The Association of Irritable Bowel Complaints and Perceived Immune Fitness among Individuals That Report Impaired Wound Healing: Supportive Evidence for the Gut–Brain–Skin Axis

The gut–brain–skin axis is important in wound healing. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between experiencing irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms, perceived immune fitness, and impaired wound healing. N = 1942 Dutch students (mean (SD) age 21.3 (2.1), 83.6% women) completed an online survey. They were allocated to one of four groups: (1) control group (N = 1544), (2) wound infection (WI) group (N = 65), (3) slow healing wounds (SHW) group (N = 236), or (4) a combination group (COMBI), which experienced both WI and SHW (N = 87). Participants rated their perceived immune fitness on a scale ranging from very poor (0) to excellent (10), and the severity of IBS symptoms (constipation, diarrhea, and pain) was assessed with the Birmingham IBS Symptom Questionnaire. Compared to the control group, perceived immune fitness was significantly poorer for the SHW group (p < 0.001) and COMBI group (p < 0.001), but not for the WI group. Compared to the control group, constipation was reported significantly more frequently by the SHW group (p < 0.001) and the WI group (p = 0.012), diarrhea was reported significantly more frequent by the SHW group (p = 0.038) and the COMBI group (p = 0.004), and pain was reported significantly more frequent by the SHW group (p = 0.020) and COMBI group (p = 0.001). Correlations between IBS complaints and perceived immune fitness were statistically significant (p < 0.001), and also a highly significant and negative association was found between the percentage of participants that reported impaired wound healing and perceived immune fitness (r = −0.97, p < 0.001). In conclusion, among participants with self-reported impaired wound healing, IBS complaints were significantly more severe, and accompanied by a significantly reduced perceived immune fitness.

How Neuroimaging Can Aid the Interpretation of Art

Cognitive neuroscience of art continues to be criticized for failing to provide interesting results about art itself. In particular, results of brain imaging experiments have not yet been utilized in interpretation of particular works of art. Here we revisit a recent study in which we explored the neuronal and behavioral response to painted portraits with a direct versus an averted gaze. We then demonstrate how fMRI results can be related to the art historical interpretation of a specific painting. The evidentiary status of neuroimaging data is not different from any other extra-pictorial facts that art historians uncover in their research and relate to their account of the significance of a work of art. They are not explanatory in a strong sense, yet they provide supportive evidence for the art writer’s inference about the intended meaning of a given work. We thus argue that brain imaging can assume an important role in the interpretation of particular art works.

Feasibility of singlicate-based analysis in bridging ADA assay on Meso-Scale Discovery platform: comparison with duplicate analysis

Aim: To investigate the feasibility of singlicate analysis in anti-drug antibody (ADA) assay by comparing performance characteristics for assays qualified in duplicate and singlicate formats. Materials & methods: We employed modeling to assess and quantify the impact of singlicate to cut point factor (CPF) in scenarios with the duplicate precision from 1–20% and the proportion of well-to-well variance to overall assay variance from 0.01–0.90. The impact to CPF by singlicate is marginal if the well-to-well coefficient of variation is <10% and represents <25% of the overall variability. Results & conclusion: The assay parameters including sensitivity, precision, selectivity, drug and target tolerance were comparable between singlicate and duplicate based assays. Our results suggested the minimal impact of singlicate analysis on ADA assay with good duplicate precision. The study provided additional supportive evidence that the singlicate-based analysis is feasible in ADA ligand binding assays.

Estimated Spike Evolution and Impact of Emerging SARS-CoV-2 Variants

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus that causes COVID-19, has been mutating and thus variants emerged. This suggests that SARS-CoV-2 could mutate at an unsteady pace. Supportive evidence comes from the accelerated evolution which was revealed by tracking mutation rates of the genomic location of Spike protein. This process is sponsored by a small portion of the virus population but not the largest viral clades. Moreover, it generally took one to six months for current variants that caused peaks of COVID-19 cases and deaths to survive selection pressure. Based on this statistic result and the above speedy Spike evolution, another upcoming peak would come around July 2021 and disastrously attack Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America. This is the prediction generated by a mathematical model on evolutionary spread. The reliability of this model and future trends out of it comes from the comprehensive consideration of factors mainly including mutation rate, selection course, and spreading speed. Notably, if the prophecy is true, then the new wave will be the first determined by accelerated Spike evolution.

A Model-Informed Drug Development (MIDD) Approach for a Low Dose of Empagliflozin in Patients with Type 1 Diabetes

In clinical trials, sodium-glucose co-transporter (SGLT) inhibitor use as adjunct to insulin therapy in type 1 diabetes (T1D) provides glucometabolic benefits while diabetic ketoacidosis risk is increased. The SGLT2 inhibitor empagliflozin was evaluated in two phase III trials: EASE-2 and EASE-3. A low, 2.5-mg dose was included in EASE-3 only. As the efficacy of higher empagliflozin doses (i.e., 10 and 25 mg) in T1D has been established in EASE-2 and EASE-3, a modeling and simulation approach was used to generate additional supportive evidence on efficacy for the 2.5-mg dose. We present the methodology behind the development and validation of two modeling and simulation frameworks: M-EASE-1, a semi-mechanistic model integrating information on insulin, glucose, and glycated hemoglobin; and M-EASE-2, a descriptive model informed by prior information. Both models were developed independently of data from EASE-3. Simulations based on these models assessed efficacy in untested clinical trial scenarios. In this manner, the models provide supportive evidence for efficacy of low-dose empagliflozin 2.5 mg in patients with T1D, illustrating how pharmacometric analyses can support efficacy assessments in the context of limited data.

TEACHER ROLES IN CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT

This paper deals with teacher roles in classroom management. It begins with two outlines used in teaching process. They concern the teacher, what they can do, and aspire to, and a discussion of classroom management techniques. The outlines are followed by an expansion of many of the points made. Classroom management is included in a course on ESP because most of students will, at some point in their lives, teach English in school. The material is based on our own personal experience of struggling to become a teacher, and our interaction with students and our colleagues. Teacher’s roles take account of teacher’s classroom language, teacher’s responsibilities, and the criticism and the evaluation of teacher’s performance. The teacher who makes great activation of his roles in classroom, tends to be the top and the most first factor that improves classroom management and enriches learners’ knowledge. Quantitative method has been chosen because it provides statistical data from English teachers using questionnaire. Factual information was collected and arranged in graphs. The results were analyzed and compared with previous studies. The participants’ responses provided supportive evidence and were fully consistent with this study

Nanodevices Tend to Be Round

Under several circumstances, a nanowire transistor with a square cross-section behaves as a circular. Taking the Gate-All-Around junctionless transistor as a primary example, we investigate the transition of the conductive region from square to circle-like. In this case, the metamorphosis is accentuated by smaller size, lower doping, and higher gate voltage. After defining the geometrical criterion for square-to-circle shift, simulation results are used to document the main consequences. This transition occurs naturally in nanowires thinner than 50 nm. The results are rather universal, and supportive evidence is gathered from inversion-mode Gate-All-Around (GAA) MOSFETs as well as from thermal diffusion process.

Periodic discharges with high frequency oscillations recorded from a cerebellar gangliocytoma in an epileptic infant

Background: Subcortical epilepsies associated with developmental tumors in the cerebellum are rarely experienced. As supportive evidence of the intrinsic epileptogenicity of cerebellar tumors, previous electroencephalogram (EEG) studies with intratumoral depth electrodes demonstrated epileptiform or ictal discharges. Recent studies have demonstrated that high frequency oscillations (HFOs) can be regarded as a new biomarker of epileptogenesis and ictogenesis; however, there are few evidence about HFOs in cases of epilepsy associated with cerebellar tumors. Case Description: A 6-month-old Japanese male infant presented to our hospital with drug resistant epilepsy. We underwent subtotal resection of a cerebellar gangliocytoma and obtained good seizure outcomes. Intraoperative EEG in the tumor depicted HFOs in the form of ripples, riding on periodic discharges. Conclusion: Our findings provide further supportive evidence for the intrinsic epileptogenicity of cerebellar tumors.