Explore the vast range of titles available.

In this article, we address the implementation and deployment of a service robot platform for interaction with the elderly in the context of a collaborative European initiative. Specifically, we overview the development of the robot system architecture and components, focusing on the graceful integration of a set of interoperable intelligent services towards advanced human–robot interaction. The service robot targets older people with light physical or psychological issues, delivering several different functionalities, and putting itself at their service. We describe the initial validation tests in a semi-controlled scenario, as well as the deployment of the robotic platform during a week-long pilot in an end user environment. The main challenges and the outcome of the experimental tests with the mobile robot platform are discussed, and results show generally positive reactions from the care center residents, which have provided their valuable feedback on the usability, appearance, interaction and satisfaction of the robot, yielding important lessons that were learned while performing the pilot.

Chromatin immunoprecipitation coupled with deep sequencing (ChIP-seq) has great potential for elucidating transcriptional networks, by measuring genome-wide binding of transcription factors (TFs) at high resolution. Despite the precision of these experiments, identification of genes directly regulated by a TF (target genes) is not trivial. Numerous target gene scoring methods have been used in the past. However, their suitability for the task and their performance remain unclear, because a thorough comparative assessment of these methods is still lacking. Here we present a systematic evaluation of computational methods for defining TF targets based on ChIP-seq data. We validated predictions based on 68 ChIP-seq studies using a wide range of genomic expression data and functional information. We demonstrate that peak-to-gene assignment is the most crucial step for correct target gene prediction and propose a parameter-free method performing most consistently across the evaluation tests.

This article investigates how university students navigate the emotional, ethical, and pedagogical complexities of engaging with Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) tools – particularly ChatGPT – within higher education. While much of the existing literature emphasises issues of functionality, academic integrity, or policy regulation, our study shifts the focus to students’ views and emotions. Drawing on qualitative data from focus groups with undergraduate students at a large public university in Cyprus, we explore how students experience and make sense of ChatGPT in ways that reflect curiosity, excitement, anxiety, mistrust, and ethical uncertainty. We argue that understanding student engagement with GenAI requires moving beyond instrumentalist frameworks. To this end, we adapt the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) by incorporating emotional and relational dimensions, offering a more comprehensive view of how AI is perceived and used in academic life. Our findings emphasise the importance of pedagogical and institutional strategies that attend to the emotional and ethical dynamics of GenAI integration in higher education.

To measure vitreous levels of Lipocalin2 (LCN2) in patients with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) and investigate potential association with presence of proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR). Collection of undiluted vitreous samples from 24 patients suffering from RRD and 10 control patients undergoing vitrectomy for: vitreomacular traction (VMT) (n = 2), idiopathic epiretinal membrane (iERM) (n = 6) and full thickness macular hole (FTMH) (n = 2). Quantitative analysis of LCN2 has been made with flow cytometry. Lens status, duration of symptoms, quadrants of detachment, as well as level of PVR, were assessed. Statistical analysis included Mann-Whitney test, Kruskal-Wallis test, t-test, Spearman's correlation coefficient and Fisher's exact test. Median LCN2 was significantly higher in the RRD group as compared to control (p<0.001). Within the RRD group there was a positive correlation between LCN2 and PVR grade (rs = 0.94, p<0.001). Median LCN2 was 35,759 pg/ml (IR = 55,347) in grade C PVR, 9,387 pg/ml (IR = 3721) in grade B, 4,917 pg/ml (IR = non computable) in grade A and 3,921 pg/ml (2132) in the no PVR group. Median LCN2 was also significantly higher in pseudophakic patients as compared to phakic patients (p = 0.007). LCN2 also correlates with the extend of detachment (≤2 vs >2 quadrants, p<0.001) as well as with duration of symptoms (rs = 0.87, p<0.001). After multivariate linear regression analysis, only PVR was independently related with LCN2 concentration. In particular, increased PVR grading was associated with increased LCN2 concentration (coefficient b = 2.97, 95% confidence interval = 1.89 to 4.67, p<0.001). A positive correlation between vitreous levels of LCN2 and PVR grading reveals a potential role in the pathogenesis and progression of PVR. Further studies could elucidate if LCN2 could be a therapeutic target.

Purpose Emerging evidence has suggested that macular microcirculation and microstructural changes after rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) successful reattachment surgery are currently evaluated in detail by OCT-Angiography (OCT-A). New imaging technology has revealed the existence of microscopic macular changes, even in cases that retinal morphology appears to be normal in fundus biomicroscopy. The use of OCT-A for the examination of foveal characteristics has attracted significant attention in recent years as the technique offers a potential explanation of the suboptimal recovery of visual acuity and incomplete restoration of the macula despite anatomical repair. However, the available evidence that is needed to establish the OCT-A parameters as predicting factors in clinical practice is both limited and contradictory. Methods A detailed review of the literature was conducted. The association of OCT-A characteristics with postoperative visual acuity after RRD surgery, including vitrectomy with gas tamponade and in some cases scleral buckle, was extensively analyzed. Results A comprehensive update on microcirculation and microstructural changes of the macula using OCT-A after RRD repair may indicate potential factors of functional outcomes in clinical practice. Conclusion A review of the existing literature sheds light on the microvascular changes of the macular capillary plexus that may significantly affect functional outcomes after RRD surgery. The current article discusses important aspects of key publications on the topic, highlights the importance of long-term effectiveness of these possible prognostic factors and proposes the need for further future research.

Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) is a rapidly fatal blood cancer that is characterised by the accumulation of immature myeloid cells in the blood and bone marrow as a result of blocked differentiation. Methods which identify master transcriptional regulators of AML subtype-specific leukaemia cell states and their combinations could be critical for discovering novel differentiation-inducing therapies. In this proof-of-concept study, we demonstrate a novel utility of the Mogrify ® algorithm in identifying combinations of transcription factors (TFs) and drugs, which recapitulate granulocytic differentiation of the NB4 acute promyelocytic leukaemia (APL) cell line, using two different approaches. In the first approach, Connectivity Map (CMAP) analysis of these TFs and their target networks outperformed standard approaches, retrieving ATRA as the top hit. We identify dimaprit and mebendazole as a drug combination which induces myeloid differentiation. In the second approach, we show that genetic manipulation of specific Mogrify ® -identified TFs (MYC and IRF1) leads to co-operative induction of APL differentiation, as does pharmacological targeting of these TFs using currently available compounds. We also show that loss of IRF1 blunts ATRA-mediated differentiation, and that MYC represses IRF1 expression through recruitment of PML-RARα, the driver fusion oncoprotein in APL, to the IRF1 promoter. Finally, we demonstrate that these drug combinations can also induce differentiation of primary patient-derived APL cells, and highlight the potential of targeting MYC and IRF1 in high-risk APL. Thus, these results suggest that Mogrify ® could be used for drug discovery or repositioning in leukaemia differentiation therapy for other subtypes of leukaemia or cancers.

Several procedures have been described to restore range of motion and stability for chronic radial collateral ligament (RCL) injuries. Anatomical repairs are indicated for acute tears, while for neglected cases, several reconstruction techniques have been described. The purpose of this technical note is to present a detailed, modified surgical technique of treating a chronic RCL tear, using an autologous tendon graft placed in a triangular fashion using drill holes (keyhole technique).

Cohesin subunit SMC1β is specific and essential for meiosis. Previous studies showed functions of SMC1β in determining the axis-loop structure of synaptonemal complexes (SCs), in providing sister chromatid cohesion (SCC) in metaphase I and thereafter, in protecting telomere structure, and in synapsis. However, several central questions remained unanswered and concern roles of SMC1β in SCC and synapsis and processes related to these two processes. Here we show that SMC1β substantially supports prophase I SCC at centromeres but not along chromosome arms. Arm cohesion and some of centromeric cohesion in prophase I are provided by non-phosphorylated SMC1α. Besides supporting synapsis of autosomes, SMC1β is also required for synapsis and silencing of sex chromosomes. In absence of SMC1β, the silencing factor γH2AX remains associated with asynapsed autosomes and fails to localize to sex chromosomes. Microarray expression studies revealed up-regulated sex chromosome genes and many down-regulated autosomal genes. SMC1β is further required for non-homologous chromosome associations observed in absence of SPO11 and thus of programmed double-strand breaks. These breaks are properly generated in Smc1β⁻/⁻ spermatocytes, but their repair is delayed on asynapsed chromosomes. SMC1α alone cannot support non-homologous associations. Together with previous knowledge, three main functions of SMC1β have emerged, which have multiple consequences for spermatocyte biology: generation of the loop-axis architecture of SCs, homologous and non-homologous synapsis, and SCC starting in early prophase I.

Oral Allergy Syndrome (OAS) is an allergic reaction that occurs upon contact of the mouth and throat with food, leading to symptoms primarily affecting the oral mucosa. In patients with allergic rhinitis, OAS may develop due to cross-reactivity between the pollen allergens responsible for allergic rhinitis, and specific plant-derived foods. This particular type of OAS is known as Pollen Food Allergy Syndrome (PFAS). The difference in prevalence of PFAS across different regions of the world is attributed to various factors, including environmental exposure and dietary habits. Southern Europe’s temperate climate favors the blooming of many allergenic plants, making respiratory allergies and PFAS significant public health concerns. There is a regional variation in pollen in Southern Europe, contributing to differences in the presence of panallergens—such as profilins, pathogenesis-related class 10 (PR-10) proteins and lipid transfer proteins (LTPs)—which mediate PFAS. In order to examine the epidemiology, pathogenesis, and diagnostic approaches of OAS and PFAS, focusing on their prevalence and impact in Southern European adults, a narrative review was performed. Data from Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Albania, Greece, and Türkiye were retrieved. The main outcome of this review was that the frequency of PFAS varies across studies, not only between countries but also within the same country, due to vegetation variability across regions as well as methodological differences and the year of study. However, despite these differences, PFAS emerges as a common issue in Southern Europe, underscoring the need for effective diagnosis and management.

Purpose Quantitative analysis of vitreous inflammatory and angiogenic factors from patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) or diabetic macular edema (DME). Materials and methods Collection of undiluted vitreous samples from 20 diabetic patients: 13 with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) and 7 with diabetic macular edema (DME). DME patients had suboptimal response to anti-VEGF treatment. Samples from 11 control patients, with vitreomacular interface pathology such as idiopathic epiretinal membrane (iERM) ( n  = 4), vitreomacular traction syndrome (VMT) ( n  = 3) and full thickness macular hole (FTMH) ( n  = 3), were also collected. The levels of IL1b, IL6, IL8, IL27, TNFα, ICAM-1, VCAM, MCP-1, VEGFA and LCN2 were measured using cytometry flow analysis. Median values were compared with Mann–Whitney test since the distributions were skewed. Statistical analysis was performed with the Statistical Package for Social Sciences software (IBM Corp. Released 2012. IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 21.0. Armonk, NY: IBM Corp.). Results The median concentration of LCN2, IL6, IL8, IL1b, IL27, ICAM, VCAM-1, MCP-1, TNFa and VEGFA was higher in PDR patients than in controls. Similarly, the median concentration of LCN2, IL6, IL8, IL27, ICAM, VCAM-1, TNFa and VEGFA was higher in DME patients than in controls. In particular, median LCN2 concentration in diabetic patients was 5,711 pg/ml (interquartile range [IR] = 2,534), while in controls was 2,586 pg/ml (IR = 2,345). Moreover, median LCN2 was 6,534 pg/ml in the DME group (IR = 6,850) and 4,785 pg/ml in the PDR group (IR = 2,608), ( p  = 0.025). Conclusion Various inflammatory and angiogenic factors are involved in the pathophysiology of PDR and DME. Elevated vitreous levels of LCN2 in PDR and especially in DME patients reveal a potential pathogenic association. More extended studies could verify LCN2 as an alternative therapeutic target.