Agitation-dependent biomechanical forces modulate GPVI receptor expression and platelet adhesion capacity during storage

Background Continuous agitation during storage slows down the platelet storage lesions. However, in special circumstances, manual-mixing can be alternatively used to store products for short time periods without compromising platelet quality. Based on this finding, and given the role of shear stress in modulating receptor expression, we were interested in comparing the levels of platelet adhesion receptor, GPVI and platelet adhesion capacity under each storage condition. Methods Platelet concentrates (PCs) were divided into three groups: continuously-agitated PCs (CAG-PCs) with or without PP2 (Src kinase inhibitor) and manually-mixed PCs (MM-PCs). Platelet count/MPV, swirling, GPVI and P-selectin expression, GPVI shedding, platelet adhesion/spreading to collagen were examined during 5 days of storage. Results While MM- and CAG-PCs showed similar levels of P-selectin expression, GPVI expression was significantly elevated in MM-PCs with lower GPVI shedding/expression ratios, enhanced platelet adhesion/spreading and swirling in manually-mixed PCs. Of note, CAG-PCs treated with PP2 also demonstrated lower P-selectin expression and GPVI shedding, higher GPVI expression and attenuated swirling and spreading capability. Conclusion Given the comparable platelet activation state in MM and CAG-PCs as indicated by P-selectin expression, enhanced platelet adhesion/spreading in MM-PCs, along with relatively higher GPVI expression here, supports previous studies demonstrating a role for biomechanical forces in modulating GPVI-dependent function. Thus, lower GPVI expression in CAG-PCs may be due to shear forces induced by agitation, which keeps this receptor down-regulated while also attenuating platelet adhesion/spreading capacities during storage. Low platelet function in PP2-CAG-PCs also highlights the importance of Src-kinases threshold activity in maintaining platelets quality.

“I Have No Capacities That Can Help Me”: Young Asylum Seekers in Norway and Serbia – Flight as Disturbance of Developmental Processes

Most studies on refugee populations are organized around trauma-related issues and focus on explaining pathological factors. Few studies are anchored in general developmental psychology with the aim of exploring normal age-specific developmental tasks and how the special circumstances associated with forced migration can influence how developmental tasks are negotiated. This study is part of a larger mixed method study seeking to identify resilience-promoting and resilience-inhibiting factors, on individual and contextual levels, among asylum seekers and refugees on the move (passing through Serbia) and settled in reception centers in Norway. A strategic sample of 20 adolescent and young adult refugees/asylum seekers during flight in Serbia (10) and after arrival in Norway (10) was chosen from a sample of 178 refugees interviewed in depth in Serbia and at receptions centers in Norway. The sample reflects the focus of this paper, which is to explore adolescent and young adult refugees/asylum seekers’ psychological and social needs and resources during flight to and after arrival in the host country, including how developmental tasks are negotiated. Through qualitative analysis, experiences associated with the developmental changes the participants experienced before, during, and after flight are contextualized. Their sense of self, their relationships with their families and their perceptions of their situation as adolescents or young adults in a highly unpredictable situation are presented in the light of relevant theory and findings from similar refugee studies. All the participants have fled from dangerous and intolerable situations in their home countries. They describe extreme dangers during flight in contexts that are unpredictable and where they feel lonely and unsupported. Most have unmet psychosocial needs and have received little support or help for their mental health issues during flight or after arrival in Norway. Suggestions for interventions and resilience-promoting actions are given based on the findings of the study.

Books as Salvation from Stiffness… Taras Shevchenko of the Time of Exile in the Dimension of his Reading

The study refutes the idea that existed in the minds of some Shevchenko era’s cultural figures, about Taras Shevchenko’s lack of education and poor literacy. For this purpose, the history of the poet’s reading interests evolution in the most difficult period of his life, the period of exile (1847–1857) was analyzed. His own direct testimonies (epistolary, diary, memoirs of relatives and acquaintances, etc.) were involved in the analysis. The study clarified how the disgraced artist’s previous habit of reading and the need to do it was established. The main focus was on Shevchenko’s reading behavior in the Orsk Fortress and in the Aral Expedition, in the Novopetrovsk Fortress. It relates to the active search, selection and perception of books, and even to special communication establishing. The study traces persons, who valued such poet’s behavior and stimulated it, also how functional Shevchenko’s current reading turned out to be at that period. Its composition was outlined as Russian, Ukrainian and Polish books, mainly in the field of fiction literature and literary criticism, as well as works on history, culturology, ethnology, natural and other fields of knowledge. Only due to reading and to his own artistic work the artist's spirit was saved from psychological exhaustion. Reading contributed to the intellectualization of his work. Shevchenko as a reader completely realized himself in exile considering special circumstances (loneliness, forced self-centeredness), his reading for the first time was not episodic, but complete, sometimes the leading form of the poet’s creative activity.

Analisis Potensi Interaksi Obat Pada Resep Spesialis Penyakit Kulit di Salah Satu Klinik di Yogyakarta

Skin diseases often occur in tropical countries, including Indonesia. Data from the Yogyakarta City Health Office showed that skin diseases were included in the top 10 diseases at the Yogyakarta City Health Center in 2020. Various types of drugs for the treatment of skin diseases, ranging from tablets, ointments, creams, pulvis and shampoos. One of the accuracy in drug selection is to avoid drug interactions. Drug-drug interaction (DDI) occurs when two or more drugs can interact in a way that affects the effectiveness of the drug. The purpose of this study is to determine the number and categories of drug interactions. This research was carried out retrospectively by taking medical data on skin diseases at one of the skin and genital clinics in the city of Yogyakarta. The data collection period is for 2 months, namely September and October 2020. The data taken are in the form of demographic data and drug use. The results showed that there were 33 cases of minor interactions. There were 21 cases of loratadine and steroids, 2 cases of ketoconazole and steroid interactions, and 10 cases of cefadroxil and acyclovir interactions. The conclusion is that offering drug combinations that allow drug interactions to occur can avoid drug combinations taken simultaneously and use only in special circumstances. It is recommended that pharmacists provide information on the rules for taking medication to maximize the effectiveness of the drug in curing the patient's illness.

Inflation and Hyperinflation Countries in 2018–2020: Risks of Different Assets and Foreign Trade

Since the global financial crisis (2008–2009), central banks and governments in developed countries have relied upon loose monetary and financial policy. In the coronavirus pandemic era, these policies were taken even more to the extreme. In 2021, countries around the world started to experience product availability issues, and inflation in some cases was extremely high. There has been debate about the possibility of persistent high inflation. However, risks to assets and foreign trade in this new situation are unknown as all important hyperinflation cases are from decades to century-old. It is important to know what kind of implications high inflation has on modern economies. Therefore, in this study, 10 countries with the highest inflation were selected to be examined in the period of 2018–2020. In these countries, currencies lost a considerable amount of their value against US dollar in 2018–2020. Stock market indexes in many cases provided very high returns in local currency terms; however, against the US dollar, the index yield changed for the substantially negative. Apartment prices in general declined as well. In foreign trade, imports generally declined, while exports were mixed or even increased. However, it should be noted that all of these observations are influenced by the pandemic era and special circumstances of a particular country.

The High Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron (B.1.1.529) Variant is Not Only Due to Its hACE2 binding: A Free Energy of Perturbation Study

The mutations in the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant (B.1.1.529 lineage) gave rise to questions, but the data on the mechanism of action at the molecular level is limited. In this study, we present the Free energy of perturbation (FEP) data about the RBD-hACE2 binding of this new variant.We identified two groups of mutations located close to the most contributing substitutions Q498R and Q493R, which altered significantly the RBD-hACE2 interactions. The Q498R, Y505H and G496S mutations, in addition to N501Y, highly increased the binding to hACE2. They enhanced the binding by 98, 14 and 13 folds, respectively, which transforms the S1-RBD to a picomolar binder. However, in contrast to the case in mice the Q493R/K mutations, in a combination with K417N and T478K, dramatically reduced the S1 RBD binding by over 100 folds. The N440K, G446S and T478K substitutions had lesser contribution. Thus, the total effect of these nine mutations located on the interaction surface of RBD-hACE2 turns out to be similar to that observed in the Alpha variant. In a special circumstances it could be further altered by the E484A and S477N mutations and even lower binding capacity is likely to be detected. Finally, we provide a structural basis of the observed changes in the interactions.These data may explain only partially the observed in South Africa extremely high Omicron spread and is in support to the hypothesis for multiple mechanisms of actions involved in the transmission.Graphical abstract

Perceived Impact of the COVID-19 Lockdown on the Family Context of Foster and Non-Foster Families

The COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting lockdown have had a far-reaching impact across all levels of society. In Spain, severe restrictions were placed on people’s mobility, and leaving the home was only possible under special circumstances. This study analyzes the impact of lockdown on the family context of foster and non-foster families, focusing particularly on their levels of cohesion, adaptability, and perceived stress. It also examines a series of variables that may have influenced foster families’ perceptions of their family context during lockdown. Data were gathered through an online survey that was completed by 347 individuals corresponding to 100 foster families and 247 non-foster families from different regions of Spain. Analyses were descriptive and exploratory in nature. The results appear to suggest that lockdown has had a greater impact on the family context of non-foster families. With respect to foster families’ experiences of lockdown, variables such as loss of employment and having a child with special educational needs would seem to be important. For both types of families, lockdown has provided an opportunity to improve certain aspects of their family context. Given that further lockdowns of some degree may be necessary in the future, it is important to ensure that families have access to the psychoeducational resources they need to maintain, as far as possible, a positive family context.

Syrian - Lebanese economic relations 1958 – 2000

In the midst of dangerous circumstances and events and the thorny relations between Syria and Lebanon ,the issue of Syrian – Lebanese economic relations 1958 – 2000 came to confirm the depth of the relationship between the two counties and indicate the political tensions and the shadows it casts on economic relations. Perhaps the Syrian – Lebanese relations are among the strangest relations that exist between two countries or Even between two peoples , although it brings together a lot of special circumstances that are difficult to find in other countries , any event , even if it is fleeting , can be exploited in a way that harms the essence of the relationship in which interests may intersect between two ordinary countries that do not have any connection of historical weight or A specific geography , the Syrian – Lebanese relationship is , by virtue of history , concurrent with the emergence of the two states as political entities . This reason and others prompted me to choose this topic , which embodies the volume of trade and economic exchange between the two countries and clearly embodies the repercussions of the relationship , which passes from one period to another in a state of ebb and flow . This study sheds light on the economic relations between the two countries , although it is difficult to ignore the impact of the political conditions on them , as they are the main engine , and the decline in economic relations is only a reaction to the crisis policy in many cases . in writing this research , the researcher used the descriptive method of history , and he used an important number of sources that enriched the subject , such as the Lebanese – Syrian relations of the authors Antoine AL-Nashef and Khalil AL-Hindi , as well as the Lebanese – Syrian relations1985 -1943 issued by the Lebanese Documentation and Research Center and last but not least l hope this study will be successful in terms of providing information and facts to the lraqi offices and contributing to their enrichment and providing assistance to the lraqi researcher .

Optimal Policies of Social Infrastructures Maintenance using Shock and Damage Model

Social infrastructures such as roads and bridges are indispensable for our lives. They have to be maintained continuously and such maintenance has become a big issue in Japan. Social infrastructures are maintained under strict restrictions such as decreasing in local finance revenue and scarcity of skilful engineers. Various kinds of factors such as inspection periods, maintenance costs, and degradation levels, are necessary to consider in establishing efficient maintenance plans of social infrastructures. Furthermore, the special circumstances of social infrastructures such as the delay of constructions which is caused by the scarcity of budget, must be discussed for the efficient maintenance plan. For such discussion, the stochastic cost model which contains preventive and corrective maintenances is useful. Although these models have been studied in mechanical and electronic systems, unique characteristics of social infrastructures such as their enormous scale and delays due to maintenance budget restrictions must be considered when such social infrastructure models are discussed. In this paper, we establish maintenance models of infrastructures which some of preventive maintenance must be prolonged. The expected maintenance cost rate is established using the cumulative damage model and optimal policies which minimizes them are considered. Three basic models and their extended models which consider natural disasters are discussed.

Research on Virtual Reality 3D Exhibition Hall based on the Smart Campus of Geely University

With the support of Geely college, this study aims to solve the problem that teachers and students’ works cannot be displayed under special circumstances. Using this set of applications breaks through many conditions such as time and region, shows learning style to teachers and students and the outside world, and provides a way for knowledge dissemination and sharing.