Etifoxine Restores Mitochondrial Oxidative Phosphorylation and Improves Cognitive Recovery Following Traumatic Brain Injury

The opening of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP) has emerged as a pivotal event following traumatic brain injury (TBI). Evidence showing the impact of the translocator protein (TSPO) over mPTP activity has prompted several studies exploring the effect of TSPO ligands, including etifoxine, on the outcome of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Mitochondrial respiration was assessed by respirometry in isolated rat brain mitochondria (RBM) by measurements of oxidative phosphorylation capacity (OXPHOS). The addition of calcium to RBM was used to induce mitochondrial injury and resulted in significant OXPHOS reduction that could be reversed by preincubation of RBM with etifoxine. Sensorimotor and cognitive functions were assessed following controlled cortical impact and compared in vehicle and etifoxine-treated animals. There was no difference between the vehicle and etifoxine groups for sensorimotor functions as assessed by rotarod. In contrast, etifoxine resulted in a significant improvement of cognitive functions expressed by faster recovery in Morris water maze testing. The present findings show a significant neuroprotective effect of etifoxine in TBI through restoration of oxidative phosphorylation capacity associated with improved behavioral and cognitive outcomes. Since etifoxine is a registered drug used in common clinical practice, implementation in a phase II study may represent a reasonable step forward.     

Structural,ferroelectric, magnetic and magnetoelectric properties of (1-x) Ba0.85Ca0.15Zr0.1Ti0.9O3 -x La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 lead-free magnetoelectric composites

The influence of an additional La_0.67Sr_0.33MnO₃ (LSMO) magnetic phase on the structural, ferromagnetic, ferroelectric, and magnetoelectric properties of Ba_0.85Ca_0.15Zr_0.1Ti_0.9O₃ (BCZT) ferroelectric phase was studied for composites of (1-x)BCZT -xLSMO (x = 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100%). The ferroelectric BCZT sample showed a perovskite single phase formation with a tetragonal crystal structure of the P4mm space group, and the magnetic phase of LSMO presented a rhombohedral crystal structure of R3c space group as shown by XRD. The composite sample with 25% LSMO exhibited large ferroelectric and piezoelectric properties with remnant, saturation polarization, and coercive electric field P_r ~7.74 μC/cm², P_s ~11.69 μC/cm² and E_C ~12.22 kV/cm with a piezoelectric coefficient d₃₃ ~ 231 pC/N. The magnetic characterization for the composites showed that the sample containing 75% of LSMO revealed the highest remnant, saturation magnetization, and coercive field of M_r ~1.358 emu/g, M_s ~19.17 emu/g, and H_C ~33.19 Oe, respectively. Moreover, it revealed the largest magnetoelectric coupling coefficient α_ME ~2.51 mV/cm.Oe with high coupling quality at a lower applied magnetic field. The results highlight the value of these composites as lead-free room temperature magnetoelectric sensors and actuators.     

Low Temperature Magnetization of Two Dimensional 3He on Three Layers of HD Preplated Graphite

We have measured the low temperature magnetization of submonolayer ³He on three layers of HD preplated graphite. NMR measurement has been performed by progressively adding ⁴He to the system, to prevent ³He atoms from being trapped in substrate heterogeneities and to change the areal density of ³He. The exchange constant (J) is found to have a similar density dependence to that for two layers of HD preplated one. The magnetization in the antiferromagnetic region increases gradually down to 100 K and shows no evidence corresponding to a spin gap.     

Recognizing arabic handwritten characters using deep learning and genetic algorithms

Automated techniques for Arabic content recognition are at a beginning period contrasted with their partners for the Latin and Chinese contents recognition. There is a bulk of handwritten Arabic archives available in libraries, data centers, historical centers, and workplaces. Digitization of these documents facilitates (1) to preserve and transfer the country’s history electronically, (2) to save the physical storage space, (3) to proper handling of the documents, and (4) to enhance the retrieval of information through the Internet and other mediums. Arabic handwritten character recognition (AHCR) systems face several challenges including the unlimited variations in human handwriting and the leakage of large and public databases. In the current study, the segmentation and recognition phases are addressed. The text segmentation challenges and a set of solutions for each challenge are presented. The convolutional neural network (CNN), deep learning approach, is used in the recognition phase. The usage of CNN leads to significant improvements across different machine learning classification algorithms. It facilitates the automatic feature extraction of images. 14 different native CNN architectures are proposed after a set of try-and-error trials. They are trained and tested on the HMBD database that contains 54,115 of the handwritten Arabic characters. Experiments are performed on the native CNN architectures and the best-reported testing accuracy is 91.96%. A transfer learning (TF) and genetic algorithm (GA) approach named “HMB-AHCR-DLGA” is suggested to optimize the training parameters and hyperparameters in the recognition phase. The pre-trained CNN models (VGG16, VGG19, and MobileNetV2) are used in the later approach. Five optimization experiments are performed and the best combinations are reported. The highest reported testing accuracy is 92.88%.

     

Intelligent Transmission Control for Efficient Operations in SDN

Although the Software-Defined Network (SDN) is a well-controlled and efficient network but the complexity of open flow switches in SDN causes multiple issues. Many solutions have been proposed so far for the prevention of errors and mistakes in it but yet, there is still no smooth transmission of pockets from source to destination specifically when irregular movements follow the destination host in SDN, the errors include packet loss, data compromise etc. The accuracy of packets received at their desired destination is possible if networks for pockets and hosts are monitored instead of analysis of network snapshot statistically for the state, as these approaches with open flow switches, discover bugs after their occurrence. This article proposes a design to achieve the said objective by defining the Intelligent Transmission Control Layer (ITCL) layer. It monitors all the connections of end hosts at their specific locations and performs necessary settlements when the connection state changes for one or multiple hosts. The layer informs the controller regarding any state change at one period and controller collects information of end nodes reported via ITCL. Then, updates flow tables accordingly to accommodate a location-change scenario with a route-change policy. ICTL is organized on prototype-based implementation using the popular POX platform. In this paper, it has been discovered that ITCL produces efficient performance in the trafficking of packets and controlling different states of SDN for errors and packet loss.     

Self-care independence in children with neurological disorders: An interactional model of adaptive demands and executive dysfunction.

Objective: To describe a neuropsychological assessment model that proposes executive functioning as a key moderator in the development of self-care independence. Setting: Inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation facilities. Participants: Transition-age youths with congenital and acquired neurological disorders. Intervention: Transition to the adaptive roles and expectations of adulthood can be challenging for adolescents with neurological disorders and other chronic medical conditions. These individuals frequently encounter functional problems related to additional time requirements, new life skill demands, and increased need for organization and planning. In addition, the neuropsychological consequences of these disorders often include deficits in motor speed and coordination as well as executive control (including planning, organization, and working memory). Consideration of the integrity of executive function skills and the presence of atypical adaptive demands is crucial during planning for transition of individuals into self-care independence and development of an approach to assessment and intervention. Conclusions: Rehabilitation psychologists have the potential to improve the quality of life of adolescents with neurological disorders as they transition into adulthood by considering the "executive burden" posed to the individuals by various combinations of executive dysfunction and atypical adaptive demands. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Clams as pollution bioindicators in Kuwait''s marine environment: metal accumulation and depuration

This study has developed and verified clam transplantation for marine pollution monitoring in Kuwait and has assessed its reliability for monitoring pollution by heavy metals through laboratory and field transplantation experiments. In field experiments, live specimens of the clam Circenita callipyga were transplanted, either suspended in seawater or buried in sand, to 11 coastal sites in Kuwait; subsamples of transplanted clams were recovered at intervals over a 6-month period. In laboratory experiments, heavy metal accumulation for 36 days and depuration (body's release of pollutants) for 60 days in small and big clams were investigated. Clams subsampled in laboratory and field experiments were analyzed for Hg, Cu, V, Cd and Pb. Results showed the ability of clams to survive under the transplantation conditions. Accumulation of biofouling materials was a problem at only two transplantation sites and was overcome by periodic cleaning. Statistical analysis of laboratory experimental data showed significant accumulation of all test metals and significant depuration of Hg, Cu, V and Cd. Rates of metal accumulation and depuration differed in relation to clam size class. Field experiments indicated statistically significant increases in Hg and Cu concentrations in the transplanted clams at most stations, no change in Cd concentrations and an increase or, occasionally, a decrease in V and Pb concentrations.     

Human immunodeficiency virus type 2 envelope glycoprotein binds to CD8 as well as to CD4 molecules on human T cells

We report here that human immunodeficiency virus type 2 (HIV-2) envelope glycoprotein (gp105), but not HIV-1 gp120, can bind to CD8 molecules as well as to CD4 molecules on human T cells. This phenomenon may lead to differences in the life cycles of HIV-1 and HIV-2, and it may be related to the differences in disease manifestations of HIV-1 and HIV-2 infection, including longer survival of HIV-2-infected patients.