The Reproductive Transition: Effects on Viral Replication, Immune Activation, and Metabolism in Women with HIV infection

Purpose of Review To describe research advances in the menopausal transition (MT) and its effects on HIV replication, immune activation, and metabolic parameters in women living with HIV (WLWH). Recent Findings. Physiologic changes due to declines in ovarian reserve characterize the MT. Evidence suggests that estrogen depletion influences HIV replication and the latent reservoir. Changes in markers of immune activation, waist circumference, and neurocognition, independent of chronologic age, occur before the final menstrual period (FMP). HIV effects on gut microbial translocation and adipose tissue, as well as health disparities in WLWH may contribute. Improved biomarker sensitivity to predict FMP provides opportunities to study MT in WLWH. Summary Research is needed to determine the effects of MT and HIV on virologic and clinical outcomes, using accurate assessments to predict the FMP and menopausal stages. These findings could inform the timing of interventions to prevent early onset of adverse outcomes in WLWH.

Lattice Boltzmann simulations on the tumbling to tank-treading transition: effects of membrane viscosity

The tumbling to tank-treading (TB-TT) transition for red blood cells (RBCs) has been widely investigated, with a main focus on the effects of the viscosity ratio λ (i.e., the ratio between the viscosities of the fluids inside and outside the membrane) and the shear rate γ ˙ applied to the RBC. However, the membrane viscosity μ m plays a major role in a realistic description of RBC dynamics, and only a few works have systematically focused on its effects on the TB-TT transition. In this work, we provide a parametric investigation on the effect of membrane viscosity μ m on the TB-TT transition for a single RBC. It is found that, at fixed viscosity ratios λ , larger values of μ m lead to an increased range of values of capillary number at which the TB-TT transition occurs; moreover, we found that increasing λ or increasing μ m results in a qualitatively but not quantitatively similar behaviour. All results are obtained by means of mesoscale numerical simulations based on the lattice Boltzmann models. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Progress in mesoscale methods for fluid dynamics simulation’.

The European Beech Annual Tree Ring Widths Time Series, Solar–Climatic Relationships and Solar Dynamo Regime Changes

In this study, the results from the analysis of annual ring widths (‘Dm’) time series of two “very sensitive” to the climate and solar–climate relationships of long lived European beech (Fagus sylvatica) samples (on age of 209 ± 1 and 245 ± 5 years correspondingly) are discussed. Both series are characterized by very good expressed and relating to the solar magnetic Hale cycle 20–22-year oscillations. A good coincidence between the changes of ‘Dm’ and the growth or fading of the solar magnetic cycle is found. The transition effects at the beginning and ending of the grand Dalton (1793–1833) and Gleissberg minima (1898–1933) are very clearly visible in the annual tree ring width data for the one of beech samples. Some of these effects are also detected in the second sample. The problem for the possible “lost” sunspot cycle at the end of 18th century is also discussed. A prediction for a possible “phase catastrophe” during the future Zurich sunspot cycles 26 and 27 between 2035–2040 AD as well as for general precipitation upward and temperature fall tendencies in Central Bulgaria, more essential after 2030 AD, are brought forth.

PPARγ Mediates the Anti-Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition Effects of FGF1ΔHBS in Chronic Kidney Diseases via Inhibition of TGF-β1/SMAD3 Signaling

Podocytes are essential components of the glomerular basement membrane. Epithelial-mesenchymal-transition (EMT) in podocytes results in proteinuria. Fibroblast growth factor 1 (FGF1) protects renal function against diabetic nephropathy (DN). In the present study, we showed that treatment with an FGF1 variant with decreased mitogenic potency (FGF1ΔHBS) inhibited podocyte EMT, depletion, renal fibrosis, and preserved renal function in two nephropathy models. Mechanistic studies revealed that the inhibitory effects of FGF1ΔHBS podocyte EMT were mediated by decreased expression of transforming growth factor β1 via upregulation of PPARγ. FGF1ΔHBS enhanced the interaction between PPARγ and SMAD3 and suppressed SMAD3 nuclei translocation. We found that the anti-EMT activities of FGF1ΔHBS were independent of glucose-lowering effects. These findings expand the potential uses of FGF1ΔHBS in the treatment of diseases associated with EMT.

Pembuatan Animasi 3D Sosialisasi Penggunaan Jalur Simpangan dan Bundaran Ketika Berkendara

The purpose of this research is to make a 3D animated video that is used to provide information about the ethics of driving at intersections and roundabouts in accordance with the rules that apply to the public or vehicle users, in order to reduce the level of traffic accidents. The making of this 3-dimensional animated video starts with the initial stage, namely determining the idea, the data collection stage, to designing the storyboard. After that, the modeling, texturing, rigging animating, and rendering stage are carried out, using the Blender and Makehuman applications which then produce several 3-dimensional animated video pieces. After the rendering process is complete, the next stage is final editing by providing text, images, transition effects using the Adobe Premiere Pro application and adding audio as voice over to the story script. The last stage is the final rendering which produces a 3-dimensional animated video in the MP4 file format. Abstrak Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah pembuatan video animasi 3D yang digunakan untuk memberikan informasi tentang etika berkendara di simpangan dan bundaran sesuai dengan aturan yang berlaku bagi masyarakat atau pengguna kendaraan, agar dapat mengurangi tingkat kecelakaan lalu lintas. Pembuatan video animasi 3 dimensi ini, dimulai dengan tahap awal yaitu penentuan ide, tahap pengumpulan data, hingga perancangan storyboard. setelah itu dilakukan proses modelling, texturing, rigging animating, hingga tahap rendering, dengan menggunakan aplikasi Blender dan Makehuman yang kemudian menghasilkan beberapa potongan-potongan video animasi 3 dimensi. Setelah proses rendering selesai, tahap selanjutnya adalah final editing dengan memberikan teks, gambar, efek transisi menggunakaan aplikasi Adobe Premiere Pro serta menambahkan audio sebagai pengisi suara pada naskah cerita. Tahap terakhir adalah final rendering yang menghasilkan video animasi 3 dimensi dengan format file MP4.

Realistic hardening-to-softening transition effects of metals over the finite strain range up to failure

PurposeA new approach is proposed toward accurately matching any given realistic hardening and softening data from uniaxial tensile test up to failure and moreover, toward bypassing usual tedious implicit trial-and-error iterative procedures in identifying numerous unknown parameters.Design/methodology/approachFinite strain response features of metals with realistic hardening-to-softening transition effects up to eventual failure are studied for the first time based on the self-consistent elastoplastic J2-flow model with the logarithmic stress rate. As contrasted with usual approximate and incomplete treatments merely considering certain particular types of hardening effects such as power type hardening, here a novel and explicit approach is proposed to obtain a complete form of the plastic-work-dependent yield strength over the whole hardening and softening range.FindingsA new multi-axial evolution equation for both hardening and softening effects is established in an explicit form. Complete results for the purpose of model validation and prediction are presented for the finite strain responses of monotonic uniaxial stretching up to failure.Originality/valueNew finite strain elastoplastic equations are established with a new history-dependent variable equivalently in place of the usual plastic work. With these equations, a unified and accurate simulation of both gardening and softening effects up to failure is achieved for the first time in an explicit sense without involving usual tedious implicit trial-and-error iterative procedures.

A Replication of a Quasi-Experimental Approach to Estimating Middle School Structural Transition Effects on Student Learning Trajectories

Using a dataset that includes over 17 million students from across all 50 states, we estimate the causal impact of making structural transitions into middle school (in grades 4, 5, 6, or 7) on student math and reading achievement trajectories. This dataset provides an ideal opportunity to engage in the valuable scientific practice of conducting replication studies. Prior research on the impacts of middle school transitions is of high quality and rests on a strong causal warrant, but the study settings vary greatly and use data from a prior decade. We conduct a replication (i.e., using the same methods on different data) using larger, broader, and more recent data. We extend prior analyses in ways that may further strengthen the causal warrant. Finally, we explore heterogeneity of effects across subgroups and states, which may help reconcile differences in the magnitude of estimated effects across studies.