Scanning Electron Microscopy of the Irradiated Mouse Bladder Urothelium

The luminal surface of mouse bladder urothelium was studied by scanning microscopy 1 year after irradiation with 0, 10 and 20 Gy respectively. The controls that were anaesthetized only displayed surface characteristics indistinguishable from normal urothelium. Irradiation with 10 Gy did not result in marked overall changes in the scanning electron microscopic features of the luminal aspect, but in some areas alterations comparable to the alterations after 20 Gy were observed. After irradiation with 20 Gy focal hyperplastic areas, superficial early ulceration and dedifferentiation of cover cells were seen. The dedifferentiation to featureless cells is probably not associated with increased proliferation, which in focally hyperplastic areas gives rise to a cobblestone or fuzzy appearance with small superficial cells and with many different surface features. The featureless cells may represent degenerative or agonal changes only, but a preneoplastic nature cannot be ruled out

Lack of Regional Surface Differences in Mouse Bladder Urothelium: A Scanning Electron Microscopic Study

The surface structures of mouse urinary bladder epithelium, the urothelium, were examined in SEM. The entire surface area of both a moderately and a well stretched bladder were studied. No regional differences were found in either case. The moderately stretched bladder showed deep folds, while the well stretched bladder had only small folds giving the bladder an accordion-like appearance. In both bladders the typical surface structures were microridges arranged in a honeycomb-like pattern. The present study indicates that focal or regional differences found in bladders treated with chemicals or exposed to radiation are a result of the treatment itself, and not of differences normally occurring in the urothelium

Cognitive tests used in chronic adult human randomised controlled trial micronutrient and phytochemical intervention studies

In recent years there has been a rapid growth of interest in exploring the relationship between nutritional therapies and the maintenance of cognitive function in adulthood. Emerging evidence reveals an increasingly complex picture with respect to the benefits of various food constituents on learning, memory and psychomotor function in adults. However, to date, there has been little consensus in human studies on the range of cognitive domains to be tested or the particular tests to be employed. To illustrate the potential difficulties that this poses, we conducted a systematic review of existing human adult randomised controlled trial (RCT) studies that have investigated the effects of 24 d to 36 months of supplementation with flavonoids and micronutrients on cognitive performance. There were thirty-nine studies employing a total of 121 different cognitive tasks that met the criteria for inclusion. Results showed that less than half of these studies reported positive effects of treatment, with some important cognitive domains either under-represented or not explored at all. Although there was some evidence of sensitivity to nutritional supplementation in a number of domains (for example, executive function, spatial working memory), interpretation is currently difficult given the prevailing 'scattergun approach' for selecting cognitive tests. Specifically, the practice means that it is often difficult to distinguish between a boundary condition for a particular nutrient and a lack of task sensitivity. We argue that for significant future progress to be made, researchers need to pay much closer attention to existing human RCT and animal data, as well as to more basic issues surrounding task sensitivity, statistical power and type I error

Exploring the effects of lifestyle on breast cancer risk, age at diagnosis, and survival: the EBBA-Life study

Purpose - Whether an unfavorable lifestyle not only affects breast cancer risk, but also influences age at onset of breast cancer and survival, is under debate. Methods - In a population-based cohort, the Energy Balance and Breast Cancer Aspects throughout life (EBBA-Life) study, a total of 17,145 women were included. During follow-up, 574 women developed invasive breast cancer. Breast cancer cases were followed for an additional 9.1 years. Detailed medical records were obtained. Cox’s proportional hazard regression models were used to study the association between pre-diagnostic lifestyle factors (weight, physical activity, alcohol use, smoking, and hypertension), breast cancer risk, age at diagnosis, and survival. Results - At study entry, 34.3% of the participating women were overweight and 30.7% were physically inactive. Mean age at breast cancer diagnosis was 58.0 years, and 78.9% of the tumors were estrogen receptor positive. Among menopausal women who did not use hormone therapy and had an unfavorable lifestyle (3–5 unfavorable factors), compared with women who had a favorable lifestyle, we observed a twofold higher risk for postmenopausal breast cancer (hazard ratio [HR] 2.13, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.23–3.69), and they were 3.4 years younger at diagnosis (64.8 versus 68.2 years, P = 0.032). Breast cancer patients with an unfavorable lifestyle, compared with patients with a favorable lifestyle, had almost a two times higher overall mortality risk (HR 1.96, 95% CI 1.01–3.80). Conclusions - Our study supports a healthy lifestyle improving breast cancer prevention, postponing onset of disease, and extending life expectancy among breast cancer patients

Functional outcome is tied to dynamic brain states after mild to moderate traumatic brain injury

The current study set out to investigate the dynamic functional connectome in relation to long-term recovery after mild to moderate traumatic brain injury (TBI). Longitudinal resting-state functional MRI data were collected (at 1 and 3 months postinjury) from a prospectively enrolled cohort consisting of 68 patients with TBI (92% mild TBI) and 20 healthy subjects. Patients underwent a neuropsychological assessment at 3 months postinjury. Outcome was measured using the Glasgow Outcome Scale Extended (GOS-E) at 6 months postinjury. The 57 patients who completed the GOS-E were classified as recovered completely (GOS-E = 8; n = 37) or incompletely (GOS-E < 8; n = 20). Neuropsychological test scores were similar for all groups. Patients with incomplete recovery spent less time in a segregated brain state compared to recovered patients during the second visit. Also, these patients moved less frequently from one meta-state to another as compared to healthy controls and recovered patients. Furthermore, incomplete recovery was associated with disruptions in cyclic state transition patterns, called attractors, during both visits. This study demonstrates that poor long-term functional recovery is associated with alterations in dynamics between brain networks, which becomes more marked as a function of time. These results could be related to psychological processes rather than injury-effects, which is an interesting area for further work. Another natural progression of the current study is to examine whether these dynamic measures can be used to monitor treatment effects

Sociological and Human Developmental Explanations of Crime: Conflict or Consensus

This paper examines multidisciplinary correlates of delinquency in an attempt to integrate sociological and environmental theories of crime with human developmental and biological explanations of crime. Structural equation models are applied to assess links among biological, psychological, and environmental variables collected prospectively from birth through age 17 on a sample of 800 black children at high risk for learning and behavioral disorders. Results show that for both males and females, aggression and disciplinary problems in school during adolescence are the strongest predictors of repeat offense behavior. Whereas school achievement and family income and stability are also significant predictors of delinquency for males, early physical development is the next strongest predictor for females. Results indicate that some effects on delinquency also vary during different ages. It is suggested that behavioral and learning disorders have both sociological and developmental correlates and that adequate educational resources are necessary to ensure channels of legitimate opportunities for high-risk youths

Criminal and Noncriminal Psychopathy: The Devil is in the Detail

Brooks, NS ORCiD: 0000-0003-1784-099XPsychopathy is prevalent and problematic in criminal populations, but is also found to be present in noncriminal populations. In 1992, Robert Hare declared that psychopaths may also “be found in the boardroom”, which has since been followed by an interest in the issue of noncriminal, or even successful, psychopathy. In this chapter, the paradox of criminal and noncriminal psychopathy is discussed with specific attention given to the similarities and differences that account for psychopathic personality across contexts. That psychopathy is a condition typified by a constellation of traits and behaviours requires wider research across diverse populations, and thus the streams of research related to criminal and noncriminal psychopathy are presented and the implications of these contrasting streams are explored