Valsartan and Sacubitril Combination Treatment Enhances Collagen Production in Older Adult Human Skin Cells

Collagen is a major component of the skin’s support system, allowing for firmness, elasticity, and mechanical strength. In older adults, skin collagen production decreases significantly, and is associated with increased sagging, wrinkling, and thinning. The Renin Angiotensin System (RAS) is a key hormonal system that changes with age and affects multiple organ systems. While primary health benefits of Angiotensin (Ang) receptor type1 (AT1 R) blockers (ARBs) are believed to arise from systemic effects on blood pressure. There exists a skin-specific Renin Angiotensin System (RAS), but the impact of ARBs on older skin is unknown. Human skin fibroblasts from individuals aged 2 (young individual) and 57 (older individual) were treated with drugs that alter RAS: Valsartan (an ARB) and neprilysin inhibitor Sacubitril. Fibroblast proliferation and collagen production was quantified in response to the drug treatment using fluorescence microscopy. Fibroblasts from 57-year-old individuals were slower to proliferate and had less collagen content as compared to fibroblasts from young individual. Valsartan alone treatment had no effect on collagen production from young or old fibroblasts. In contrast, Sacubitril treatment increased collagen production by approximately three-fold in young (2.87 ± 0.27 RFU, P<.0001), and older (2.93 ± 0.53 RFU, P<.0001) fibroblasts. Concomitant treatment with Valsartan and Sacubitril increased collagen production by five-fold increase (5.36 ± 1.08 RFU, P<.0001) in young fibroblasts, and four-fold (4.18 ± 0.96 RFU, P=.003) in older cells. This study demonstrates a novel use for the widely prescribed drug combination, Sacubitril and Valsartan, which significantly improves collagen production in older adult fibroblasts.

Mental model of the formation of spiritual intelligence of an individual in the context of radicalization of modern youth

The object of this research is modern youth, while the subjects is the spiritual intelligence of modern youth. The goal of this article lies in creating a mental model of the formation of spiritual intelligence of a young individual. The research methodology contains humanistic approach that allows giving priority attention to the problems life pursuits of a young individual; systemic holistic approach that allows substantiating the content of external factors that influence spiritual intelligence of a young individual. Focus on the systemic reflection of the object ant subject of research in the context of analysis of objective reality of the modern process of radicalization of youth reveals the correlation between spiritual intelligence of the young person and their behaviorism. The main results are as follows: 1) determination of the relevant in the XXI century groups of factors that negatively impact spiritual intelligence of the individual with immature worldview, and lead them towards entering the path of radicalization; 2) creation of the mental model that reveals dependence of the transformation of spiritual intelligence of the young individual, and thus, their behaviorism vector on the impact of external and internal factors; 3) formulation of the law of self-preservation of the young individual and establishment of correlation of its elements with the factors of external environment. The novelty of this work lies in the original approach towards creation of mental model of the development  of spiritual intelligence of a young individual in the conditions of immediate impact of radical ideology, description of the process of its functioning via mathematical model, formulation of the law of self-preservation of a young individual, as well as disclosure of the role of the government youth policy in determining the vector of youth behaviorism. The acquired results can be valuable for the government and law enforcement agencies in preventing radicalization of youth, as well as building the system of youth policy adequate to democratic society.

A TOOTH OF THE EXTINCT LAMNID SHARK, COSMOPOLITODUS PLANUS COMB. NOV. (CHONDRICHTHYES: ELASMOBRANCHII) FROM THE MIOCENE OF POHANG CITY, SOUTH KOREA

An isolated, upper lateral tooth of the extinct lamnid shark Cosmopolitodus planus (Agassiz, 1856), is described from middle Miocene marine deposits (possibly the Duho Formation) in Pohang City, South Korea. This is the first confirmed record of this taxon in the Korean Peninsula. The tooth is less than half the size of a large tooth of this species, suggesting that the tooth comes either from an intermediate or posterior position within the upper jaw, or from a young individual. This report further supports the hypothesis that epipelagic or pelagic sharks were already distributed throughout the entire East Sea in the middle Miocene. It is recommended that the species planus should be transferred to the genus Cosmopolitodus based on numerous similarities with the type species of this genus, C. hastalis (Agassiz, 1838).

Bridging the Gap: A Qualitative Analysis of What It Takes to Inspire Youth to Engage in Volunteering

This article explores how to inspire youth to volunteer. Drawing on ideas of inspiration and motivational framing, we develop insight into how constructing and cultivating a sense of efficacy and obligation pushes a young individual passively inspired by the good deeds and acts being performed in the third sector into becoming someone who is inspired to take action and volunteer. Getting out into the real world of practice allowed us to explore the situated practices carried out in a youth summer internship program. We find that five program practices—authorizing, creating safe relational spaces, reflecting, revealing privilege, and simplifying—fostered an emergent action-oriented set of beliefs that supplied the impetus youth needed to become inspired to volunteer. This has implications for our understanding of the inspirational process as well as for philanthropic foundations looking to design effective programs. Limitations and directions for future research are also discussed.

Toka-chaff cutter cervical trauma in COVID-19 lockdown: case report

Fodder cutter (toka) of both manual and powered type is among the commonest tool being used by people for the preparation of fodder for their cattle. Agricultural traumatic injuries can lead to serious disability and mortality. Out of the agricultural machinery related accidents the maximum occur with the chaff-cutters i.e. toka machines. An intriguing cervical trauma due to entanglement in agricultural implement while chopping fodder in a young individual is being reported, as there is no reference in global literature. Slightest mistake can lead to serious injuries with disastrous outcome.

First record of predation on Rhinella diptycha (Anura, Bufonidae) by Caiman latirostris (Crocodylia, Alligatoridae)

Caimans of the species Caiman latirostris, which are widely distributed in South America, are opportunistic predators. They show ontogenetic variation in diet, with young individuals initially feeding on invertebrates and then gradually adding vertebrates in their diets as they grow up. However, due to inexperience, young individuals may end up eating dangerous prey, such as poisonous amphibians. The intoxication caused by eating an individual of Rhinella diptycha may produce local irritation to the caiman, and even lead it to death shortly after ingestion. To avoid this threat, some animals use particular feeding strategies, such as starting to eat the prey’s posterior part, or eating only its viscera. In this note, we report the first case of a predation event of an adult individual of the poisonous toad R. diptycha by a young individual of C. latirostris that we observed in a pond of the Southeast of Brazil. The caiman waited until the toad was dead before starting swallowing slowly, from the anterior part of the body. We did not observe any sign that the caiman was affected by the prey ingestion, even some hours later after ingestion. Our register suggests that the caiman may be tolerant or adapted to eat this poisonous prey and encourage research on the causes and mechanisms of this tolerance.