Unveiling the Impact of Respiratory Event-Related Hypoxia on Heart Sound Intensity During Sleep Using Novel Wearable Technology.

Purpose: Cardiovascular disorders are the leading cause of mortality worldwide with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as the independent risk factor. Heart sounds are strong modalities to obtain clinically relevant information regarding the functioning of the heart valves and blood flow. The objective of this study was to use a small wearable device to record and investigate the changes in heart sounds during respiratory events (reduction and cessation of breathings) and their association with oxyhemoglobin desaturation (hypoxemia).

The role of phenotypic plasticity and corticosterone in coping with pond drying conditions in yellow-bellied toad (Bombina variegata, Linnaeus 1758) tadpoles.

Amphibian larvae inhabiting temporary ponds often exhibit the capacity to accelerate development and undergo metamorphosis in challenging conditions like desiccation. However, not all species exhibit this ability, the yellow-bellied toad (Bombina variegata) is one such example. The underlying mechanisms behind the inability to accelerate development under desiccation remain largely unexplored.

Does the anesthetic tricaine methanesulfonate (MS-222) distort oxidative status parameters in tadpoles?

The effect of anesthesia/euthanasia with ethyl 3-aminobenzoate methanesulfonate (MS-222) on the oxidative status of Hyla arborea tadpoles was examined to determine whether the use of the anesthetic can confound the experimental results of the oxidative stress-based investigation. The experiment was conducted on two groups of tadpoles reared at different temperatures to produce differences in antioxidant capacity between the groups. After development at different temperatures (20 °C and 25 °C), the animals were exposed to different concentrations of MS-222 (0, 0.

The impact of semi-upright position on severity of sleep disordered breathing in patients with obstructive sleep apnea: a two-arm, prospective, randomized controlled trial.

Background: The severity of sleep-disordered breathing is known to worsen postoperatively and is associated with increased cardio-pulmonary complications and increased resource implications. In the general population, the semi-upright position has been used in the management of OSA. We hypothesized that the use of a semi-upright position versus a non-elevated position will reduce postoperative worsening of OSA in patients undergoing non-cardiac surgeries.

Higher temperature induces oxidative stress in hybrids but not in parental species: A case study of crested newts.

Ectotherms are particularly sensitive to global warming due to their limited capacity to thermoregulate, which can impact their performance and fitness. From a physiological standpoint, higher temperatures often enhance biological processes that can induce the production of reactive oxygen species and result in a state of cellular oxidative stress. Temperature alters interspecific interactions, including species hybridization.

What coloration brings: Implications of background adaptation to oxidative stress in anurans.

Background: Urban development results in habitat destruction, affecting populations of amphibians, the most fragile group of vertebrates. With changes in the environment, these animals become more exposed to light and predators. To enhance their chances of survival, they display plasticity of body coloration.

Carry-Over Effects of Desiccation Stress on the Oxidative Status of Fasting Anuran Juveniles.

Amphibians are sensitive to deteriorating environmental conditions, especially during transition to a terrestrial environment which is full of uncertainties. Harsh conditions, such as desiccation during earlier stages, affect different larval traits with possible carry-over effects on juvenile and adult life histories. The first consequences of the effects can be seen in juveniles in the challenges to find food and the ability to survive without it in a terrestrial habitat.

Oxidative Stress Parameters in Goitrogen-Exposed Crested Newt Larvae ( spp.): Arrested Metamorphosis.

Thiourea is an established disruptor of thyroid hormone synthesis and is frequently used as an inhibitor of metamorphosis. The changes caused by thiourea can affect processes associated with the oxidative status of individuals (metabolic rate, the HPI axis, antioxidant system). We investigated the parameters of oxidative stress in crested newt ( spp.

Sleep apnea severity based on estimated tidal volume and snoring features from tracheal signals.

Sleep apnea can be characterized by reductions in the respiratory tidal volume. Previous studies showed that the tidal volume can be estimated from tracheal sounds and movements called tracheal signals. Additionally, tracheal sounds include the sounds of snoring, a common symptom of obstructive sleep apnea.

Impact of desiccation pre-exposure on deltamethrin-induced oxidative stress in Bombina variegata juveniles.

Global warming represents a severe threat to existing ecosystems, especially for anuran tadpoles who encounter significant fluctuations in their habitats. Decreasing water levels in permanent and temporary water bodies is a significant risk for larval survival or fitness. On the other hand, the natural environment of amphibians is extremely polluted by various xenobiotics.

Freshwater systems and ecosystem services: Challenges and chances for cross-fertilization of disciplines.

Freshwater ecosystems are among the most threatened in the world, while providing numerous essential ecosystem services (ES) to humans. Despite their importance, research on freshwater ecosystem services is limited. Here, we examine how freshwater studies could help to advance ES research and vice versa.

Studying microplastics: Lessons from evaluated literature on animal model organisms and experimental approaches.

Although we are witnesses of an increase in the number of studies examining the exposure/effects of microplastics (MPs) on different organisms, there are many unknowns. This review aims to: (i) analyze current studies devoted to investigating the exposure/effects of MPs on animals; (ii) provide some basic knowledge about different model organisms and experimental approaches used in studying MPs; and to (iii) convey directions for future studies. We have summarized data from 500 studies published from January 2011 to May 2020, about different aspects of model organisms (taxonomic group of organisms, type of ecosystem they inhabit, life-stage, sex, tissue and/or organ) and experimental design (laboratory/field, ingestion/bioaccumulation/effect).

Relative tidal volume and respiratory airflow estimation using tracheal sound and movement during sleep.

Airflow is the reference signal to assess sleep respiratory disorders, such as sleep apnea. Previous studies estimated airflow using tracheal sounds in short segments with specific airflow rates, while requiring calibration or a few breaths for tuning the relationship between sound energy and airflow. Airflow-sound relationship can change by posture, sleep stage and airflow rate or tidal volume.

Automatic Respiratory Phase Identification Using Tracheal Sounds and Movements During Sleep.

One of the most important signals to assess respiratory function, especially in patients with sleep apnea, is airflow. A convenient method to estimate airflow is based on analyzing tracheal sounds and movements. However, this method requires accurate identification of respiratory phases.

Sleep/Wakefulness Detection Using Tracheal Sounds and Movements.

Purpose: The current gold standard to detect sleep/wakefulness is based on electroencephalogram, which is inconvenient if included in portable sleep screening devices. Therefore, a challenge in the portable devices is sleeping time estimation. Without sleeping time, sleep parameters such as apnea/hypopnea index (AHI), an index for quantifying sleep apnea severity, can be underestimated.

The effect of short-term fasting on the oxidative status of larvae of crested newt species and their hybrids.

In nature, animals often face periods without food caused by seasonal fluctuations and/or prey scarcity. An organism's physiological response to imposed energetic limitations is followed by changes in mitochondrial functioning (adjustment of energy metabolism) and a reduction of non-essential processes. However, this energy-saving strategy can have its costs.

Removing of Snoring Segments from Tracheal Breathing Sounds using a Wavelet-based Algorithm.

Tracheal sounds represent information about the upper airway and respiratory airflow, however, they can be contaminated by the snoring sounds. The sound of snoring has spectral content in a wide range that overlaps with that of breathing sounds during sleep. For assessing respiratory airflow using tracheal breathing sound, it is essential to remove the effect of snoring.

Hepatic oxidative stress and neurotoxicity in Pelophylax kl. esculentus frogs: Influence of long-term exposure to a cyanobacterial bloom.

Although the long-term exposure of aquatic organisms to cyanobacterial blooms is a regular occurrence in the environment, the prooxidant and neurotoxic effects of such conditions are still insufficiently investigated in situ. We examined the temporal dynamics of the biochemical parameters in the liver of Pelophylax kl. esculentus frogs that inhabit the northern (N) side of Lake Ludaš (Serbia) with microcystins (MCs) produced in a cyanobacterial bloom over three summer months.

The Effect of Shelter on Oxidative Stress and Aggressive Behavior in Crested Newt Larvae ( spp.).

Shelters are important for animal survival. Provision of adequate hiding places allow animals to express their natural sheltering behavior and it can have different positive effects on cortisol levels, physiological processes and mental performance. Although the absence of a refuge activates some stress response, its effect on oxidative stress has not been adequately examined.

Portable diagnosis of sleep apnea with the validation of individual event detection.

Study Objective: To develop an algorithm for improving apnea hypopnea index (AHI) estimation which includes event by event validation and event duration estimation. The algorithm uses breathing sounds, respiratory related movements and blood oxygen saturation (SaO).

Methods: Adults with suspected sleep apnea underwent overnight polysomnography (PSG) at Toronto Rehabilitations Institute.

Biochemical parameters in skin and muscle of Pelophylax kl. esculentus frogs: Influence of a cyanobacterial bloom in situ.

There is little information in scientific literature as to how conditions created by a microcystin (MC) producing cyanobacterial bloom affect the oxidant/antioxidant, biotransformation and neurotoxicity parameters in adult frogs in situ. We investigated biochemical parameters in the skin and muscle of Pelophylax kl. esculentus from Lake Ludaš (Serbia) by comparing frogs that live on the northern bloom side (BS) of the lake with those that inhabit the southern no-bloom side (NBS).

A criminal tribunal and a wide-ranging reparation programme is necessary for the victims of sexual violence and torture in Iraq.

The frequency and extreme nature of sexual violence committed in Iraq, primarily by the self-declared Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) from 2014 onwards, has shocked the international community. Now, four years later, victory over ISIL has been proclaimed but addressing past atrocities and their consequences has barely begun. There is a wide discrepancy between Iraq's human rights obligations, stressed by the United Nations (UN), and the reality on the ground, shaped by the Iraqi authorities.

Do different diets affect oxidative stress biomarkers and metal bioaccumulation in two snake species?

In this study we examined possible differences in heavy metal accumulation and oxidative stress parameters in the liver and muscle of two semi-aquatic snakes: grass snake (Natrix natrix) and dice snake (N. tessellata), that inhabit the same environment but differ in prey diversity. The obtained results revealed some interspecies, inter-tissue, prey-snake and prey-prey differences in heavy metal concentrations.

Oxidative stress in Pelophylax esculentus complex frogs in the wild during transition from aquatic to terrestrial life.

During life, anuran individuals undergo drastic changes in the course of transition from aquatic to terrestrial habitat, when they are faced with metabolically demanding processes (growth, responses to developmental pressures), which result in increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), signaling molecules involved in development that can induce oxidative damage and stress. This situation can be further complicated by environmental influences. The aim of this study was to investigate oxidative stress parameters in naturally developing Pelophylax esculentus complex frogs during four developmental periods: premetamorphosis, prometamorphosis, metamorphic climax and juvenile stage, in order to examine changes in the response of the antioxidative system (AOS) and oxidative damage during the transition from aquatic to terrestrial life.