Advances in experimental medicine and biology最新文献

Introduction: Visible changes in self-concept among pediatric patients with cancer are a bothersome experience that may accompany them until adulthood.

Purpose: To explore the self-concept and in particular the physical appearance and popularity in children with cancer compared to healthy ones.

Methods and material: A descriptive correlational study of 100 children (50 healthy and 50 diagnosed with different forms of cancer) ages 8 to 10 years. Participants were recruited from a public hospital in Athens Greece. The research instrument was "Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept scale" which included patients' characteristics. The data were analyzed with the SPSS-12 statistical packet by using the following statistical tests: χ²-test, nonparametric Mann-Whitney U-test, Kruskal-Wallis test.

Results: It was found that children with cancer reported more negatively or both physical appearance and popularity (p ≤ 0.001) compared to the healthy ones. Moreover, the 8-year-old children with cancer reported more negatively for physical appearance (p ≤ 0.001) but not for the factor popularity (p = 0.021), while the 10-year-old children with cancer present a more negative body image relative to the healthy ones, only for the factor popularity (p ≤ 0.001) but not for the factor physical appearance (p = 0.134). In terms of gender, female subjects with cancer presented a more negative body image relative to the healthy female subjects for both factors examined (p ≤ 0.001), while male subjects with cancer presented a more negative body image relative to the healthy male subjects only for the factor physical appearance. A positive correlation between popularity and physical appearance was found (p ≤ 0.001) but only among the children with cancer.

Conclusions: The present results highlight the differences in physical appearance and popularity among children with cancer and their healthy counterparts. The recognition of the role of physical appearance as a significant factor for children with cancer may inform the development of effective interventions for this group of children.

The rapid advancement of digital technologies has reshaped education, yet significant barriers persist in ensuring equitable access for students with disabilities. Digital accessibility in education extends beyond technological solutions, requiring institutional commitment, policy reform, and faculty preparedness. This study examines the challenges and opportunities associated with digital accessibility in higher education and workplace inclusion, emphasizing systemic barriers such as inadequate assistive technologies, inaccessible Learning Management Systems (LMSs), and insufficient faculty training. The findings highlight the transformative potential of adaptive learning strategies, including artificial intelligence (AI), extended reality (XR), and human-computer interaction (HCI), in fostering personalized and inclusive learning environments. However, ethical concerns, algorithmic biases, and inconsistent implementation pose substantial obstacles to their effectiveness. The COVID-19 pandemic further exposed critical shortcomings in digital accessibility policies, disproportionately affecting students and employees with disabilities and underscoring the need for inclusive digital literacy initiatives. Addressing these challenges necessitates a holistic approach that integrates universal design principles, strengthens faculty training programs, and fosters interdisciplinary collaboration between educators, policymakers, and technologists. Through this review, sustained investment in assistive technologies is advocated, along with regulatory frameworks mandating digital inclusivity, and the development of digital learning ecosystems. By embedding accessibility as a fundamental component of educational and employment policies, institutions can mitigate the digital divide and advance equitable opportunities for all learners.

Caffeine, a habit-forming substance of no nutritional value, is consumed daily by most pregnant women. This focused narrative review examines evidence of association between maternal caffeine consumption and negative pregnancy outcomes, and assesses whether current advice guidelines are consistent with the available evidence. The majority finding from original empirical studies, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses is that maternal consumption of caffeine is reliably associated with serious negative pregnancy outcomes and negative outcomes in offspring. Evidence of harm is strong for miscarriage, stillbirth, and low birth weight and/or small for gestational age, while being less strong for childhood acute leukemia, childhood overweight and obesity, and childhood behavioural and neurocognitive development. In contrast, preterm birth appears not to be at increased risk. Many studies report significant dose-response associations indicative of causation and the absence of a threshold of consumption below which associations are absent. In general, findings are robust to threats from potential confounding and misclassification. Notwithstanding compelling grounds to the contrary, national and international authorities continue to suggest that "moderate" caffeine consumption during pregnancy is safe. Rather, pregnant women and women contemplating pregnancy should be advised not to consume coffee, tea, sodas, or energy drinks that contain caffeine.

Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) is recognized as a teratogenic factor that affects neural development, resulting in a range of structural, functional, and cognitive/behavioral abnormalities contributing to the pathogenesis of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). FASD is a major preventable cause of developmental delay in humans. There are many molecular and cellular mechanisms by which PAE could contribute to abnormalities seen in individuals with FASD. Understanding these mechanisms will be critical for the development of therapeutic approaches that could benefit not only the developing fetus, but the newborn as they mature into adolescence and adulthood. The goal of this review is to discuss the impact of PAE on neural and vascular development/function and define potential cellular/molecular mechanisms that contribute to the effects of PAE. We believe that an understanding regarding the influence of PAE on cerebral vascular function may provide insights into the pathogenesis of symptoms related to FASD.

The fat body plays a vital role in the proper functioning of invertebrates, contributing to their metabolic processes and resilience. It serves as the central tissue for metabolism integrating signals, regulating molting and metamorphosis and producing hormones that govern the overall body function and immune system protein synthesis. Thanks to this multifunctionality, the fat body is responsible for the metabolism of basic compounds: lipids, carbohydrates and proteins, storing them in the form of reserves (protecting against weather conditions, starving, etc.) and "post-trials" metabolites. In this tissue the remodeling process takes place, which enables the metamorphosis of insects. Also, the fat body is the place of the synthesis of immune proteins, some hormones, pheromones and vitellogenin. Understanding its physiology has, therefore, become an important element of research on insects in the context of general health.

Undergraduate nursing education is an important starting point for promoting patient safety in the areas of knowledge, attitude, and skills in the preparation of future nurses. Nursing students are considered an integral and necessary component of the health care system. Therefore, exposing them to the concept of patient safety will help new graduates in the workplace to become ambassadors for promoting a culture of safety which will be key to reducing patient mortality and the level of adverse events actions.The purpose of this research is to investigate the attitudes of nursing students towards patient safety. A qualitative study was conducted with audio-recorded, face-to-face, semistructured interviews lasting an average of 15 min.The "under study" population consists of students of the Nursing Department of the University of Thessaly and was obtained by convenience sampling.The number of interviews (n = 17) conducted was determined after data saturation was reached. From the responses of the participants, important conclusions about patient safety emerge. The term patient safety mainly refers to the protection of the patient at a physical and psychological level, including falls, medication errors, and other risks. Factors affecting patient safety include staff training, working conditions, and collaboration. Nurse education is highlighted as important in preparing for safe care. Finally, reporting and recording errors are considered vital to improving the quality of care, although many factors such as fear dominate the decision to report errors. Overall, patient safety is a vital aspect of nursing practice and requires professional education, collaboration, and commitment to error reporting.

Preeclampsia is a multifaceted pregnancy syndrome that significantly contributes to maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. Characterized by hypertension, proteinuria, and multi-organ involvement, it is influenced by genetic, immunological, and environmental factors. Recent research has highlighted the role of epigenetic modifications, such as DNA methylation, histone modifications, and microRNA regulation, in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia. This study examines how these epigenetic mechanisms impact gene expression in the placenta, contributing to abnormal trophoblastic invasion, immune maladaptation, and endothelial dysfunction observed in preeclampsia. Focus is given to the role of altered DNA methylation patterns, such as those observed in the HSD11B2 and IGF2 genes, which could serve as potential biomarkers for early diagnosis. Understanding these epigenetic changes offers opportunities for developing novel diagnostic tools and therapeutic interventions, with the potential to improve pregnancy outcomes for affected women and their infants.

With opioids being increasingly prescribed and illicit opioids being misused, substance use disorder has become a growing public health concern. The impacts of the opioid epidemic have been devastating, especially for pregnant people, infants, and children. Pre- and perinatal opioid exposure is complex. Opioids affect multiple body systems and have detrimental effects on the placenta, brain, and immune system. Pharmacological properties make each class of opioid unique, thereby compounding effects on development based on the type, receptors engaged, or combination of drugs used. Accordingly, animal models are necessary to elucidate the mechanisms, pathways, and developmental processes affected by opioid exposure during and after pregnancy. However, the complexity of opioid use in humans means that preclinical modeling is also complicated with variation by species type, duration, and timing of exposure, and combinations of opioids studied. In this chapter, we present a summary of numerous, intricate preclinical models of perinatal opioid exposure. Specifically, we discuss (1) the inherent variability and difficulty in modeling complex patterns of opioid use by pregnant and peripartum people, (2) provide background on opioids and their receptors, and (3) present evidence for long-term changes in brain structure and function secondary to prenatal opioid exposure. Together, we emphasize the significant immunological, structural, and cognitive changes documented in animals and humans after opioid exposure to highlight the potential for translatability and illustrate a path forward for improved mechanistic and therapeutic discovery.

This chapter provides an introduction and overview of animal models that have been used to investigate the teratogenic effects of alcohol. Since the first model was developed in 1899, prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) has been studied in species ranging from invertebrates to primates. Here, we contextualize and outline critical experimental considerations, including blood alcohol concentration, timing of exposure, and routes of ethanol administration. Detailed comparisons of vertebrate and invertebrate models, particularly rodents, guinea pigs, and non-human primates, highlight their translational relevance and limitations in replicating human gestational processes, and the pathophysiology of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). This chapter also examines behavioral outcomes across motor, executive, cognitive, and social domains, illustrating how PAE disrupts neural development and function throughout the lifespan. Collectively, we emphasize the importance of recognizing the pros and cons when selecting an animal model and experimental paradigm.

Chronic ulcers represent a significant challenge in modern medicine, with profound implications for patients' quality of life, healthcare costs, and clinical management. The complexity of ulcer healing necessitates the development of innovative therapeutic strategies to enhance tissue regeneration and accelerate wound closure. This study investigates the effects of ascorbic acid, arginine, silver sulfadiazine, and colloidal silver on ulcer healing, aiming to elucidate their role in the restoration of skin integrity. A clinical study was conducted on 106 patients, who were divided into an intervention group and a control group. Participants were monitored for up to 75 days, with systematic recording of key clinical healing markers. The findings provide critical insights into the efficacy of these agents in modulating cellular repair mechanisms and promoting faster epithelialization. The proposed therapeutic approaches leverage the synergistic properties of these compounds, which are known for their antioxidative, antimicrobial, and tissue-repairing capabilities. Given the substantial burden of chronic ulcers on healthcare systems and their detrimental impact on patient outcomes, optimizing therapeutic interventions remains a priority. The results of this study contribute to the growing body of evidence supporting alternative and complementary treatments for chronic wound management. By refining clinical protocols and integrating these bioactive agents into standardized treatment regimens, healthcare professionals may improve healing rates, reduce complications, and enhance overall patient care.