scholarly journals The Genetics of Thermoregulation in Pigs: A Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean-Luc Gourdine ◽  
Wendy Mercedes Rauw ◽  
Hélène Gilbert ◽  
Nausicaa Poullet
Keyword(s):  
Body Temperature ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Financial Burden ◽  
Genetic Selection ◽  
System Level ◽  
Sweat Glands ◽  
Genetic Studies ◽  
Pig Performance ◽  
Maintain Body Temperature

Heat stress (HS) affects pig performance, health and welfare, resulting in a financial burden to the pig industry. Pigs have a limited number of functional sweat glands and their thermoregulatory mechanisms used to maintain body temperature, are challenged by HS to maintain body temperature. The genetic selection of genotypes tolerant to HS is a promising long-term (adaptation) option that could be combined with other measures at the production system level. This review summarizes the current knowledge on the genetics of thermoregulation in pigs. It also discusses the different phenotypes that can be used in genetic studies, as well as the variability in thermoregulation between pig breeds and the inheritance of traits related to thermoregulation. This review also considers on-going challenges to face for improving heat tolerance in pigs.

Comparative assessment of morphological mechanisms of maintaining structural liver homeostasis in the dynamics of exposure to coal-rock dust and sodium fluoride on the body

2020 ◽  
pp. 189-194
Author(s):  
M. S. Bugaeva ◽  
O. I. Bondarev ◽  
N. N. Mikhailova ◽  
L. G. Gorokhova
Keyword(s):  
Sodium Fluoride ◽  
Morphological Changes ◽  
The Body ◽  
System Level ◽  
Production Factor ◽  
Coal Rock ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Structural Homeostasis ◽  
Rock Dust

Introduction. The impact on the body of such factors of the production environment as coal-rock dust and fluorine compounds leads to certain shift s in strict indicators of homeostasis at the system level. Maintaining the relative constancy of the internal environment of the body is provided by the functional consistency of all organs and systems, the leading of which is the liver. Organ repair plays a crucial role in restoring the structure of genetic material and maintaining normal cell viability. When this mechanism is damaged, the compensatory capabilities of the organ are disrupted, homeostasis is disrupted at the cellular and organizational levels, and the development of the main pathological processes is noted.The aim of the study is to compare the morphological mechanisms of maintaining structural homeostasis of the liver in the dynamics of the impact on the body of coal-rock dust and sodium fluoride.Materials and methods. Experimental studies were conducted on adult white male laboratory rats. Features of morphological mechanisms for maintaining structural homeostasis of the liver in the dynamics of exposure to coal-rock dust and sodium fluoride were studied on experimental models of pneumoconiosis and fluoride intoxication. For histological examination in experimental animals, liver sampling was performed after 1, 3, 6, 9, 12 weeks of the experiment.Results. The specificity of morphological changes in the liver depending on the harmful production factor was revealed. It is shown that chronic exposure to coal-rock dust and sodium fluoride is characterized by the development of similar morphological changes in the liver and its vessels from the predominance of the initial compensatory-adaptive to pronounced violations of the stromal and parenchymal components. Long-term inhalation of coal-rock dust at 1–3 weeks of seeding triggers adaptive mechanisms in the liver in the form of increased functional activity of cells, formation of double-core hepatocytes, activation of immunocompetent cells and endotheliocytes, ensuring the preservation of the parenchyma and the general morphostructure of the organ until the 12th week of the experiment. Exposure to sodium fluoride leads to early disruption of liver compensatory mechanisms and the development of dystrophic changes in the parenchyma with the formation of necrosis foci as early as the 6th week of the experiment.Conclusions. The study of mechanisms for compensating the liver structure in conditions of long-term exposure to coal-rock dust and sodium fluoride, as well as processes that indicate their failure, and the timing of their occurrence, is of theoretical and practical importance for developing recommendations for the timely prevention and correction of pathological conditions developing in employees of the aluminum and coal industry.The authors declare no conflict of interests.

scholarly journals Impact of mobile stroke units

2021 ◽  
pp. jnnp-2020-324005
Author(s):  
Klaus Fassbender ◽  
Fatma Merzou ◽  
Martin Lesmeister ◽  
Silke Walter ◽  
Iris Quasar Grunwald ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cost Efficiency ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Vascular Imaging ◽  
Vessel Occlusion ◽  
Stroke Units ◽  
Stroke Treatment ◽  
Stroke Research ◽  
Mobile Stroke Unit ◽  
Novel Strategy

Since its first introduction in clinical practice in 2008, the concept of mobile stroke unit enabling prehospital stroke treatment has rapidly expanded worldwide. This review summarises current knowledge in this young field of stroke research, discussing topics such as benefits in reduction of delay before treatment, vascular imaging-based triage of patients with large-vessel occlusion in the field, differential blood pressure management or prehospital antagonisation of anticoagulants. However, before mobile stroke units can become routine, several questions remain to be answered. Current research, therefore, focuses on safety, long-term medical benefit, best setting and cost-efficiency as crucial determinants for the sustainability of this novel strategy of acute stroke management.

scholarly journals Cardiac Cell Therapy: Insights into the Mechanisms of Tissue Repair

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 1201
Author(s):  
Hsuan Peng ◽  
Kazuhiro Shindo ◽  
Renée R. Donahue ◽  
Ahmed Abdel-Latif
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cell ◽  
Immune Responses ◽  
Tissue Repair ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Clinical Evidence ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Cell Delivery ◽  
Cardiac Cell Therapy ◽  
Stem Cell Treatment

Stem cell-based cardiac therapies have been extensively studied in recent years. However, the efficacy of cell delivery, engraftment, and differentiation post-transplant remain continuous challenges and represent opportunities to further refine our current strategies. Despite limited long-term cardiac retention, stem cell treatment leads to sustained cardiac benefit following myocardial infarction (MI). This review summarizes the current knowledge on stem cell based cardiac immunomodulation by highlighting the cellular and molecular mechanisms of different immune responses to mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and their secretory factors. This review also addresses the clinical evidence in the field.

scholarly journals Intelligent long-term performance analysis in power electronics systems

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Saeed Peyghami ◽  
Tomislav Dragicevic ◽  
Frede Blaabjerg
Keyword(s):  
Performance Indicator ◽  
Thermal Characteristics ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
System Level ◽  
Power Electronic ◽  
Reliability Modeling ◽  
Artificial Neural Network Ann ◽  
Long Term Performance ◽  
Term Performance

AbstractThis paper proposes a long-term performance indicator for power electronic converters based on their reliability. The converter reliability is represented by the proposed constant lifetime curves, which have been developed using Artificial Neural Network (ANN) under different operating conditions. Unlike the state-of-the-art theoretical reliability modeling approaches, which employ detailed electro-thermal characteristics and lifetime models of converter components, the proposed method provides a nonparametric surrogate model of the converter based on limited non-linear data from theoretical reliability analysis. The proposed approach can quickly predict the converter lifetime under given operating conditions without a further need for extended, time-consuming electro-thermal analysis. Moreover, the proposed lifetime curves can present the long-term performance of converters facilitating optimal system-level design for reliability, reliable operation and maintenance planning in power electronic systems. Numerical case studies evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed reliability modeling approach.

scholarly journals Hymenoptera Venom Immunotherapy: Immune Mechanisms of Induced Protection and Tolerance

Cells ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 1575
Author(s):  
Ajda Demšar Luzar ◽  
Peter Korošec ◽  
Mitja Košnik ◽  
Mihaela Zidarn ◽  
Matija Rijavec
Keyword(s):  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Allergic Diseases ◽  
Hymenoptera Venom ◽  
Venom Immunotherapy ◽  
Effector Cells ◽  
Immune Mechanisms ◽  
Protection Mechanisms ◽  
Sting Challenge ◽  
Effectiveness Data

Hymenoptera venom allergy is one of the most severe allergic diseases, with a considerable prevalence of anaphylactic reaction, making it potentially lethal. In this review, we provide an overview of the current knowledge and recent findings in understanding induced immune mechanisms during different phases of venom immunotherapy. We focus on protection mechanisms that occur early, during the build-up phase, and on the immune tolerance, which occurs later, during and after Hymenoptera venom immunotherapy. The short-term protection seems to be established by the early desensitization of mast cells and basophils, which plays a crucial role in preventing anaphylaxis during the build-up phase of treatment. The early generation of blocking IgG antibodies seems to be one of the main reasons for the lower activation of effector cells. Long-term tolerance is reached after at least three years of venom immunotherapy. A decrease in basophil responsiveness correlates with tolerated sting challenge. Furthermore, the persistent decline in IgE levels and, by monitoring the cytokine profiles, a shift from a Th2 to Th1 immune response, can be observed. In addition, the generation of regulatory T and B cells has proven to be essential for inducing allergen tolerance. Most studies on the mechanisms and effectiveness data have been obtained during venom immunotherapy (VIT). Despite the high success rate of VIT, allergen tolerance may not persist for a prolonged time. There is not much known about immune mechanisms that assure long-term tolerance post-therapy.

scholarly journals Management of Myositis-Associated Interstitial Lung Disease

Medicina ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 57 (4) ◽  
pp. 347
Author(s):  
Tomoyuki Fujisawa
Keyword(s):  
Interstitial Lung Disease ◽  
Lung Disease ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Strong Predictor ◽  
Calcineurin Inhibitors ◽  
Pulmonary Involvement ◽  
Trna Synthetase ◽  
Evidence Based Guidelines ◽  
Substantial Heterogeneity

Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies, including polymyositis (PM), dermatomyositis (DM), and clinically amyopathic DM (CADM), are a diverse group of autoimmune diseases characterized by muscular involvement and extramuscular manifestations. Interstitial lung disease (ILD) has major pulmonary involvement and is associated with increased mortality in PM/DM/CADM. The management of PM-/DM-/CADM-associated ILD (PM/DM/CADM-ILD) requires careful evaluation of the disease severity and clinical subtype, including the ILD forms (acute/subacute or chronic), because of the substantial heterogeneity of their clinical courses. Recent studies have highlighted the importance of myositis-specific autoantibodies’ status, especially anti-melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 (MDA5) and anti-aminoacyl tRNA synthetase (ARS) antibodies, in order to evaluate the clinical phenotypes and treatment of choice for PM/DM/CADM-ILD. Because the presence of the anti-MDA5 antibody is a strong predictor of a worse prognosis, combination treatment with glucocorticoids (GCs) and calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs; tacrolimus (TAC) or cyclosporin A (CsA)) is recommended for patients with anti-MDA5 antibody-positive DM/CADM-ILD. Rapidly progressive DM/CADM-ILD with the anti-MDA5 antibody is the most intractable condition, which requires immediate combined immunosuppressive therapy with GCs, CNIs, and intravenous cyclophosphamide. Additional salvage therapies (rituximab, tofacitinib, and plasma exchange) should be considered for patients with refractory ILD. Patients with anti-ARS antibody-positive ILD respond better to GC treatment, but with frequent recurrence; thus, GCs plus immunosuppressants (TAC, CsA, azathioprine, and mycophenolate mofetil) are often needed in order to achieve favorable long-term disease control. PM/DM/CADM-ILD management is still a therapeutic challenge for clinicians, as evidence-based guidelines do not exist to help with management decisions. A few prospective clinical trials have been recently reported regarding the treatment of PM/DM/CADM-ILD. Here, the current knowledge on the pharmacologic managements of PM/DM/CADM-ILD was mainly reviewed.

scholarly journals COVID-19 Infection during Pregnancy: Risk of Vertical Transmission, Fetal, and Neonatal Outcomes

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 483
Author(s):  
Marwa Saadaoui ◽  
Manoj Kumar ◽  
Souhaila Al Khodor
Keyword(s):  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Vertical Transmission ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Limited Data ◽  
Pregnancy Risk ◽  
Public Health Challenge ◽  
Short And Long Term ◽  
Critical Public Health ◽  
The Impact

The COVID-19 pandemic is a worldwide, critical public health challenge and is considered one of the most communicable diseases that the world had faced so far. Response and symptoms associated with COVID-19 vary between the different cases recorded, but it is amply described that symptoms become more aggressive in subjects with a weaker immune system. This includes older subjects, patients with chronic diseases, patients with immunosuppression treatment, and pregnant women. Pregnant women are receiving more attention not only because of their altered physiological and immunological function but also for the potential risk of viral vertical transmission to the fetus or infant. However, very limited data about the impact of maternal infection during pregnancy, such as the possibility of vertical transmission in utero, during birth, or via breastfeeding, is available. Moreover, the impact of infection on the newborn in the short and long term remains poorly understood. Therefore, it is vital to collect and analyze data from pregnant women infected with COVID-19 to understand the viral pathophysiology during pregnancy and its effects on the offspring. In this article, we review the current knowledge about pre-and post-natal COVID-19 infection, and we discuss whether vertical transmission takes place in pregnant women infected with the virus and what are the current recommendations that pregnant women should follow in order to be protected from the virus.

scholarly journals Role of Glucose-Lowering Medications in Erectile Dysfunction

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 2501
Author(s):  
Angelo Cignarelli ◽  
Valentina Annamaria Genchi ◽  
Rossella D’Oria ◽  
Fiorella Giordano ◽  
Irene Caruso ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Erectile Dysfunction ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Smooth Muscle Contractility ◽  
Glucose Lowering ◽  
Glycation End Products ◽  
Altered Metabolism

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a long-term complication of type 2 diabetes (T2D) widely known to affect the quality of life. Several aspects of altered metabolism in individuals with T2D may help to compromise the penile vasculature structure and functions, thus exacerbating the imbalance between smooth muscle contractility and relaxation. Among these, advanced glycation end-products and reactive oxygen species derived from a hyperglycaemic state are known to accelerate endothelial dysfunction by lowering nitric oxide bioavailability, the essential stimulus of relaxation. Although several studies have explained the pathogenetic mechanisms involved in the generation of erectile failure, few studies to date have described the efficacy of glucose-lowering medications in the restoration of normal sexual activity. Herein, we will present current knowledge about the main starters of the pathophysiology of diabetic ED and explore the role of different anti-diabetes therapies in the potential remission of ED, highlighting specific pathways whose activation or inhibition could be fundamental for sexual care in a diabetes setting.

scholarly journals Health and sustainability of glaciers in High Mountain Asia

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Evan Miles ◽  
Michael McCarthy ◽  
Amaury Dehecq ◽  
Marin Kneib ◽  
Stefan Fugger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Field Measurements ◽  
Tien Shan ◽  
High Mountain ◽  
Specific Mass ◽  
Ice Flow ◽  
Ice Volume ◽  
Mass Redistribution ◽  
Glacier Ablation

AbstractGlaciers in High Mountain Asia generate meltwater that supports the water needs of 250 million people, but current knowledge of annual accumulation and ablation is limited to sparse field measurements biased in location and glacier size. Here, we present altitudinally-resolved specific mass balances (surface, internal, and basal combined) for 5527 glaciers in High Mountain Asia for 2000–2016, derived by correcting observed glacier thinning patterns for mass redistribution due to ice flow. We find that 41% of glaciers accumulated mass over less than 20% of their area, and only 60% ± 10% of regional annual ablation was compensated by accumulation. Even without 21st century warming, 21% ± 1% of ice volume will be lost by 2100 due to current climatic-geometric imbalance, representing a reduction in glacier ablation into rivers of 28% ± 1%. The ablation of glaciers in the Himalayas and Tien Shan was mostly unsustainable and ice volume in these regions will reduce by at least 30% by 2100. The most important and vulnerable glacier-fed river basins (Amu Darya, Indus, Syr Darya, Tarim Interior) were supplied with >50% sustainable glacier ablation but will see long-term reductions in ice mass and glacier meltwater supply regardless of the Karakoram Anomaly.

scholarly journals Intestinal microbiota and their metabolic contribution to type 2 diabetes and obesity

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. L. Cunningham ◽  
J. W. Stephens ◽  
D. A. Harris
Keyword(s):  
Type 2 Diabetes ◽  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Intestinal Barrier ◽  
Short Chain Fatty Acids ◽  
Global Epidemic ◽  
Technological Advances ◽  
Diabetes And Obesity

AbstractObesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are common, chronic metabolic disorders with associated significant long-term health problems at global epidemic levels. It is recognised that gut microbiota play a central role in maintaining host homeostasis and through technological advances in both animal and human models it is becoming clear that gut microbiota are heavily involved in key pathophysiological roles in the aetiology and progression of both conditions. This review will focus on current knowledge regarding microbiota interactions with short chain fatty acids, the host inflammatory response, signaling pathways, integrity of the intestinal barrier, the interaction of the gut-brain axis and the subsequent impact on the metabolic health of the host.

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