{"title":"Storage of Platelet-Rich Products","authors":"Kaja Troha, Domen Vozel, S. Battelino","doi":"10.55295/psl.2023.ii3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.55295/psl.2023.ii3","url":null,"abstract":"Platelets are a natural source of signaling molecules, growth factors, cytokines and extracellular vesicles that modify the pericellular microenvironment in favor of tissue healing and regeneration. Autologous platelet-rich products, such as platelet-rich plasma are used in many fields of clinical medicine to benefit from these effects. Platelet-rich products are ideally used in more than a single application, but repetitive harvesting of concentrated platelets is time-consuming and impractical for patients and clinicians. In order to maximize the utility of priorly made products and create a supply of patients’ own preparations, investigations of appropriate storage of platelet products have emerged. Recent explorations of hypothermic preservation, such as cryopreservation or freeze-drying have shown positive results, providing an efficient possibility of platelet-rich product storage retaining their growth factor, cytokine and chemokine activity. Keywords: Platelet-rich plasma, Cryopreservation, Freeze-drying, Platelet storage, Cyto-kines, Growth factors, Healing","PeriodicalId":244164,"journal":{"name":"Socratic Lectures 8","volume":"2 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-05-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"128232434","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Molecular Grammar of RNA-binding Protein Interactions in Formation and Function of Ribonucleoprotein Complexes","authors":"Maksimiljan Adamek","doi":"10.55295/psl.2023.ii15","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.55295/psl.2023.ii15","url":null,"abstract":"Ribonucleoproteins (RNPs) are macromolecular assemblies of proteins along RNA molecules to carry out specialized cellular processes. Understanding how RNA binding proteins (RBPs) and RNA sequences determine the interactions to form RNPs and ultimately steer biomolecular processes remains poorly understood. There is a mounting evidence that RNP assembly de-pends on the formation of a network of transient, multivalent RBP RNA and RBP RBP interac-tions, particularly between tyrosine residues from intrinsically disordered domains and argi-nine residues from RNA-binding domains of RBPs. Furthermore, RBPs, especially their intrin-sically disordered regions, are hotspots for posttranslational modification (PTM) sites. Alt-hough PTMs have been well catalogued, little is known about how these modifications regulate RNP assembly and function. Some initial studies introduced the concept of the so-called phos-pho-switch, in which RBPs require phosphorylation for condensation of larger RNP complexes, but it remains unclear how this contributes to the protein function and the pattern of selective protein binding to RNA molecules. This short review will take a look at what is currently known in the field of RNPs, their interactions, and the phase-separated biomolecular conden-sates, which are intimately connected to RNPs and are important for several key cell processes. Keywords: Ribonucleoproteins; RNA binding proteins; Multivalency; Intrinsically disordered proteins; Posttranslational modifications","PeriodicalId":244164,"journal":{"name":"Socratic Lectures 8","volume":"5 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-05-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"129843291","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
M. Arko, Gitta Schlosse, A. Iglič, P. Kruljc, A. Nemec Svete, V. Erjavec, V. Kralj-Iglič
{"title":"Erythrocyte Sedimentation in Tubes for Preparation of Human, Equine and Canine Plasma Rich with Platelets and Extracellular Vesicles","authors":"M. Arko, Gitta Schlosse, A. Iglič, P. Kruljc, A. Nemec Svete, V. Erjavec, V. Kralj-Iglič","doi":"10.55295/psl.2023.ii9","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.55295/psl.2023.ii9","url":null,"abstract":"Sedimentation of erythrocytes in equine, human and canine blood was observed in tubes, intended for preparation of plasma rich with platelets and extracellular vesicles. We ob-served that in human blood, plasma formation started first, followed by equine blood and canine blood. All three dependencies of the length of the plasma column on time had sigmoid shape, however, the increment was greatest in equine blood. We observed higher propensity of equine blood to form erythrocyte rouleaux by light microscopy. Approxi-mately 70-90% of haematocrit was reached by natural sedimentation of blood in all three species. Keywords: Erythrocyte Sedimentation, Canine plasma, Human blood, Equine blood, Canine blood, Plasma Rich with Platelets and Extracellular Vesicles","PeriodicalId":244164,"journal":{"name":"Socratic Lectures 8","volume":"16 10","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-05-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"113984746","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Dielectric Study of Induced Phase Transitions in Lyotropic Liquid Crystals","authors":"S. Starzonek, S. Rzoska, A. Iglič","doi":"10.55295/psl.2023.ii13","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.55295/psl.2023.ii13","url":null,"abstract":"Lyotropic liquid crystals are multicomponent systems of fundamental importance. They can also construct model structures for biological systems. The richness of their phases allows for the theoretical prediction of behaviour and the planning of model experiments enabling an approximation of the description of a living cell. In this work, we present experimental results for lyotropic liquid-crystalline lamellar phases, which may be used as a physical model of phospholipid bilayer. Dielectric measurements were performed under temperature and high-pressure conditions. Complex dynamics, dielectric response, static properties as well as electric conductivity were considered and analysed on the based on the critical phenomena theory. Other dielectric/electrostatic prop-erties were also calculated and compared to evidence for biological systems. Keywords: Lyotropic liquid crystals, Dielectric constant, Phase transition, Critical phe-nomena, Electric properties","PeriodicalId":244164,"journal":{"name":"Socratic Lectures 8","volume":"86 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-05-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"134529566","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Levan Tsitskishvili, L. Makaradze, T. Kurashvili, N. Milashvili, Zurab Makaradze, Ekaterina Sanaia
{"title":"Canine Dirofilariasis in the South Caucasus and its Pathomorphology","authors":"Levan Tsitskishvili, L. Makaradze, T. Kurashvili, N. Milashvili, Zurab Makaradze, Ekaterina Sanaia","doi":"10.55295/psl.2023.ii8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.55295/psl.2023.ii8","url":null,"abstract":"The main goal of this paper is to provide the results of a study on the regional distribution of dirofilariasis (causative agent: Dirofilaria immitis, Dirofilaria repens, and other concurrent filarial species in animal reservoirs) among the canine population in Georgia and Armenia and estimate the disease burden in these countries. In total, 1065 animals were investigated in the different regions of Armenia and Georgia, and 26 positive cases were detected. The prevalence of dirofilariasis is 2.4%. However, it varies across regions from 0% to 25%. The Kruskal-Wallis test showed that variation is sta-tistically significant (P=0.01). The majority of positive cases (11) were from the Kvemo Kartli region (Georgia). The highest number (7) of cases have been found in the Armavir region (Armenia). The other cases were found in Tbilisi / Capital City of Georgia (two cas-es), Yerevan / Capital City of Armenia (two cases), Shirak Region (two cases), and only one case in regions Achara and Ararat. Keywords: Dirofilaria spp., Canine Dirofilariasis, Georgia, Armenia, Souse Caucasus, Vector-Borne disease (VBD)","PeriodicalId":244164,"journal":{"name":"Socratic Lectures 8","volume":"3 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-05-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"121841753","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Testing Market Efficiency in Emerging Markets’ Stock Indices with Runs Tests","authors":"Nik Smerkolj, M. Jeran","doi":"10.55295/psl.2023.ii17","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.55295/psl.2023.ii17","url":null,"abstract":"According to the efficient market hypothesis (EMH), the prices of securities reflect all the available information on the market. Efficient markets have an important consequence – it is not possible for an investor to consistently outperform the market by using infor-mation that is not already reflected in the prices of securities. No matter how much re-sources one deploys into security analysis, no excess return can be made, which means that investors seeking higher returns must bear higher risk given the risk-return trade-off. Inefficient markets, on the other hand, offer investors opportunities for higher returns at the same risk profile. In this scientific contribution, we test seven emerging markets' stock indices for a weak form of market efficiency. Numerous previous research indicates that emerging markets are not fully efficient and that prices on their stock markets do not fol-low a random walk. We performed runs tests on weekly and monthly returns of stock in-dices and found statistically significant results in three indices for weekly and three in-dices for monthly returns, which indicates that these indices violate weak form of market efficiency. We found insignificant results, which indicate efficient markets, only for weekly and monthly returns on the Indian BSE Sensex 30 Index. Thus we come to similar conclusions as other authors that emerging markets persist to violate weak form of mar-ket efficiency and remain an attractive opportunity for investors seeking to exploit ineffi-ciencies. Keywords: Market efficiency; Efficient market hypothesis; Random walk; Emerging mar-kets; Stock Exchange Index; Runs test","PeriodicalId":244164,"journal":{"name":"Socratic Lectures 8","volume":"228 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-05-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"130825848","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Pathogen-Plant Interactions in Plant Membrane Perforation","authors":"Andreja Prešern","doi":"10.55295/psl.2023.ii14","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.55295/psl.2023.ii14","url":null,"abstract":"Plants are targets of many pathogens that produce a lot of different effectors to damage plant cells during infection. For plant survival, it is, therefore, crucial to possess an effi-cient immune system, which in contrast to mammalian immunity, consists only of in-nate immunity. Traditionally, plant immunity is divided into two branches, i.e. pat-tern-triggered (PTI) and effector-triggered immunity (ETI), but the accumulating knowledge has shown that the division cannot be strictly maintained. ETI coevolves with pathogen e fector molecules, which can function in many different ways to escape plant immunity and damage plant cells. Among their targets is the plant plasma membrane, which repre-sents an important cell barrier. There are several different tactics to bypass this barrier, e.g. membrane perforation by proteins or peptides, which is an important and ubiqui-tously found mechanism of toxicity as well as self-defense in all kingdoms of life. It can be used to get specific molecules from cells, for signaling, or even to deliver effector mol-ecules into the cytoplasm. The exact knowledge on plant membrane perforation, howev-er, is lacking, and the hidden details still await to be unveiled. Keywords: Plant immune System; Pathogen-Plant Interactions; Plant Membrane Perfora-tion","PeriodicalId":244164,"journal":{"name":"Socratic Lectures 8","volume":"144 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-05-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"127938741","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Sophio Samkharadze, M. Zurmukhtashvili, Eka Kokhreidze, É. Kharashvili, Sesili Beriashvili
{"title":"Assessment of Oral Health Status among Medical Students in Georgia","authors":"Sophio Samkharadze, M. Zurmukhtashvili, Eka Kokhreidze, É. Kharashvili, Sesili Beriashvili","doi":"10.55295/psl.2023.ii4","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.55295/psl.2023.ii4","url":null,"abstract":"Oral health is considered as important part of general health. Dental caries and periodon-tal diseases are among most prevalent diseases worldwide. According to WHO oral dis-eases affect nearly 3.5 billion people and untreated dental caries is the most common health condition. Young adults may neglect oral health. The aim of our study was to eval-uate oral health status (dental caries and periodontal diseases) among medical students at European University affiliated dental clinics in Georgia. Simple random sampling method was used. Assessment was conducted using modified WHO Oral Health Assessment Form (2013). Study sample were medical undergraduate students aged between 17 and 25 years at the European University - affiliated dental clinics, Tbilisi, Georgia. Level of dental caries was evaluated by assessment of decayed, missing, and filled teeth scores (DMFT in-dex), while periodontal status was assessed using Community Periodontal Index (CPI) modified index. Statistical analysis of data was performed. Results: Totally 225 students (150 males and 75 females) originally from Georgia, Jordan, Iran, Egypt, Great Britain and Sweden were included in the study. Mean age of participants was 20.7 years. Mean DMFT score in males was 3.11 and in females it was 3.25; overall mean DMFT was 3.18. Percentage of all individuals in two groups with dental caries (DFT ≥ 1) was 84%. Mean CPI index was 0.82 in males and 0.75 in females. Mean DMFT were compared to National estimates for DMFT index for same age group in developed coun-tries. Conclusion: Study showed medium prevalence of caries and low prevalence of periodontal diseases in participant students. Keywords: Oral health, DMFT index, CPI index","PeriodicalId":244164,"journal":{"name":"Socratic Lectures 8","volume":"36 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-05-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"130120248","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Electronic Blood Sedimentation Monitoring with Microcontroller and Linear CCD Sensor","authors":"S. Penič, A. Iglič, V. Kralj-Iglič","doi":"10.55295/psl.2023.ii11","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.55295/psl.2023.ii11","url":null,"abstract":"Modern electronics can be utilized to provide automated means of monitoring sponta-neous blood sedimentation and by implementing wireless power and data transfer can be used in centrifugation systems as well. Here, we present the method of building the optical linear charge coupled device (CCD) sensor with microcontroller circuit for re-cording and monitoring the sedimentation process. Brief overview of the engineering be-hind the communication protocol is given together with key microcontroller techniques that are required for fast analogue voltage signal sampling. Proposed system has adapt-able light integration protocol and shows exceptional durability under centrifugal force loads that are commonly used in platelet-rich plasma. The parts for building the system are sourced at common electronics stores and provides easy means for observing optical changes in blood samples with emphasis on sedimentation and forming layers with dif-ferent optical properties. Keywords: Blood sedimentation; Plasma; Platelet-rich plasma; Microcontroller; Optical sensor","PeriodicalId":244164,"journal":{"name":"Socratic Lectures 8","volume":"44 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-05-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"114849168","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Effects of Capacitive and Resistive Electric Transfer Therapy on Skin Temperature - Literature Review","authors":"Serge Bec, Daša Weber, R. Vauhnik","doi":"10.55295/psl.2023.ii10","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.55295/psl.2023.ii10","url":null,"abstract":"Capacitive resistive energy transfer is a form of diathermy with lower frequency, ap-proximately 0.5 MHz. It is used in clinical practice as deep thermotherapy with capaci-tive and resistive mode. The purpose of the review is to determine the thermal effects of capacitive resistive energy transfer and two modes on tissue temperature in healthy adults. Literature review has been conducted in databases: PubMed, CINAHL and PEDro until the end of 2022. Ten studies were included. Two studies compared capacitive and resistive energy transfer to control and six studies to placebo. In three studies a compari-son was made between the capacitive and resistive modes. Capacitive and resistive en-ergy transfer in combination or alone is safe and effective as a form of thermotherapy. Participant’s subjective feeling should be that of thermal comfort. Keywords: Capacitive resistive energy transfer, CRET, Thermal effects, Temperature","PeriodicalId":244164,"journal":{"name":"Socratic Lectures 8","volume":"21 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-05-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"130187427","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}