Management of Lipedema with Ketogenic Diet: 22-Month Follow-Up

Lipedema is a pathology of adipose tissue, still of unclear etiology and challenging to diagnose. For these reasons, a therapeutic approach is also complex and sometimes controversial. The inflammation state present in lipedema can be limited by controlling the glycemic peaks. Specifically, the ketogenic diet (KD) seems to have the right conditions to be effective. Herein, we reported a subject diagnosed with lipedema who, with only KD nutritional intervention, achieved a significant weight loss (−41 Kg), with a net decrease in body circumferences, and also reporting an improvement in pain, and therefore in the overall quality of life. She refused other types of intervention and kept KD for two years. This case could represent the first step to organize a KD nutritional protocol specifically applied to lipedema.

Epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity induced by discontinuous exposure to TGFβ1 promotes tumour growth

Transitions between epithelial and mesenchymal cellular states (EMT/MET) contribute to cancer progression. We hypothesize that EMT followed by MET promotes cell population heterogeneity favouring tumour growth. We developed an EMT model by on/off exposure of epithelial EpH4 cells (E-cells) to TGFβ1 that mimics phenotypic EMT (M-cells) and MET. We aimed at understanding whether phenotypic MET is accompanied by molecular and functional reversion back to epithelia, by using RNA sequencing, Immunofluorescence (IF), proliferation, wound healing, focus formation and mamosphere formation assays, as well as cell-xenografts in nude mice. Phenotypic reverted-epithelial cells (RE-cells), obtained after MET induction, presented pure epithelial morphology and proliferation rate resembling E-cells. However, RE transcriptomic profile and IF staining of epithelial and mesenchymal markers revealed a unique and heterogeneous mixture of cell-subpopulations, with high self-renewal ability fed by oxidative phosporylation. RE-cells heterogeneity is stably maintained for long periods after TGFβ1 removal, both in vitro and in large derived tumours in nude mice. Overall, we show that phenotypic reverted-epithelial cells (RE-cells) do not return to the molecular and functional epithelial state, present mesenchymal features related with aggressiveness and cellular heterogeneity that favour tumour growth in vivo . This work strengthens epithelial cells reprogramming and cellular heterogeneity fostered by inflammatory cues as a tumour-growth promoting factor in vivo .

Re-thinking Women's Sport Research: Looking in the Mirror and Reflecting Forward

Despite decades of research and advocacy—women's professional sports continue to be considered second class to men's sports. The goal of this paper is to rethink how we state, present, and solve problems in women's sport. To affect true change, the wisdom of a broad stakeholder group was embraced such that varied perspectives could be considered. A three-question survey was developed to examine what key constituents believe is working in women's sports, what they believe the salient challenges are for women's sport, and how they would prioritize the next steps forward in the post-pandemic sport landscape. Results indicated siloed differences of opinion based upon the age and role of the stakeholder in the women's sport ecosystem. We discuss the implications and offer recommendations as to how we as scholars might recalibrate our approach to women's sport scholarship to maximize the impact of our research and affect change.

ACUTE MANAGEMENT OF VISARPA (HERPES ZOSTER): A CASE REPORT

Herpes zoster (Visarpa) is infection that results in the formation of painful red skin rashes due to reactivation of Varicella-Zoster Virus from its latent state present in a posterior dorsal root ganglion. The worldwide incidence of Herpes Zoster is 5-10% per 100 populations. In our ancient classics of Ayurveda, the diseased mentioned as visarpa resembles herpes zoster which is mentioned apart from Kushtha vyadhis. The attributes to acute symptoms like an utana shopha, daha, jwara, vedana and the nature of sphotas / pidikas are so specific that it is described as agnidagdhavat. The management of disease in contemporary system is though only symptomatic done with antiviral drugs. The description of management of Visarpa with different treatment modalities is available in the classical literatures of Ayurveda having promising results, so here is a case report of a female patient presenting with lesions over the neck region with itching, fever and burning sensation, Dhara, lepa, mridu shodhana was given along with oral medications by the end of 5 days treatment patient showed good improvement in symptoms.

O Herói Mujahid e o Recrutamento: A Violência Como Meio de Mobilização l The Mujahid Hero and Recruitment: The Violence As an Instrument of Mobilization

A partir do século XXI, grupos extremistas ganharam força ao propor o realinhamento radical entre estruturas de governança e comunidades imaginadas. Para isso, reinventam narrativas e criam personificações de antagonismo e heroísmo. Embates ontológicos são reforçados de maneira a formar e unir comunidades através da bravura e da violência. A noção de heroísmo nas Relações Internacionais foi aplicada nas narrativas do Estado Islâmico presentes na revista Rumiyah, destinada aos anglofalantes. Notou-se o uso do heroísmo como maneira de angariar apoiadores através de duas características: a violência e o autossacrifício. Assim, essas especificidades, aliadas a um viés ideológico, recrutam pessoas dispostas a imitarem os “heróis” dessa organização, conhecidos como mujahidin.Palavras-Chave: Jihadismo; Estado Islâmico; Heroísmo e Violência.ABSTRACTSince the beginning of the 21st century, extremist groups gained relevance by proposing a radical realignment between governance structures and imagined communities. In that case, they reinvent narratives and create personifications of antagonism and heroism. Ontological clashes are reinforced in order to form and unite communities through bravery and violence. The notion of heroism in International Relations was applied in the narratives of the Islamic State present in the magazine Rumiyah, addressed to english speakers. The use of heroism was noted as a way of attracting supporters through two characteristics: violence and self-sacrifice. Thus, these specificities, combined with an ideological bias, do recruit people willing to imitate the “heroes” of this organization, known as mujahidin.Keywords: Jihadism; Islamic State; Heroism and Violence. Recebido em: 04/04/2021 | Aceito em: 09/06/2021.

Magnetic Configurations in Modulated Cylindrical Nanowires

Cylindrical magnetic nanowires show great potential for 3D applications such as magnetic recording, shift registers, and logic gates, as well as in sensing architectures or biomedicine. Their cylindrical geometry leads to interesting properties of the local domain structure, leading to multifunctional responses to magnetic fields and electric currents, mechanical stresses, or thermal gradients. This review article is summarizing the work carried out in our group on the fabrication and magnetic characterization of cylindrical magnetic nanowires with modulated geometry and anisotropy. The nanowires are prepared by electrochemical methods allowing the fabrication of magnetic nanowires with precise control over geometry, morphology, and composition. Different routes to control the magnetization configuration and its dynamics through the geometry and magnetocrystalline anisotropy are presented. The diameter modulations change the typical single domain state present in cubic nanowires, providing the possibility to confine or pin circular domains or domain walls in each segment. The control and stabilization of domains and domain walls in cylindrical wires have been achieved in multisegmented structures by alternating magnetic segments of different magnetic properties (producing alternative anisotropy) or with non-magnetic layers. The results point out the relevance of the geometry and magnetocrystalline anisotropy to promote the occurrence of stable magnetochiral structures and provide further information for the design of cylindrical nanowires for multiple applications.

Cognitive boundary signals in the human medial temporal lobe shape episodic memory representation

While experience unfolds continuously, memories are organized as a set of discrete events that bind together the “where”, “when”, and “what” of episodic memory. This segmentation of continuous experience is thought to be facilitated by the detection of salient environmental or cognitive events. However, the underlying neural mechanisms and how such segmentation shapes episodic memory representations remain unclear. We recorded from single neurons in the human medial temporal lobe while subjects watched videos with different types of embedded boundaries and were subsequently evaluated for memories of the video contents. Here we show neurons that signal the presence of cognitive boundaries between subevents from the same episode and neurons that detect the abstract separation between different episodes. The firing rate and spike timing of these boundary-responsive neurons were predictive of later memory retrieval accuracy. At the population level, abrupt neural state changes following boundaries predicted enhanced memory strength but impaired order memory, capturing the behavioral tradeoff subjects exhibited when recalling episodic content versus temporal order. Successful retrieval was associated with reinstatement of the neural state present following boundaries, indicating that boundaries structure memory search. These findings reveal a neuronal substrate for detecting cognitive boundaries and show that cognitive boundary signals facilitate the mnemonic organization of continuous experience as a set of discrete episodic events.

ANALYSIS OF THE OECD/NEA SFR BENCHMARK WITH ANTS REDUCED-ORDER NODAL DIFFUSION SOLVER AND THE SERPENT MONTE CARLO CODE

In order to meet modern industrial and scientific demands the Kraken multi-physics platform’s development was recently launched at VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland. The neutronic solver of the framework consists of two calculation chains, providing full core solutions by the Serpent high fidelity code (1) and the AFEN/FENM-based reduced-order diffusion solver called Ants (2) capable of handling square and hexagonal geometries in steady-state. Present work introduces the simulation of a large 3600 MWth Sodium-cooled Fast Reactor (SFR) described within the activities of the Working Party on Scientific Issues of Reactor Systems (WPRS) of OECD. Full-core 3D results were obtained by Serpent for carbide- and oxide-fuel cores, moreover group constants were generated for Ants utilizing 2D super-cell and single assembly infinite lattice models of Serpent. The continuous-energy Monte Carlo method provided the reference results for the verification of the reduced-order method. Implementing the spatially homogenized properties, 3D solutions were obtained by Ants as well for both core configurations. Comparison was made between the various core designs and codes based on reactivity feedbacks (Doppler constant, sodium voiding, control rod worth) considering power distributions. Regarding reactivity sensitivity on geometry, axial fuel- and radial core expansion coefficients were evaluated as well.

Truncated Edge Cuprous Oxide Cube Architecture for Reduction of Nitrophenols

ABSTRACT Truncated cubic Cu-oxide nanocrystals with edge lengths of ca. 600 nm were prepared employing the low-cost copper (II) chloride as the precursor. XRD revealed that the truncated cubic Cu-oxide nanocrystals are present in both the CuI and Cu0 state. XPS characterisation gives insight into the amount of each state present in the as-prepared, oxidised, reduced and recovered catalyst species. The catalytic activity of the truncated cubic Cu-oxide nanocrystals was tested for the reduction of nitrophenols using NaBH4. After one catalytic cycle of the reduction of 4-nitrophenol, the activity almost halved. The SEM images revealed that the recovered catalyst showed some disfigurement of the structure, and XPS confirmed the reduction of the CuI to metallic Cu0. Keywords: Cu-oxide, truncated cubic nanocrystal, nitrophenol, catalysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.

Informing NMR experiments with molecular dynamics simulations to characterize the dominant activated state of the KcsA ion channel

As the first potassium channel with a X-ray structure determined, and given its homol- ogy to eukaryotic channels, the pH-gated prokaryotic channel KcsA has been extensively studied. Nevertheless, questions related in particular to the allosteric coupling between its gates remain open. The many currently available X-ray crystallography structures appear to correspond to various stages of activation and inactivation, offering insights into the molecular basis of these mechanisms. Since these studies have required mutations, com- plexation with antibodies, and substitution of detergents for lipids, examining the channel under more native conditions is desirable. Solid-state NMR (SSNMR) can be used to study the wild-type protein under activating conditions (low pH), at room temperature, and in bacteriomimetic liposomes. In this work, we sought to structurally assign the acti- vated state present in SSNMR experiments. We used a combination of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, chemical shift prediction algorithms, and Bayesian inference techniques to determine which of the most plausible X-ray structures resolved to date best represents the activated state captured in SSNMR. We first identified specific nuclei with simulated NMR chemical shifts that differed significantly when comparing partially open vs. fully open ensembles from MD simulations. The simulated NMR chemical shifts for those spe- cific nuclei were then compared to experimental ones, revealing that the simulation of the partially open state was in good agreement with the SSNMR data. Nuclei that discrimi- nate effectively between partially and fully open states belong to residues spread over the sequence and provide a molecular level description of the conformational change.