Hasil untuk "Life"

Shuo Wang, Jinhua Chi, Yanting Wang et al.

Vitrectomy is a common clinical treatment for fundus disease. Due to the non-renewable nature of the vitreous, artificial vitreous are usually required to replace natural vitreous to perform functions post operation. Silicone oil and gas, as the most commonly used vitreous substitutes, have obvious drawbacks, which may lead to postoperative posture maintenance, visual impairment, cataract formation and secondary surgery. In this study, an in situ cross-linked bionic hydrogel (OAHA-CDHA/Col) based on hyaluronic acid (HA) and collagen (Col) with available gelling time for clinical operation, excellent self-healing and fatigue resistance, as well as suitable mechanical and optical properties is constructed. The compatibility and degradability of OAHA-CDHA/Col hydrogel are verified, as well as the feasibility as vitreous substitute in rabbit vitrectomy model. Notably, the hydrogel demonstrates improved intraocular tolerance compared with silicone oil, with no cataracts, endophthalmitis, fundus lesions and other complications observed. These findings position the OAHA-CDHA/Col hydrogel as a promising candidate for an ideal vitreous substitute.

Marius Giorgi Usturoi, Roxana Nicoleta Rațu, Ioana Cristina Crivei et al.

This study explores the nutritional benefits and health implications of omega-3- and omega-6-enriched eggs, positioning them within the context of functional foods aimed at improving public health outcomes. With rising consumer interest in nutritionally fortified foods, omega-enriched eggs have emerged as a viable source of essential fatty acids, offering potential benefits for cardiovascular health, inflammation reduction, and cognitive function. This research examines enrichment techniques, particularly dietary modifications for laying hens, such as the inclusion of flaxseed and algae, to enhance omega-3 content and balance the omega-6-to-omega-3 ratio in eggs. The findings indicate that enriched eggs provide significantly higher levels of essential fatty acids and bioactive compounds than conventional eggs, aligning with dietary needs in populations with limited access to traditional omega-3 sources like fish. This study further addresses consumer perception challenges, regulatory constraints, and environmental considerations related to sustainable production practices. The conclusions underscore the value of omega-enriched eggs as a functional food that aligns with health-conscious dietary trends and recommend ongoing research to refine enrichment methods and expand market accessibility.

A. V. Novozhilov, S. E. Grigoriev, O. Yu. Yakovleva et al.

Introduction. Kidney transplantation (KT) is often considered the best option for renal replacement therapy (RRT), significantly improving patient outcomes. Post-transplant, life expectancy doubles, and mortality decreases more than 4-fold compared to other RRT modalities. This article presents KT outcomes in Irkutsk Region from 2018 to 2023. All procedures were performed at a single center – the Irkutsk Regional Clinical Hospital.Objective: to analyze the immediate and long-term outcomes of KT in Irkutsk Region.Material and methods. A retrospective analysis was conducted on the treatment outcomes of 125 patients with kidney failure (KF). Among them, 74 were men with a median age of 42 (35–49) years, and 51 were women with a median age of 46 (37–55) years. The median transplant waitlist time was 15.5 (range: 6–32) months. The leading cause of KF was chronic glomerulonephritis, observed in 60 patients (48%). There were no HLA matches in 36 patients (28.8%), while 38 patients (30.4%) had one match. Arterial anastomosis was primarily performed end-to-end with the external iliac artery in 121 cases (96.8%), while in 3 cases (2.4%), the internal iliac artery was used due to external iliac artery spasm. Cold ischemia time was 222 minutes (range: 162–360), and warm ischemia time was 39 minutes (range: 30–46).Results. Length of hospital stay was 16 (range: 13–25) bed days. Primary renal function was achieved in 95 patients (77%), while 25 patients (20%) experienced delayed graft function. Blood tacrolimus reached target levels by postoperative days 9–12. Creatinine level at discharge was 120 μmol/L (range: 97–165). Surgical complications occurred in 24 patients (19.2%), while urinary tract infections were observed in 36 patients (28.8%), with 17 cases (13.6%) presenting clinical symptoms. Immunosuppressive therapy was initiated in 124 patients (99.2%) using a standard triple-drug regimen (calcineurin inhibitors, mycophenolates, and glucocorticoids). One patient (0.8%) succumbed to complications from COVID-19. One-year graft survival was 94.1%.Conclusion. The immediate outcomes align with national averages. There is a consistent upward trend in the number of kidney transplants performed. Further development of the regional transplant program will enhance access to this high-tech medical service, meeting the needs of the local population.

Nicolas Donner

This paper considers the ways of establishing oil enclaves in difficult environments and it focuses on procedures that aim to safeguard the extractive activity from external disturbance and/or hostility. First, in addressing the case of enclaves located in extreme environments (hostile to life), we show that the organization of enclaves is an important tool of their immunization: by producing an inclusive and autonomous space, an "architecture of vacuum "(Sloterdijk) allows to free the activity from the conditions and contingencies of the external environment. Secondly, we move to the case of enclaves established in environments that are inhabited and territorialized, where immunization procedures are enriched by defensive (fencing) and intrusive mechanisms (sustainable practices). Finally we discuss the emergence of an ethical paradigm that tangled in strategies that aim to ensure the continuity of extractive activities.

Callum M Ives, Linh Nguyen, Carl A Fogarty et al.

Glycosylation of the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein represents a key target for viral evolution because it affects both viral evasion and fitness. Successful variations in the glycan shield are difficult to achieve though, as protein glycosylation is also critical to folding and structural stability. Within this framework, the identification of glycosylation sites that are structurally dispensable can provide insight into the evolutionary mechanisms of the shield and inform immune surveillance. In this work, we show through over 45 μs of cumulative sampling from conventional and enhanced molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, how the structure of the immunodominant S receptor binding domain (RBD) is regulated by N-glycosylation at N343 and how this glycan’s structural role changes from WHu-1, alpha (B.1.1.7), and beta (B.1.351), to the delta (B.1.617.2), and omicron (BA.1 and BA.2.86) variants. More specifically, we find that the amphipathic nature of the N-glycan is instrumental to preserve the structural integrity of the RBD hydrophobic core and that loss of glycosylation at N343 triggers a specific and consistent conformational change. We show how this change allosterically regulates the conformation of the receptor binding motif (RBM) in the WHu-1, alpha, and beta RBDs, but not in the delta and omicron variants, due to mutations that reinforce the RBD architecture. In support of these findings, we show that the binding of the RBD to monosialylated ganglioside co-receptors is highly dependent on N343 glycosylation in the WHu-1, but not in the delta RBD, and that affinity changes significantly across VoCs. Ultimately, the molecular and functional insight we provide in this work reinforces our understanding of the role of glycosylation in protein structure and function and it also allows us to identify the structural constraints within which the glycosylation site at N343 can become a hotspot for mutations in the SARS-CoV-2 S glycan shield.

Isobel C. Mouat, Li Zhu, Alperen Aslan et al.

Abstract Background Fatigue is a common complication of stroke that has a significant impact on quality of life. The biological mechanisms that underly post-stroke fatigue are currently unclear, however, reactivation of latent viruses and their impact on systemic immune function have been increasingly reported in other conditions where fatigue is a predominant symptom. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in particular has been associated with fatigue, including in long-COVID and myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome, but has not yet been explored within the context of stroke. Aims We performed an exploratory analysis to determine if there is evidence of a relationship between EBV reactivation and post-stroke fatigue. Methods In a chronic ischemic stroke cohort (> 5 months post-stroke), we assayed circulating EBV by qPCR and measured the titres of anti-EBV antibodies by ELISA in patients with high fatigue (FACIT-F < 40) and low fatigue (FACIT-F > 41). Statistical analysis between two-groups were performed by t-test when normally distributed according to the Shapiro-Wilk test, by Mann-Whitney test when the data was not normally distributed, and by Fisher’s exact test for categorical data. Results We observed a similar incidence of viral reactivation between people with low versus high levels of post-stroke fatigue (5 of 22 participants (24%) versus 6 of 22 participants (27%)). Although the amount of circulating EBV was similar, we observed an altered circulating anti-EBV antibody profile in participants with high fatigue, with reduced IgM against the Viral Capsid Antigen (2.244 ± 0.926 vs. 3.334 ± 2.68; P = 0.031). Total IgM levels were not different between groups indicating this effect was specific to anti-EBV antibodies (3.23 × 105 ± 4.44 × 104 high fatigue versus 4.60 × 105 ± 9.28 × 104 low fatigue; P = 0.288). Conclusions These data indicate that EBV is not more prone to reactivation during chronic stroke recovery in those with post-stroke fatigue. However, the dysregulated antibody response to EBV may be suggestive of viral reactivation at an earlier stage after stroke.

O.O. Khaustova , A.E. Asanova, N.O. Dzeruzhynska et al.

Determining the optimal antipsychotic drugs, its effective dose, duration of therapy, form, and route of administration play a key role in the treatment of schizophrenia. In addition, special attention should be paid to the effectiveness of using different forms of antipsychotic drugs, in particular, the orally disintegrating form as exemplified by olanzapine. To study the peculiarities of a personalized approach in the use of antipsychotic drugs to achieve more effective results in treating schizophrenia, a content analysis was conducted using Ukrainian and English-language publications for the past 15 years. The search was conducted using the PubMed and CrossRef databases. An important conclusion is that the optimal therapeutic formula or drug should be selected individually, considering the specific patient's clinical condition. However, the most important factor in achieving successful results is the individually selected form and dose of the antipsychotic drugs. In addition to the patient's mental state, the choice of antipsychotic therapy is influenced by the spectrum of side effects, individual sensitivity to the active substance, pharmacological history, economic factors, etc. This is especially true for patients with insufficient adherence to treatment, which can often arise due to the side effects of drugs. In this case, it is important to correctly select both the active substance and the appropriate route of administration. Personalized selection of antipsychotic drugs also involves dynamic monitoring of changes in the patient's clinical condition, allowing for timely diagnosis of drug side effects, dose adjustments, or changes in the route of administration. These measures help increase patient adherence to treatment and improve their health-related quality of life.

Rutger Osterthun, Katharina Sunnerhagen, Henk J. Stam et al.

Objective: As Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine physicians are experts in functional prognoses of disabling health conditions, the aim of this study was to gain insight into their involvement in end-of-life decisions in patients with neurological or terminal diseases in European countries. Design: Exploratory cross-sectional survey. Subjects: Delegates of the Union of European Medical Specialists, Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine Section. Methods: In July 2020, a self-constructed survey was sent to 82 delegates from 38 European countries, who were asked to answer from the point of view of their country. Topics included the legal status of end-of-life decisions and the involvement of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine physicians in these decisions. Results: Between July 2020 and December 2020, 32 delegates from 28 countries completed the survey (response rate country level of 74%). If legal frameworks allow for these specific end-of-life decisions, involvement of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine physicians was reported in 2 of 3 countries in euthanasia cases, 10 of 17 countries in non-treatment decision cases, and 13 of 16 countries in cases of intensified symptom management by the administration of drugs using potentially life-shortening doses. Conclusion: Estimated involvement of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine physicians in end-of-life decisions varied between European countries, even when legal frameworks allow for these decisions. LAY ABSTRACT End-of-life considerations may arise after severe disabling health conditions and lead to end-of-life decisions. As Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine physicians are experts in functional prognosis for patients with these health conditions, their expertise could be of value to consider in these decisions. Legal frameworks and attitudes towards end-of-life decisions differ between European countries. However, there is a lack of information on the involvement of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine physicians in these decisions. Therefore, delegates of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine physicians in European countries were surveyed on the legal status of end-of-life decisions and the involvement of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine physicians. The responses of delegates from 28 countries suggested differences in involvement of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine physicians in end-of-life decisions between European countries, even between countries with a legal status of these end-of-life decisions. In the light of the ageing population and a general tendency toward more liberal attitudes concerning end-of-life decisions in Europe, these findings could be of interest in order to optimize end-of-life care in the coming years.

Dapai Shi, Jingyuan Zhao, Chika Eze et al.

As the popularity of electric vehicles (EVs) and smart grids continues to rise, so does the demand for batteries. Within the landscape of battery-powered energy storage systems, the battery management system (BMS) is crucial. It provides key functions such as battery state estimation (including state of charge, state of health, battery safety, and thermal management) as well as cell balancing. Its primary role is to ensure safe battery operation. However, due to the limited memory and computational capacity of onboard chips, achieving this goal is challenging, as both theory and practical evidence suggest. Given the immense amount of battery data produced over its operational life, the scientific community is increasingly turning to cloud computing for data storage and analysis. This cloud-based digital solution presents a more flexible and efficient alternative to traditional methods that often require significant hardware investments. The integration of machine learning is becoming an essential tool for extracting patterns and insights from vast amounts of observational data. As a result, the future points towards the development of a cloud-based artificial intelligence (AI)-enhanced BMS. This will notably improve the predictive and modeling capacity for long-range connections across various timescales, by combining the strength of physical process models with the versatility of machine learning techniques.

Guillaume Larid, Justine Vix, Ronan Garlantezec et al.

Abstract Remission in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an important therapeutic target that is not easy to achieve in real-life conditions. Some prognostic factors have been identified but the literature is variable. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the remission rate and the maintenance of remission in patients with RA over 7 years of follow-up in real-life conditions and to identify prognostic factors of long-term remission. Patients with RA seen at the Poitiers University Hospital were identified and clinical and biological data were collected. Data were analysed after 1 year and 7 years. Twice as many patients were in remission at 7 years than at 1 year of follow-up. 48.6% of patients who were not in remission at 1 year obtained remission at 7 years of follow-up. Patients achieving remission were more often receiving coprescription of csDMARDs and bDMARDs. Patients not in remission at 7 years were given more corticosteroids at higher doses. After 7 years of follow-up, low initial disease activity and use of csDMARDs and bDMARDs appeared to be independent positive predictive factors. Once obtained at one year, remission was maintained for 76% of our patients. As a conclusion, modern management of RA, whatever disease duration, leads to remission rates similar to those of early RA after 7 years of follow-up.

Sisi Shen, Zaiquan Dong, Qi Zhang et al.

Background: Emotional disorder is an important indicator for assessing the quality of life (QOL) of people with epilepsy (PWE). Depression, somatic symptom disorder (SSD) and anxiety are among the most frequently occurring mental disorders and overlap with each other. Objectives: This study examines the overlap of these three emotional disorders and their effects separately and in combination on the QOL of PWE. Design: Cross-sectional study. Data Sources and Methods: Adults attending our epilepsy clinic between 1 July 2020 and 1 May 2022 were consecutively enrolled. They were screened for depression, SSD, and anxiety by structured interviews, and demographic, epilepsy-related and QOL indicators were collected. Multivariate analysis, propensity score matching (PSM) and stratified analysis were used to explore the effects of their respective and combined effects on QOL. Results: Among the 749 patients, 189 patients (25%) were diagnosed with depression, 183 patients (24%) were diagnosed with SSD, and 157 patients (21%) were diagnosed with anxiety. The frequency of occurrence of each emotional disorder together with other emotional disorders was higher than the frequency of occurrence of an emotional disorder alone. Depression, SSD, and anxiety all had an independent effect on QOL of PWE ( p  < 0.001). Depression had the greatest effect, followed by SSD, and then anxiety ( β : multivariate analysis, −11.0 versus –7.8 versus –6.5; PSM, −14.7 versus –9.4 versus –6.8). The QOL of PWE decreased more significantly with the increasing number of comorbid emotional disorders ( β : –12.1 versus –20.7 versus –23.0). Conclusion: It is necessary to screen for three emotional disorders, that is, depression, SSD, and anxiety, in PWE. Attention should be paid to people with multiple comorbid emotional disorders.

Minhan Yi, Minhan Yi, Minhan Yi et al.

BackgroundInflammation proteins including interleukins (ILs) have been reported to be related to obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The aims of this study were to estimate the levels for several key interleukins in OSA and the causal effects between them.MethodWeighted mean difference (WMD) was used to compare the expression differences of interleukins between OSA and control, and the changed levels during OSA treatments in the meta-analysis section. A two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) was used to estimate the causal directions and effect sizes between OSA risks and interleukins. The inverse-variance weighting (IVW) was used as the primary method followed by several other MR methods including MR Egger, Weighted median, and MR-Robust Adjusted Profile Score as sensitivity analysis.ResultsNine different interleukins—IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-12, IL-17, IL-18, and IL-23—were elevated in OSA compared with control to varying degrees, ranging from 0.82 to 100.14 pg/ml, and one interleukin, IL-10, was decreased by 0.77 pg/ml. Increased IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-8 rather than IL-10 can be reduced in OSA by effective treatments. Further, the MR analysis of the IVW method showed that there was no significant evidence to support the causal relationships between OSA and the nine interleukins—IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-17, and IL-18. Among them, the causal effect of OSA on IL-5 was almost significant [estimate: 0.267 (−0.030, 0.564), p = 0.078]. These results were consistent in the sensitivity analysis.ConclusionsAlthough IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-12, IL-17, IL-18, and IL-23 were increasing and IL-10 was reducing in OSA, no significant causal relationships were observed between them by MR analysis. Further research is needed to test the causality of OSA risk on elevated IL-5 level.

Hammad Ullah, Yaseen Hussain, Cristina Santarcangelo et al.

Food spoilage makes foods undesirable and unacceptable for human use. The preservation of food is essential for human survival, and different techniques were initially used to limit the growth of spoiling microbes, e.g., drying, heating, salting, or fermentation. Water activity, temperature, redox potential, preservatives, and competitive microorganisms are the most important approaches used in the preservation of food products. Preservative agents are generally classified into antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-browning agents. On the other hand, artificial preservatives (sorbate, sulfite, or nitrite) may cause serious health hazards such as hypersensitivity, asthma, neurological damage, hyperactivity, and cancer. Thus, consumers prefer natural food preservatives to synthetic ones, as they are considered safer. Polyphenols have potential uses as biopreservatives in the food industry, because their antimicrobial and antioxidant activities can increase the storage life of food products. The antioxidant capacity of polyphenols is mainly due to the inhibition of free radical formation. Moreover, the antimicrobial activity of plants and herbs is mainly attributed to the presence of phenolic compounds. Thus, incorporation of botanical extracts rich in polyphenols in perishable foods can be considered since no pure polyphenolic compounds are authorized as food preservatives. However, individual polyphenols can be screened in this regard. In conclusion, this review highlights the use of phenolic compounds or botanical extracts rich in polyphenols as preservative agents with special reference to meat and dairy products.

Sławomir Lewicki, Monika Leśniak, Agnieszka Sobolewska-Ruta et al.

Introduction Cytokines are important immune modulator factors controlling homeostasis of the body and are involved in tissue regeneration after wound healing. The encapsulation of cytokines in liposomes has many advantages potentially useful for their transfer to the cells. Liposomes protect cytokines from neutralization, improving their pharmacokinetics or biologic activity in vivo. They are targeted to specific cell types and may delay the release of cytokines, allowing their sustained paracrine delivery. Their physicochemical characteristics such as size, shape, charge, and stability are important parameters improving bio-distribution and prolonged pharmacokinetics of encapsulated cytokines. Material and methods We developed an efficient protocol for the encapsulation of two types of cytokines, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), in liposomes that can be stored long term in the active state. Results This method allows for the encapsulation of 12–13% of the total amount of cytokines and 50% of encapsulated cytokines are entrapped in liposomes of more than ≤ 600 nm in diameter. We show that in the studied cell lines the liposome-encapsulated cytokines do not affect cell morphology, proliferation or mortality. Conclusions The G-CSF or GM-CSF can be delivered to the cells in working concentrations through the encapsulation in the liposomes. Before the clinical application, the efficiency of these liposomes should be confirmed by an in vivo study.

Markus Idvall

The aim of this article is to explore how the phenomenon of brain world, as a symptom of a possible emerging neuroculture, is perceived and enacted by patients with Parkinson’s disease, who, in their daily life, are subjected to neuroscience, most often as chronically ill individuals hoping for a cure, but also in some instances as participants in clinical trials. The article is based on a multifaceted ethnographic material that maps the experiences of biomedical research among patients with Parkinson’s. The main body of material consists of interviews carried out in 2012 and 2015, and comprises 19 transcripts of recorded conversations, conducted in groups as well as individually. The article argues that the exposure of the patients to clinical neuroscience gives birth to neuroculture. A materialist-discursive phenomenon called brain world—perceptions and enactments of the brain—is problematized on the basis of how patients cope with and reflect on their chronic illness in everyday life situations and in confrontation with clinical neuroscience. The embodied experience of the illness operates as the route into the brain world and also becomes the ground for how this world is featured with specific properties. Brain world is in this respect a contradictory entity: both plastic and fragile, both accessible and too complex, both strange and known. Most of all, brain world, in the eyes of the patients, relates to a territory still dominated by neuroscientists.

Leslie M. Stone-Roy, Joel Moritz Jr., Philip Turk et al.

Malfunctioning sensory systems can severely impact quality of life and repair is not always possible. One solution, called sensory substitution, is to use another sensory system to bring lost information to the brain. This approach often involves the use of bioengineered devices that electrically stimulate somatosensory fibers. Interestingly, the tongue is an ideal location for electrotactile stimulation due to its dense innervation, moisture, and protected environment. Success with transmitting visual and vestibular information through the tongue indicates promise for future applications. However, sensitivity and discrimination ability varies between individuals and across the tongue surface complicating efforts to produce reliable and consistent sensations. The goals of the present study were to investigate these differences more precisely to better understand the mechanosensory innervation of the tongue so that future electrotactile devices can be designed more effectively. Specifically, we tested whether stimulation of certain regions of the tongue consistently result in better perception, whether the spacing of stimulating electrodes affects perceived intensity, and whether the orientation of electrodes affects perceived intensity and discrimination. To test these hypotheses, we built a custom tongue stimulation device, recruited 25 participants, and collected perceived intensity and discrimination data. We then subjected the data to thorough statistical analyses. Consistent with previous studies, we found that stimulation of the anterior medial tongue region was perceived as more intense than stimulation of lateral and posterior regions. This region also had the best discrimination ability for electrodes. Dividing the stimulated tongue area into 16 distinct regions allowed us to compare perception ability between anterior and posterior regions, medial and lateral regions, and the left and right sides of the tongue. Stimulation of the most anterior and medial tongue resulted in the highest perceived intensity and the best discrimination ability. Most individuals were able to perceive and discriminate electrotactile stimulation better on one side of the tongue, and orientation of stimulating electrodes affected perception. In conclusion, the present studies reveal new information about the somatosensory innervation of the tongue and will assist the design of future electrotactile tongue stimulation devices that will help provide sensory information to people with damaged sensory systems.

Johanna Buchcik, Joachim Westenhöfer, Mick Fleming et al.

Objective: The Sf-36 is the most widely used instrument to measure health-related quality of life (HRQoL) with the most convincing evidence of both internal consistency and test–retest reliability. In addition, it is appropriate for use among elderly and minority groups like migrants. The aim of this study is to investigate and compare the reliability and the factorial structure of the Sf-36 in a sample of elderly migrants and natives. The hypothesis is that the construct (the HRQoL consisting of eight dimensions correlated with two components) is the same for elderly Turkish migrants, Polish migrants and German natives. This means that the Sf-36 model shows good psychometric properties and model invariance for the three groups investigated in this study. Methods: The Sf-36 v.2 was forward and backward translated to Turkish and Polish. In this cross-sectional study, interviews were conducted with a sample of elderly migrants from Turkey (n = 100), from Poland (n = 103) and a sample of elderly German natives (n = 101). All data were entered and analysed using SPSS version 21 and AMOS Graphics. Cronbach’s α was used to analyse the reliability of the Sf-36. Multi-group confirmatory factor analysis (MGCFA) and structural equation modelling (SEM) were used for the Sf-36 model invariance testing. Results: The reliability of the Sf-36 was good to excellent for all Sf-36 dimensions (α > 0.7) except for General Health (0.55) in the Polish group. Multi-group confirmatory factor analysis (MGCFA) showed non-invariance between the three groups (CMIN: 180.172, df: 51, CMIN/df: 3.533, p < 0.001, CFI: 0.895, RMSEA: 0.092 for the unconstrained model). Model modifications resulted in a good model fit for the Polish group. However, an applicable common Sf-36 model for the three groups was not attained. Conclusion: This study doesn’t support the idea that the factorial structure of the Sf-36 with two components and eight dimensions is the same across three ethnically and culturally diverse groups of elderly subjects. Therefore, comparing subscale scores of the Sf-36 between different ethnic groups may be problematic.

Laddy Almeida

Los estudios acerca de personas con pena privativa de libertad tradicionalmente han excluido en el análisis al grupo de mujeres presas bajo el argumento de su escaso número. Esta ausencia en el conocimiento motivó la realización del presente estudio que tiene como objetivo perfilar social y jurídicamente a mujeres recluidas en uno de los Centros de Rehabilitación Social ecuatorianos y, así mismo, conocer su forma de vida mientras cumplen condena, en la mayoría de casos, junto con sus hijos. El enfoque mixto en esta investigación permitió definir un diagnóstico coincidente con los planteamientos de la teoría del desarrollo sobre la delincuencia femenina. Los resultados permitieron ratificar que la falta de educación, el desempleo, la desestructuración familiar y la pobreza caracterizan mayoritariamente la realidad social de mujeres contraventoras de la ley y que los efectos adversos de las penas que cumplen trascienden los muros carcelarios y alcanzan sus redes familiares.   Abstract Studies on people with custodial sentences have traditionally excluded in the analysis the group of women imprisoned under the argument of their limited number. This exclusion has motivated the development of the present study that as an objective wants to create a social and legal profile of women in one of the Ecuadorian Centers of Social Rehabilitation. This will help understand their daily life while in prison, which in major cases includes their life with their children. The emphasis of this investigation allows to define a diagnose that consists with the approaches of the theory of development of criminal activity by women. The results allowed to emphasise that the lack of education, employment, the destruction of families and the poverty is part of the social reality of the majority of women who break the law. The adversary effects of the jail sentences transcends prison walls and reaches the families of the women who are in prison.

Ashley eNovais, Ashley eNovais, Ana Catarina Ferreira et al.

Neudesin (also known as neuron derived neurotrophic factor, Nenf) is a scarcely studied putative non-canonical neurotrophic factor. In order to understand its function in the brain, we performed an extensive behavioral characterization (motor, emotional and cognitive dimensions) of neudesin-null mice. The absence of neudesin leads to an anxious-like behavior as assessed in the elevated plus maze, light/dark box and novelty suppressed feeding tests, but not in the acoustic startle test. This anxious phenotype is associated with reduced dopaminergic input and impoverished dendritic arborizations in the dentate gyrus granule neurons of the ventral hippocampus. Interestingly, shorter dendrites are also observed in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) of neudesin-null mice. These findings lead us to suggest that neudesin is a novel relevant player in the maintenance of the anxiety circuitry.

Hadi Vakili

No doubt mysticism is the essence of religious experience and this experience for both those who have religious beliefs and those who have not such beliefs typically causes changes in life. Regardless of the difficulty of describing the mystical experiences which seems very far from the conceptual framework of normal moods, it appears that the similarities among the various religious traditions for various mystical states can be outlined. These similarities include: the experience of unity, the feeling of being beyond time and space, sense of sacredness, a sense of joy and happiness, unity and awareness of the public with a vacuum and an eternal ultimate reality. Mystical states can be divided into two distinct categories: transcendent and immanent. Though Mysticism and spiritual meditation have some considerable similarities to each other, but they certainly look different. These two mystical tendencies in east & west religious faiths in the world to be seen with difference. Differences over the interpretation of mystical experiences may be caused by cultural and linguistic differences and distinctions. Psychological interpretations, neuro psychological and cognitive science of mystical experiences of the research approach is innovative in the world.