Increased Working From Home in Vocational Counseling Psychologists During COVID-19: Associated Change in Productivity and Job Satisfaction

During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, vocational counselors in Switzerland more frequently worked from home (WFH) and less frequently worked on-site. The aim of this study was to assess how WFH corresponds with indicators of job performance and occupational wellbeing. More specifically, the current questionnaire study analyzed the increase in WFH, self-reported productivity, distractibility in WFH, current job satisfaction, work-life balance in WFH, and feeling of loneliness. Findings showed that the increase in WFH in vocational counseling psychologists during the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with an increase in productivity and job satisfaction and with lower distractibility in WFH compared to work on-site. However, more frequent WFH was not significantly associated with improved work-life balance during the COVID-19 pandemic. Vocational counselors who shared the office on-site with many colleagues experienced higher feeling of loneliness during WFH. Vocational counselors regarded the condition of WFH as productive and satisfying while work-life balance did not improve. The discussion sheds light on the potential WFH-related increase of boundary management demands.

Biochemical reference intervals in broiler chickens according to age and strain

The objective of the research was to study the physiological pattern of biochemical variables and to obtain reference intervals for young (less than 1 month) and adult (more than 1 month) broiler chickens of 2 strains. From the jugular vein, blood for analysis was collected, separated, and then immediately analyzed. The influence of age was significant for the majority of the investigated variables in the 2 groups. In Isa15 strain, a significant age-related decrease in plasma uric acid, glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, phosphorus, potassium and iron was established. Also, a significant age-related increase in plasma calcium and ASAT was obtained in the same broiler strain. In Arbor Acres Plus strain, a significant age-related decrease in plasma glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides and phosphorus was observed. A significant age-related increase in plasma total protein, calcium and ASAT has also been reported in this broiler strain. A significant difference between the two strains was reported for plasma uric acid, glucose, cholesterol, phosphorus, magnesium and iron (p<0.05). For most estimated parameters in the 2 strains, calculation of separate reference intervals for young and adult animals was appropriate. Except for potassium in young Isa15 strain, and phosphorus in young Arbor Acres Plus strain, all variables did not follow a normal distribution. Reference intervals are presented for both ages using non-parametric or robust method. 90% confidence intervals for both groups were calculated non-parametrically, or by the bootstraping method. The established reference intervals will be a useful guide for interpreting plasma biochemical variables in different strains of broiler chickens raised in Algeria, and reared in a mild Mediterranean climate.

Are We Overdoing It? Changes in Diagnostic Imaging Workload during the Years 2010–2020 including the Impact of the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic

Since the 1990s, there has been a significant increase in the number of imaging examinations as well as a related increase in the healthcare expenditure and the exposure of the population to X-rays. This study aimed to analyze the workload trends in radiology during the last decade, including the impact of COVID-19 in a single university hospital in Poland and to identify possible solutions to the challenges that radiology could face in the future. We compared the annual amount of computed tomography (CT), radiography (X-ray), and ultrasound (US) examinations performed between the years 2010 and 2020 and analyzed the changes in the number of practicing radiologists in Poland. The mean number of patients treated in our hospital was 60,727 per year. During the last decade, the number of CT and US examinations nearly doubled (from 87.4 to 155.7 and from 52.1 to 86.5 per 1000 patients in 2010 and 2020 respectively), while X-ray examinations decreased from 115.1 to 96.9 per 1000 patients. The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic did not change the workload trends as more chest examinations were performed. AI, which contributed to the COVID-19 diagnosis, could aid radiologists in the future with the growing workload by increasing the efficiency of radiology departments as well as by potentially minimizing the related costs.

Modulation of Adhesion Molecules Expression by Different Metalloproteases Isolated from Bothrops Snakes

Snake venom metalloproteinases (SVMP) are involved in local inflammatory reactions observed after snakebites. Based on domain composition, they are classified as PI (pro-domain + proteolytic domain), PII (PI + disintegrin-like domains), or PIII (PII + cysteine-rich domains). Here, we studied the role of different SVMPs domains in inducing the expression of adhesion molecules at the microcirculation of the cremaster muscle of mice. We used Jararhagin (Jar)—a PIII SVMP with intense hemorrhagic activity, and Jar-C—a Jar devoid of the catalytic domain, with no hemorrhagic activity, both isolated from B. jararaca venom and BnP-1—a weakly hemorrhagic P1 SVMP from B. neuwiedi venom. Toxins (0.5 µg) or PBS (100 µL) were injected into the scrotum of mice, and 2, 4, or 24 h later, the protein and gene expression of CD54 and CD31 in the endothelium, and integrins (CD11a and CD11b), expressed in leukocytes were evaluated. Toxins induced significant increases in CD54, CD11a, and CD11b at the initial time and a time-related increase in CD31 expression. In conclusion, our results suggest that, despite differences in hemorrhagic activities and domain composition of the SVMPs used in this study, they behave similarly to the induction of expression of adhesion molecules that promote leukocyte recruitment.

CHANGES IN THE NUMBER OF p23-POSITIVE FIBROBLASTS IN HUMAN DERMIS WITH AGING

Целью работы стало исследование содержания белка p23 в фибробластах дермы человека от 20 нед беременности до 85 лет, а также определение участия p23 для возрастных изменений численности и пролиферации фибробластов в дерме человека. p23, ядерный антиген пролиферирующих клеток (PCNA), маркер фибробластов виментин выявляли в срезах кожи непрямым иммуногистохимическим методом. В дерме человека от 20 нед беременности до 85 лет наблюдали планомерное увеличение доли фибробластов, имеющих положительную окраску на p23. Возрастное изменение численности p23позитивных фибробластов в дерме достоверно коррелирует с возрастным уменьшением общей численности и доли PCNA-позитивных фибробластов в дерме человека, что свидетельствует об участии p23 в возрастных изменениях общей численности и доли пролиферирующих фибробластов в дерме человека. The aim of this work was to examine the content of p23 in fibroblasts of human dermis from 20 weeks of pregnancy until 85 years old, and defining of a role of p23 in age-dependent changes in the number and proliferation of fibroblasts in the dermis. p23, proliferating cells nuclear antigen (PCNA), fibroblasts marker vimentin were detected with indirect immunohistochemical technique. Results showed that portion of fibroblasts with positive staining for p23 in the dermis is gradually increased from 20 weeks of pregnancy until 85 years old. Age-related increase in a portion of fibroblasts with positive staining for p23 is significantly correlated with an age-related decrease in total number and percent of PCNA positive fibroblasts in human dermis. Age-related increase in the content of p23 in fibroblasts is involved in an age-dependent decrease in their total number and proliferation in the dermis.

ENRICHMENT OF THE DIET OF BULLS WITH IRON

Изучено влияние обогащения рациона бычков калмыцкой породы наноразмерными частицами микроэлементов в составе ультрадисперсных порошков металлов на мясное сырье. Нанопорошок железа получен химико-металлургическим способом низкотемпературного восстановления в потоке водорода гидроксидов и оксидов железа в ультрадисперсном состоянии до наночастиц с последующей пассивацией. По принципу пар-аналогов сформировали 2 группы бычков по 12 голов ― контрольную и опытную с живой массой молодняка, соответственно, 175,5±7,5 и 173,5±5,2 кг. Введение в рацион добавки, содержащей 0,08 мг железа на 1 кг живой массы в состав комбикорма для бычков на откорме в возрасте 6―18 мес путем его опрыскивания, позволило обогатить мышечную ткань животных эссенциальным железом, улучшить нутриентный состав говядины для детского и функционального питания. Установлено возрастное увеличение содержания общего белка в сыворотке крови бычков в контроле ― от 79,0±1,4 г/л в 6 мес до 85,0±1,1 в 18 мес и в опытной группе ― от 80,0±1,4 до 86,0±1,1 г/л соответственно. Количество альбуминов с возрастом увеличивалось: в контроле ― от 48,01±1,05 г/л в 6 мес до 52,03±1,10 в 18 мес и в опытной группе ― от 49,02±1,14 г/л в 6 мес до 52,02±1,13 г/л в 18 мес. Установлено двукратное повышение содержания железа в длиннейшей мышце туш опытных бычков, которое составило 89,29 мг/кг железа. Установлена возможность прижизненного обогащения говядины железом более, чем в 2 раза. The influence of enriching the diet of Kalmyk gobies with nanosized particles of microelements in the composition of ultra-dispersed metal powders meat raw materials has been studied. Iron nanopowder was obtained by the chemical-metallurgical method of low-temperature reduction in a hydrogen flow of hydroxides and iron oxides in an ultradispersed state to nanoparticles with subsequent passivation. According to the principle of analog pairs, 2 groups of gobies 12 heads each were formed ― control and experimental ― with the live weight of young animals, respectively, 175.5±7.5 and 173.5±5.2 kg. The introduction into the diet of an additive containing 0.08 mg of iron per 1 kg of live weight in the composition of feed for fattening bulls at the age of 6―18 months by spraying it, made it possible to enrich the muscle tissue of animals with essential iron, improve the nutrient composition of beef for baby and functional nutrition. An age-related increase in the concentration of total protein in the blood serum of gobies in the control was determined ― from 79.0±1.4 g/l at 6 months to 85.0±1.1 g/l at 18 months and in the experimental group ― from 80.0±1.4 to 86.0±1.1 g/l, respectively. The number of albumin increased with the age: in the control ― from 48.0±1.17 g/l at 6 months to 52.0±1.19 g/l at 18 months and in the experimental group ― from 49.0±1.16 g/l at 6 months to 52,0±1.18 g/l at 18 months A twofold increase in the iron content in the longest muscle of the back of experimental gobies was determined, which amounted to 89.29 mg/kg of iron. The possibility of in vivo enrichment of beef with iron by more than 2 times has been determined.

Evaluation of the cytotoxicity of an Ivorian aphrodisiac of natural origin

In Côte d'Ivoire, the market of aphrodisiacs of natural origin has been significantly growing over the last decades. The objective of this study was to evaluate the cytotoxicity of the most employed by Ivorian men, called Aphro. For that, Caco-2/TC7 enterocytes and Vero ATCC cells kidney epithelial cells grown in DMEM medium were exposed to Aphro at concentrations ranging from 216 to 864 µg/mL. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) released upon cell death was assayed after 1, 2 and 24h of exposure. In parallel, the effect of Apho was evaluated in differentiated confluent cells by measurements of the trans-epithelial electrical resistance. A time course and significant dose response related increase of LDH was measured in the culture medium of Caco-2/TC7 and Vero ATCC cells exposed to the aphrodisiac. The trans-epithelial electrical resistance of the Caco-2/TC7 cell monolayers also showed a significant decrease from 1400 Ω*cm2 at the onset of the experiment to 450 Ω*cm2 after 24 h of treatment. Cell detachment and structural disorganization were observed in both cell lines. This study reveals the strong cytotoxicity of Aphro extract on both cell lines.

Bridging Sex-Specific Differences in the CAR-Mediated Hepatocarcinogenesis of Nitrapyrin Using Molecular and Apical Endpoints

Nitrapyrin, a nitrification inhibitor, produces liver tumors in B6C3F1 mice. In a 2-year oncogenicity study, increased incidence of mice with hepatocellular tumors was observed following exposure to 125 (females only) or 250 mg/kg/day (males and females) nitrapyrin in the diet. Previous data was generated in male mice to support a mode-of-action (MoA) characterized by constitutive androstane receptor (CAR) nuclear receptor (NR) activation, increased hepatocellular proliferation, and subsequent hepatocellular foci and tumor formation. Uncertainty as to the relevance of this MoA for females remained given the increased sensitivity to tumor formation in female mice. A targeted MoA study was conducted to evaluate CAR activation and hepatic responses in female mice treated with the female carcinogenic dose of nitrapyrin for 4 days. Nitrapyrin induced a treatment-related increase in hepatocellular hypertrophy and hepatocellular proliferation. Nitrapyrin also induced a dose-related increase in the Cyp2b10/CAR-associated transcript and liver weights. Nitrapyrin-induced liver weights and Cyp2b10 gene expression for both males and females were compared to data generated from three other established CAR activators; methyl isobutyl ketone, phenobarbital, and sulfoxaflor. The response observed in female mice following exposure to nitrapyrin was within range of the degree of change observed in mice following exposure to tumorigenic doses of other CAR activators. Consistent with the liver MoA in male mice, these data support a CAR-mediated mode of action for nitrapyrin-induced liver tumors in female mice, with the understanding that a focused approach minimizing animal use can bridge male and female datasets when sex-specific carcinogenic differences are observed.

Neuroligin 1 expression is linked to plasticity of behavioral and neuronal responses to sex pheromone in the male moth Agrotis ipsilon

In the moth Agrotis ipsilon, the behavioral response of males to the female-emitted sex pheromone increases throughout adult life and following a prior exposure to sex pheromone whereas it is temporally inhibited after the onset of mating. This behavioral flexibility is paralleled with changes in neuronal sensitivity to pheromone signal within the primary olfactory centers, the antennal lobes. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that neuroligins, postsynaptic transmembrane proteins known to act as mediators of neuronal remodeling, are involved in the olfactory modulation in A. ipsilon males. We cloned a full-length cDNA encoding neuroligin 1 which is expressed predominantly in brain and especially in antennal lobes. The level of neuroligin 1 expression in antennal lobes gradually raised from day-2 until day-4 of adult life as well as at 24 h, 48 h and 72 h following pre-exposure to sex pheromone and the temporal dynamic of these changes correlated with increased sex pheromone responsiveness. By contrast, there was no significant variation in antennal lobe neuroligin 1 expression during the post-mating refractory period. Taken together, these results highlighted that age- and odor experience-related increase in sex pheromone responsiveness is linked to the overexpression of neuroligin 1 in antennal lobes, thus suggesting a potential role played by this postsynaptic cell-adhesion molecule in mediating the plasticity of central olfactory system in A. ipsilon.

Dramatic changes in Harbin aerosol during 2018–2020: the roles of open burning policy and secondary aerosol formation

Despite the growing interest in understanding haze formation in Chinese megacities, air pollution has been largely overlooked for the Harbin–Changchun (HC) metropolitan area, located in the severe cold climate region in northeast China. In this study, we unfolded significant variations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in HC's central city (Harbin) during two sequential heating seasons of 2018–2019 and 2019–2020, and we explored major drivers for the observed variations. The two campaigns showed comparable organic carbon (OC) levels but quite different OC sources. The biomass burning (BB) to OC contribution decreased substantially for 2019–2020, which was attributed primarily to the transition of local policies on agricultural fires, i.e., from the “legitimate burning” policy released in 2018 to the “strict prohibition” policy in 2019. Meanwhile, the contribution of secondary OC (OCsec) increased significantly, associated with the much more frequent occurrences of high relative humidity (RH) conditions during the 2019–2020 measurement period. Similar to OCsec, the major secondary inorganic ions, i.e., sulfate, nitrate and ammonium (SNA), also exhibited RH-dependent increases. Given the considerable aerosol water contents predicted for the high-RH conditions, heterogeneous reactions were likely at play in secondary aerosol formation even in the frigid atmosphere in Harbin (e.g., with daily average temperatures down to below −20 ∘C). In brief, compared to 2018–2019, the 2019–2020 measurement period was characterized by a policy-driven decrease of biomass burning OC, a RH-related increase of OCsec and a RH-related increase of SNA, with the first two factors generally offsetting each other. In addition, we found that open burning activities were actually not eliminated by the strict prohibition policy released in 2019, based on a synthesis of air quality data and fire count results. Although not occurring during the 2019–2020 measurement period, agricultural fires broke out within a short period before crop planting in spring of 2020, and this resulted in off-the-charts air pollution for Harbin, with 1 h and 24 h PM2.5 concentrations peaking at ∼ 2350 and 900 µg/m3, respectively. This study indicates that sustainable use of crop residues remains a difficult challenge for the massive agricultural sector in northeast China.