that only fresh and high-quality fruits are sold to consumers.The impact of rotten fruits can foster harmful bacteria,molds and other microorganisms that can cause food poisoning and other illnesses to the consumers.The overall purpose of the study is to classify rotten fruits,which can affect the taste,texture,and appearance of other fresh fruits,thereby reducing their shelf life.The agriculture and food industries are increasingly adopting computer vision technology to detect rotten fruits and forecast their shelf life.Hence,this research work mainly focuses on the Convolutional Neural Network’s(CNN)deep learning model,which helps in the classification of rotten fruits.The proposed methodology involves real-time analysis of a dataset of various types of fruits,including apples,bananas,oranges,papayas and guavas.Similarly,machine learningmodels such as GaussianNaïve Bayes(GNB)and random forest are used to predict the fruit’s shelf life.The results obtained from the various pre-trained models for rotten fruit detection are analysed based on an accuracy score to determine the best model.In comparison to other pre-trained models,the visual geometry group16(VGG16)obtained a higher accuracy score of 95%.Likewise,the random forest model delivers a better accuracy score of 88% when compared with GNB in forecasting the fruit’s shelf life.By developing an accurate classification model,only fresh and safe fruits reach consumers,reducing the risks associated with contaminated produce.Thereby,the proposed approach will have a significant impact on the food industry for efficient fruit distribution and also benefit customers to purchase fresh fruits.

Knock-out of BnHva22c reduces the susceptibility of Brassica napus to infection with the fungal pathogen Verticillium longisporum

Verticillium longisporum(Vl43)is a soilborne hemibiotrophic fungal pathogen causing stem striping on oilseed rape(OSR)and severe yield losses.Breeding for resistant varieties is the most promising approach to control this disease.Here,we report the identification of Hva22c as a novel susceptibility factor and its potential for improving OSR resistance.Hva22c is a member of the Hva22 gene family,originally described for barley(Hordeum vulgare).Several Hva22 members have been located at the endoplasmic reticulum.Hva22c is up-regulated in response to Vl43 in both Arabidopsis and OSR.We demonstrate that knock-out of Hva22c in OSR by CRISPR/Cas9 and its homolog in Arabidopsis by T-DNA insertion reduced plants’susceptibility to Vl43 infection and impaired the development of disease symptoms.To understand the underlying mechanism,we analysed transcriptomic data from infected and non-infected roots of hva22c knock-out and wild type plants.We identified a homozygous mutant with frame-shifts in all four BnHva22c loci displaying a vastly altered transcriptional landscape at 6 dpi.Significantly,a large set of genes was suppressed under mock conditions including genes related to the endomembrane systems.Among the up-regulated genes we found several defense-related and phytohormone-responsive genes when comparing mutant to the wild type.These results demonstrate that Hva22c is functionally required for a fully compatible plant-fungus interaction.Its loss of function reduces plant susceptibility,most likely due to endoplasmatic reticulum and Golgi dysfunction accompanied by additionally activated defense responses.These findings can help improve OSR resistance to V.longisporum infection.

Liver transplantation as an alternative for the treatment of neuroendocrine liver metastasis: Appraisal of the current evidence

Background:Liver transplantation(LT)for neuroendocrine liver metastases(NELM)is still in debate.Studies comparing LT with liver resection(LR)for NELM are scarce,as patient selection is heterogeneous and experience is limited.The goal of this review was to provide a critical analysis of the evidence on LT versus LR in the treatment of NELM.Data sources:A scoping literature search on LT and LR for NELM was performed with PubMed,including English articles up to March 2023.Results:International guidelines recommend LR for NELM in resectable,well-differentiated tumors in the absence of extrahepatic metastatic disease with superior results of LR compared to systemic or liver-directed therapies.Advanced liver surgery has extended resectability criteria whilst entailing increased perioperative risk and short disease-free survival.In highly selected patients(based on the Milan criteria)with unresectable NELM,oncologic results of LT are promising.Prognostic factors include tumor biology(G1/G2)and burden,waiting time for LT,patient age and extrahepatic spread.Based on low-level evi-dence,LT for low-grade NELM within the Milan criteria resulted in improved disease-free survival and overall survival compared to LR.The benefits of LT were lost in patients beyond the Milan NELM-criteria.Conclusions:With adherence to strict selection criteria especially tumor biology,LT for NELM is becoming a valuable option providing oncologic benefits compared to LR.Recent evidence suggests even stricter selection criteria with regard to tumor biology.

The effects of maltodextrin/starch in soy protein isolate–wheat gluten on the thermal stability of high-moisture extrudates

This study aimed to investigate the interaction between maltodextrin/starch of different molecular weight distributions and soy protein isolate (SPI)–wheat gluten (WG) matrix during high-moisture extrusion.Two maltodextrins (dextrose equivalent (DE):10 and 20) and wheat starch were extruded with SPI–WG blend in a system of 65,70,and 75%moisture to investigate their effects on texture and thermal stability.Incorporating 5%maltodextrin (DE10) in the SPI–WG matrix improved the fiber structure and thermal stability.When wheat starch was thoroughly gelatinized during subsequent sterilization,the fiber structure and thermal stability were also improved.It was found that the plasticization caused by small-molecular weight saccharides and enhanced phase separation caused by large-molecular weight saccharides changed the melting temperature of blends and significantly improved the texture and thermal stability of extrudates.

Nonaqueous potassium-ion full-cells:Mapping the progress and identifying missing puzzle pieces

This review addresses the growing interest for potassium-ion full-cells(KIFCs)in view of the transition from potassium-ion half-cells(KIHCs)toward commercial K-ion batteries(KIBs).It focuses on the key parameters of KIFCs such as the electrode/electrolyte interfaces challenge,major barriers,and recent advancements in KIFCs.The strategies for enhancing KIFC performance,including interfaces co ntrol,electrolyte optimization,electrodes capacity ratio,electrode material screening and electrode design,are discussed.The review highlights the need to evaluate KIBs in full-cell configurations as half-cell results are strongly impacted by the K metal reactivity.It also emphasizes the importance of understanding solid electrolyte interphase(SEI)formation in KIFCs and explores promising nonaqueous as well as quasiand all-solid-state electrolytes options.This review thus paves the way for practical,cost-effective,and scalable KIBs as energy storage systems by offering insights and guidance for future research.

Fecal calprotectin in pediatric gastrointestinal diseases:Pros and cons

BACKGROUND Fecal calprotectin is a valuable biomarker for assessing intestinal inflammation in pediatric gastrointestinal diseases.However,its role,pros,and cons in various conditions must be comprehensively elucidated.AIM To explore the role of fecal calprotectin in pediatric gastrointestinal diseases,including its advantages and limitations.METHODS A comprehensive search was conducted on PubMed,PubMed Central,Google Scholar,and other scientific research engines until February 24,2024.The review included 88 research articles,56 review articles,six metaanalyses,two systematic reviews,two consensus papers,and two letters to the editors.RESULTS Fecal calprotectin is a non-invasive marker for detecting intestinal inflammation and monitoring disease activity in pediatric conditions such as functional gastrointestinal disorders,inflammatory bowel disease,coeliac disease,coronavirus disease 2019-induced gastrointestinal disorders,gastroenteritis,and cystic fibrosis-associated intestinal pathology.However,its lack of specificity and susceptibility to various confounding factors pose challenges in interpretation.Despite these limitations,fecal calprotectin offers significant advantages in diagnosing,monitoring,and managing pediatric gastrointestinal diseases.CONCLUSION Fecal calprotectin holds promise as a valuable tool in pediatric gastroenterology,offering insights into disease activity,treatment response,and prognosis.Standardized protocols and guidelines are needed to optimize its clinical utility and mitigate interpretation challenges.Further research is warranted to address the identified limitations and enhance our understanding of fecal calprotectin in pediatric gastrointestinal diseases.

Ocular manifestations of central insulin resistance

Central insulin resistance, the diminished cellular sensitivity to insulin in the brain, has been implicated in diabetes mellitus, Alzheimer’s disease and other neurological disorders. However, whether and how central insulin resistance plays a role in the eye remains unclear. Here, we performed intracerebroventricular injection of S961, a potent and specific blocker of insulin receptor in adult Wistar rats to test if central insulin resistance leads to pathological changes in ocular structures. 80 mg of S961 was stereotaxically injected into the lateral ventricle of the experimental group twice at 7 days apart, whereas buffer solution was injected to the sham control group. Blood samples, intraocular pressure, trabecular meshwork morphology, ciliary body markers, retinal and optic nerve integrity, and whole genome expression patterns were then evaluated. While neither blood glucose nor serum insulin level was significantly altered in the experimental or control group, we found that injection of S961 but not buffer solution significantly increased intraocular pressure at 14 and 24 days after first injection, along with reduced porosity and aquaporin 4 expression in the trabecular meshwork, and increased tumor necrosis factor α and aquaporin 4 expression in the ciliary body. In the retina, cell density and insulin receptor expression decreased in the retinal ganglion cell layer upon S961 injection. Fundus photography revealed peripapillary atrophy with vascular dysregulation in the experimental group. These retinal changes were accompanied by upregulation of pro-inflammatory and pro-apoptotic genes, downregulation of anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, and neurotrophic genes, as well as dysregulation of genes involved in insulin signaling. Optic nerve histology indicated microglial activation and changes in the expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein, tumor necrosis factor α, and aquaporin 4. Molecular pathway architecture of the retina revealed the three most significant pathways involved being inflammation/cell stress, insulin signaling, and extracellular matrix regulation relevant to neurodegeneration. There was also a multimodal crosstalk between insulin signaling derangement and inflammation-related genes. Taken together, our results indicate that blocking insulin receptor signaling in the central nervous system can lead to trabecular meshwork and ciliary body dysfunction, intraocular pressure elevation, as well as inflammation, glial activation, and apoptosis in the retina and optic nerve. Given that central insulin resistance my lead to neurodegenerative phenotype in the visual system, targeting insulin signaling may hold promise for vision disorders involving the retina and optic nerve.

Clean Coal &High Carbon Efficiency Energy Engineering

Today we live in a world of Hydrocarbon Energy Carriers, where Carbon is always used as a Carrier for Hydrogen 1) Biomass (CH1.44O0.66 or C6H12O6);2) Natural Gas [NG] (CH4);3) Water Gas [C+H2O];4) Gasoline (C6H12, C7H18, C8H18, etc.);5) Kerosene (C17H36, C18H38, C19H40, C20H42, C21H44, C22H46, etc.) and;6) Crude Oil. The Carbon aggregates are all storable and have worthwhile, logistically manageable energy densities. But whenever recovering Energy from the Carbon molarities, CO2 gets emitted into the atmosphere, while separate use of Hydrogen Energy contents carried by the Carbon moieties would just generate water vapor. Hydrogen is also the most important intermediary in Refineries, hydrogenating lower grade Hydrocarbons into higher potencies, or for removing Sulfur by the formation of Hydrogen Sulfur, that can be dissociated after its segregation from the Hydrocarbon products. But most of the internal Hydrogen yields in Refineries today is used for onsite production of Ammonia as a basis for Energy fertilizers in high performance agriculture. Because Hydrogen is awkward to store and transport, most of it is currently used captive within large size centralized plants as a reactant for producing Hydrocarbon energy carriers, using the Carbon as a carrier for the Hydrogen moieties, to then be distributed over big enough areas for consumption of the such large scale plants’ volumes. With recently proven achievements of Hydrogen production from excess Wind & Solar Power by electrolysis, Hydrogen could become available in abundant quantities, to be distributed locally within the coverage area of the transmission grid such Wind & Solar installations are feeding into. In combination with Carbon as a reactant such abundant Hydrogen could also be synthesized into Hydrocarbon Energy Carriers and substitute fossil commodities.