A New Strategy in Modulating the Protease-Activated Receptor 2 (Par2) in Autoimmune Diseases.

Autoimmune diseases are complex conditions characterized by immune-mediated tissue damage and chronic inflammation. Protease-activated receptor 2 (Par2) has been implicated in these diseases, exhibiting dual roles that complicate its therapeutic potential. This review examines the perplexing functions of Par2, which promotes inflammation through immune cell activation while facilitating tissue healing in damaged organs.

Cocaine-Induced Microglial Impairment and Its Rehabilitation by PLX-PAD Cell Therapy.

Chronic cocaine use triggers inflammatory and oxidative processes in the central nervous system, resulting in impaired microglia. Mesenchymal stem cells, known for their immunomodulatory properties, have shown promise in reducing inflammation and enhancing neuronal survival. The study employed the cocaine self-administration model, focusing on ionized calcium-binding adaptor protein 1 (Iba-1) and cell morphology as markers for microglial impairment and PLX-PAD cells as a treatment for attenuating cocaine craving.

Proficiency, Clarity, and Objectivity of Large Language Models Versus Specialists' Knowledge on COVID-19 Impacts in Pregnancy: A Cross-Sectional Pilot Study.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly strained healthcare systems globally, leading to an overwhelming influx of patients and exacerbating resource limitations. Concurrently, an "infodemic" of misinformation, particularly prevalent in women's health, has emerged. This challenge has been pivotal for healthcare providers, especially gynecologists and obstetricians, in managing pregnant women's health.

Cryo-SIMPLY: A Reliable STT-MRAM-Based Smart Material Implication Architecture for In-Memory Computing.

This paper presents Cryo-SIMPLY, a reliable smart material implication (SIMPLY) operating at cryogenic conditions (77 K). The assessment considers SIMPLY schemes based on spin-transfer torque magnetic random access memory (STT-MRAM) technology with single-barrier magnetic tunnel junction (SMTJ) and double-barrier magnetic tunnel junction (DMTJ). Our study relies on a temperature-aware macrospin-based Verilog-A compact model for MTJ devices and a 65 nm commercial process design kit (PDK) calibrated down to 77 K under silicon measurements.

Supportive but biased: perceptual neural intergroup bias is sensitive to minor reservations about supporting outgroup immigration.

While decreasing negative attitudes against outgroups are often reported by individuals themselves, biased behaviour prevails. This gap between words and actions may stem from unobtrusive mental processes that could be uncovered by using neuroimaging in addition to self-reports. In this study we investigated whether adding neuroimaging to a traditional intergroup bias measure could detect intersubject differences in intergroup bias processes in a societal context where opposing discrimination is normative.

Bare and Ligand-Stabilized Planar Hexacoordinate Boron (phB) in ABeCB (A = P, As, Sb, and Bi) Clusters.

Planar hexacoordination is an extremely uncommon phenomenon for the atoms that belong to the main group. Within this article, we have analyzed the potential energy surfaces (PES) of ABeCB (A = N, P, As, Sb, and Bi) clusters in neutral, monocationic, monoanionic, dicationic, and dianionic states using density functional theory (DFT). Among which PBeCB, PBeCB, AsBeCB, AsBeCB, SbBeCB, and BiBeCB clusters contain a planar hexacoordinate boron (phB) atom in the global minimum energy structures with symmetry.

Topical Protection of Esophageal Mucosa as a New Treatment of GERD.

Among the various factors implicated in the pathogenesis of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), visceral hypersensitivity and mucosal resistance have been recently re-evaluated in relation to the increasing phenomenon of proton pump inhibitor failure, particularly in patients with nonerosive reflux disease (NERD). Intensive research has allowed us to understand that noxious substances contained in the refluxate are able to interact with esophageal epithelium and to induce the elicitation of symptoms. The frequent evidence of microscopic esophagitis able to increase the permeability of the mucosa, the proximity of sensory afferent nerve fibers to the esophageal lumen favoring the higher sensitivity to noxious substances and the possible activation of inflammatory pathways interacting with sensory nerve endings are pathophysiological alterations confirming that mucosal resistance is impaired in GERD patients.

Loss of does not affect bone and lean tissue in zebrafish.

Human genetic studies have nominated cadherin-like and PC-esterase domain-containing 1 () as a candidate target gene mediating bone mineral density (BMD) and fracture risk heritability. Recent efforts to define the role of in bone in mouse and human models have revealed complex alternative splicing and inconsistent results arising from gene targeting, making its function in bone difficult to interpret. To better understand the role of in adult bone mass and morphology, we conducted a comprehensive genetic and phenotypic analysis of in zebrafish, an emerging model for bone and mineral research.

Individual differences in temporal order judgment.

Large individual differences can be observed in studies reporting spectral TOJ. In the present study, we aimed to explore these individual differences and explain them by employing Warren and Ackroff (1976) framework of direct identification of components and their order (direct ICO) and holistic pattern recognition (HPR). In Experiment 1, results from 177 participants replicated the large variance in participants' performance and suggested three response patterns, validated using the K-Means clustering algorithm.

Trauma echoes: factors associated with peritraumatic distress and anxiety five days following Iranian missile attack on Israel.

On 13-14 April 2024, Iran launched ∼300 drones and missiles at Israel, in an unprecedented attack. As most studies examine the effects of trauma months or years later, less is known about its effects days later. To fill this gap, this study gauged the population response, five days after the attack.

Vaccine Acceptance Among Pregnant Women in Israel During COVID-19: Influences and Decision-Making Factors.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Israel prioritized pregnant women for vaccination, recognizing them as a high-risk group. This study aims to explore factors influencing the acceptance of Influenza, Pertussis (T-dap), and COVID-19 vaccines among pregnant women, focusing on attitudes, social norms, perceived control, and risk perceptions. Additionally, the study compares acceptance patterns between traditional vaccines and the newer COVID-19 vaccine.

Efficacy of Oral Probiotic Supplementation in Preventing Vulvovaginal Infections During Pregnancy: A Randomized and Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial.

Background/objective: This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of oral probiotic supplementation in preventing vulvovaginal infections (VVIs) in pregnant women, specifically focusing on abnormal vaginal flora (AVF), bacterial vaginosis (BV), and vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC).

Methods: A multicenter-prospective-randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted during 2016-2019. Women with normal vaginal flora (Nugent score < 4 and no candida) were divided into a research group, receiving 2 capsules/day of oral probiotic formula containing , , , , , and , or a control group, receiving a placebo until delivery.

Exploring Partners' Part in Shaping the Home Food Environment During the Transition to Fatherhood.

Objective: To investigate primiparous women's partners for knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding the physical home food environment (PHFE), and to assess if the first pregnancy provides a teachable opportunity to enhance the PHFE of first-time pregnant couples.

Design: This was a two-phase longitudinal in-depth qualitative study involving questionnaires and individual interviews during and after pregnancy.

Participants: Fifteen male partners of primigravida women.

Facultatively Anaerobic Staphylococci Enable Anaerobic Species to Grow and Form Biofilms Under Aerobic Conditions.

Facultatively anaerobic spp. and anaerobic spp. are among the most prominent bacteria on human skin.

The Anticancer Activity of Cannabinol (CBN) and Cannabigerol (CBG) on Acute Myeloid Leukemia Cells.

Several cannabis plant-derived compounds, especially cannabinoids, exhibit therapeutic potential in numerous diseases and conditions. In particular, THC and CBD impart palliative, antiemetic, as well as anticancer effects. The antitumor effects include inhibition of cancerous cell growth and metastasis and induction of cell death, all mediated by cannabinoid interaction with the endocannabinoid system (ECS).

Predictors of Postprandial Hyperglycemia in Non-Diabetic Adult Hospital Visitors: A Cross-Sectional Study Across Religious Groups in Northern Israel.

Ethnocultural differences between Jewish and Arab communities in Northern Israel may contribute to disparities in type 2 diabetes prevalence. Widespread screening strategies, including hospital-based initiatives, are crucial for early detection of hyperglycemia. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of postprandial hyperglycemia and identify its associated factors in a diverse population of non-diabetic adults visiting the Galilee Medical Center, a tertiary care hospital in Northern Israel.

From Emotional Abuse to a Fear of Intimacy: A Preliminary Study of the Mediating Role of Attachment Styles and Rejection Sensitivity.

Based on the literature indicating that emotional abuse erodes children's secure attachment bonds, this study aimed to examine a mediation model positing that insecure attachment (anxious and/or avoidant styles) would mediate the association between childhood emotional abuse and rejection sensitivity (rejection and acceptance expectancies), which, in turn, will be associated with a fear of intimacy. One hundred and eighty members of the Israeli public aged 21-30 who were in relationships participated in the study. The results showed that avoidant and anxious attachment mediated the relationship between childhood emotional abuse and a fear of intimacy, acceptance expectancy mediated the relationship between avoidant and anxious attachment and a fear of intimacy, anxious attachment mediated the relationship between childhood emotional abuse and both rejection and acceptance expectancies, and avoidant attachment mediated the relationship between childhood emotional abuse and acceptance expectancy.

Actor-Partner Effects of Personality Traits and Psychological Flexibility on Psychological Distress Among Couples Coping with Cancer.

In this study, we applied the actor-partner interdependence model (APIM) to explore the associations between personality traits (Big Five) and psychological flexibility, on the one hand, and depression and anxiety, on the other hand, among patients with cancer and their spouses. Method: Forty-six patient-spouse dyads (N = 92) completed the anxiety and depression scales from the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS), the ten-item personality inventory (TIPI), and the psychological flexibility scale (AAQ-2). Multilevel APIM models, adjusted for multiple testing, showed that neuroticism and psychological flexibility had actor effects on patients' depression and anxiety.

What Factors Affect Binocular Summation?

Binocular vision may serve as a good model for research on awareness. Binocular summation (BS) can be defined as the superiority of binocular over monocular visual performance. Early studies of BS found an improvement of a factor of about 1.

APOL1 Modulates Renin-Angiotensin System.

Patients carrying APOL1 risk alleles (G1 and G2) have a higher risk of developing Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis (FSGS); we hypothesized that escalated levels of miR193a contribute to kidney injury by activating renin-angiotensin system (RAS) in the APOL1 milieus. Differentiated podocytes (DPDs) stably expressing vector (V/DPD), G0 (G0/DPDs), G1 (G1/DPDs), and G2 (G2/DPDs) were evaluated for renin, Vitamin D receptor (VDR), and podocyte molecular markers (PDMMs, including WT1, Podocalyxin, Nephrin, and Cluster of Differentiation [CD]2 associated protein [AP]). G0/DPDs displayed attenuated renin but an enhanced expression of VDR and Wilms Tumor [WT]1, including other PDMMs; in contrast, G1/DPDs and G2/DPDs exhibited enhanced expression of renin but decreased expression of VDR and WT1, as well as other PDMMs (at both the protein and mRNA levels).

Starch-rich plant foods 780,000 y ago: Evidence from Acheulian percussive stone tools.

In contrast to animal foods, wild plants often require long, multistep processing techniques that involve significant cognitive skills and advanced toolkits to perform. These costs are thought to have hindered how hominins used these foods and delayed their adoption into our diets. Through the analysis of starch grains preserved on basalt anvils and percussors, we demonstrate that a wide variety of plants were processed by Middle Pleistocene hominins at the site of Gesher Benot Ya'aqov in Israel, at least 780,000 y ago.

The Potential Of Autologous Patient-Derived Circulating Extracellular Vesicles To Improve Drug Delivery In Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Recognizing the need for innovative therapeutic approaches in the management of autoimmune diseases , our current investigation explores the potential of autologous extracellular vesicles (EVs), derived from blood of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, to serve as therapeutic vectors to improve drug delivery. We found that circulating EVs derived from arthritic mice (Collagen-induced arthritis model) express the joint/synovia homing receptor, αVβ3 integrin. Importantly, both autologous labelled EVs, derived from blood of arthritic mice (Collagen antibody-induced arthritis model) and healthy mice-derived EVs, exhibit targeted migration toward inflamed synovia without infiltrating healthy joints, as demonstrated by an in-vivo imaging system.

The effect of fixed-time interval and on-demand analgesia protocols for post cesarean pain on maternal chronic pain and child development - follow up of randomized controlled trial.

Objective: Post-cesarean delivery (CD) acute pain may progress to chronic pain, which may impair maternal bonding and child development. In 2013, we compared the efficacy of versus on-demand oral analgesia for post-caesarean pain in a randomized-controlled-trial. The fixed-time-interval group had received scheduled paracetamol, tramadol, and diclofenac regardless of pain level, and the on-demand group received medication as needed, with oxycodone reserved for unrelieved pain in both groups.

Transoral approach for hilo-parenchymal submandibular stones: outcomes and predictors of success.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of transoral surgical management for complex submandibular gland (SMG) stones.

Study Design: A retrospective cohort study of 240 patients treated for sialolithiasis between 2015 and 2018, focusing on 57 cases of SMG stones that underwent stone removal procedures. Treatment methods, success rates, and complications were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier analysis, Cox proportional hazards regression, and multiple logistic regression.