Supplemental vitamin B-12 enhances the neural response to sensory stimulation in the barrel cortex of healthy rats but does not affect spontaneous neural activity

Background: Although vitamin B-12 (B-12) is known to contribute to the structural and functional development of the brain, it is unclear if B-12 supplementation has any beneficial effect in healthy populations in terms of enhanced neurological status of the brain or improved cognitive function. Objectives: We investigated the effect of dietary supplementation of B-12 on the cortical neural activity of well-nourished young adult rats and tested the hypothesis that B-12 supplementation in healthy rats may reduce sensory evoked neural activity due to enhanced inhibition. Methods: Female Lister Hooded rats weighing between 190g to 265g (2 to 4 months old) were included in the study. The experimental group was fed with B-12 (Cyanocobalamin) enriched water at a concentration of 1mg/L, and the control (CON) group with tap water for 3 weeks. Animals were then anaesthetised and cortical neural responses to whisker stimulation were recorded in vivo using a multi-channel micro-electrode, from which local field potentials (LFPs) were extracted. Results: Somatosensory evoked LFP was enhanced 25% in the B-12 group (4.13±0.24mV) compared with the CON group (3.30±0.21mV) (P=0.02). Spontaneous neural activity did not differ between groups; frequency spectra at each frequency bin of interest did not pass the cluster-forming threshold at the 5% significance level. Conclusions: These findings do not provide evidence supporting the hypothesis of decreased neural activity due to B-12 supplementation. As the spontaneous neural activity was unaffected, the increase in somatosensory evoked LFP may be due to enhanced afferent signal reaching the barrel cortex from the whisker pad, indicating that B-12 supplemented rats may have enhanced sensitivity to sensory stimulation compared to the CON group. We suggest that this enhancement might be the result of lowered sensory threshold, although the underlying mechanism has yet to be elucidated

The Christian Orthodox Church Fasting Diet Is Associated with Lower Levels of Depression and Anxiety and a Better Cognitive Performance in Middle Life.

Lifestyle choices significantly influence mental health in later life. In this study we investigated the effects of the Christian Orthodox Church (COC) fasting diet, which includes long-term regular abstinence from animal-based products for half the calendar year, on cognitive function and emotional wellbeing of healthy adults. Two groups of fasting and non-fasting individuals were evaluated regarding their cognitive performance and the presence of anxiety and depression using the Mini Mental Examination Scale, the Hamilton Anxiety Scale, and the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), respectively. Data on physical activity, smoking, and vitamin levels were collected and correlated with mental health scoring. Negative binomial regression was performed to examine differences in the GDS scores between the two groups. Significantly lower levels of anxiety (7.48 ± 4.98 vs. 9.71 ± 5.25; p < 0.001) and depression (2.24 ± 1.77 vs. 3.5 ± 2.52; p < 0.001), along with better cognitive function (29.15 ± 0.79 vs. 28.64 ± 1.27; p < 0.001), were noticed in fasting compared to non-fasting individuals. GDS score was 31% lower (Incidence Rate Ratio: 0.69, 95% Confidence Interval: 0.56-0.85) in the fasting group compared to the control, while vitamin and ferrum levels did not differ. The COC fasting diet was found to have an independent positive impact on cognition and mood in middle-aged and elderly individuals

Linear Structures: Applications to Cryptanalysis of Round-Reduced Keccak

In this paper, we analyze the security of round-reduced versions of the Keccak hash function family. Based on the work pioneered by Aumasson and Meier, and Dinur et al., we formalize and develop a technique named linear structure, which allows linearization of the underlying permutation of Keccak for up to 3 rounds with large number of variable spaces. As a direct application, it extends the best zero-sum distinguishers by 2 rounds without increasing the complexities. We also apply linear structures to preimage attacks against Keccak. By carefully studying the properties of the underlying Sbox, we show bilinear structures and find ways to convert the information on the output bits to linear functions on input bits. These findings, combined with linear structures, lead us to preimage attacks against up to 4-round Keccak with reduced complexities. An interesting feature of such preimage attacks is low complexities for small variants. As extreme examples, we can now find preimages of 3-round SHAKE128 with complexity 1, as well as the first practical solutions to two 3-round instances of Keccak challenge. Both zero-sum distinguishers and preimage attacks are verified by implementations. It is noted that the attacks here are still far from threatening the security of the full 24-round Keccak

An Algebraic Formulation of the Division Property: Revisiting Degree Evaluations, Cube Attacks, and Key-Independent Sums

Since it was proposed in 2015 as a generalization of integral properties, the division property has evolved into a powerful tool for probing the structures of Boolean functions whose algebraic normal forms are not available. We capture the most essential elements for the detection of division properties from a pure algebraic perspective, proposing a technique named as monomial prediction, which can be employed to determine the presence or absence of a monomial in any product of the coordinate functions of a vectorial Boolean function $\boldsymbol f$ by counting the number of the so-called monomial trails across a sequence of simpler functions whose composition is $\boldsymbol f$. Under the framework of the monomial prediction, we formally prove that most algorithms for detecting division properties in literature raise no false alarms but may miss. We also establish the equivalence between the monomial prediction and the three-subset bit-based division property without unknown subset presented at EUROCRYPT 2020, and show that these two techniques are perfectly accurate. The monomial prediction technique can be regarded as a purification of the definitions of the division properties without resorting to external multisets. This algebraic formulation gives more insights into division properties and inspires new search strategies. With the monomial prediction, we obtain the exact algebraic degrees of TRIVIUM up to 834 rounds for the first time. In the context of cube attacks, we are able to explore a larger search space in limited time and recover the exact algebraic normal forms of complex superpolies with the help of a divide-and-conquer strategy. As a result, we identify more cubes with smaller dimensions, leading to improvements of some near-optimal attacks against 840-, 841- and 842-round TRIVIUM

Dynamic simulation tool for a performance evaluation and sensitivity study of a parabolic trough collector system with concrete thermal energy storage

Plant developers of parabolic trough collector (PTC) systems for industrial steam generation face various challenges. Some of the main challenges are availability of land, buildings in the vicinity of the plant that cast shadows on the collectors as well as land restrictions. The typical north-south collector axis alignment in many cases may not be possible due to limits of available ground. These were challenges that were faced in the planning phase for installing a PTC plant on the premises of the KEAN Soft Drinks Ltd factory in Limassol, Cyprus. As these issues cannot be avoided they must be accounted for by the plant developer, especially when a performance guarantee is given. This work presents, amongst other things, factors that should be analysed in order to predict the energy yield in the planning phase as best as possible by using a simulation model. In the sensitivity study presented in this paper, several effects on the energy yield were investigated theoretically. These effects include: Tracking inaccuracy, non-parallel collector row axis orientations as well as north-south vs. east-west collector alignment. A dynamic simulation model developed by the Solar-Institut Jülich (SIJ) [1] was further developed and used for the analysis. The simulation model features a deviation between the measured and simulated oil temperature at the collector outlet of only 1.5 K (rms). The findings are presented in this paper and give an insight into the effectiveness of mid-sized PTC systems for the industry sector

Operational experience and behaviour of a parabolic trough collector system with concrete thermal energy storage for process steam generation in Cyprus

As part of the transnational research project EDITOR, a parabolic trough collector system (PTC) with concrete thermal energy storage (C-TES) was installed and commissioned in Limassol, Cyprus. The system is located on the premises of the beverage manufacturer KEAN Soft Drinks Ltd. and its function is to supply process steam for the factory’s pasteurisation process [1]. Depending on the factory’s seasonally varying capacity for beverage production, the solar system delivers between 5 and 25 % of the total steam demand. In combination with the C-TES, the solar plant can supply process steam on demand before sunrise or after sunset. Furthermore, the C-TES compensates the PTC during the day in fluctuating weather conditions. The parabolic trough collector as well as the control and oil handling unit is designed and manufactured by Protarget AG, Germany. The C-TES is designed and produced by CADE Soluciones de Ingeniería, S.L., Spain. In the focus of this paper is the description of the operational experience with the PTC, C-TES and boiler during the commissioning and operation phase. Additionally, innovative optimisation measures are presented

CD4+ and CD8+ T Cells Can Act Separately in Tumour Rejection after Immunization with Murine Pneumotropic Virus Chimeric Her2/neu Virus-Like Particles

BACKGROUND: Immunization with murine pneumotropic virus virus-like particles carrying Her2/neu (Her2MPtVLPs) prevents tumour outgrowth in mice when given prophylactically, and therapeutically if combined with the adjuvant CpG. We investigated which components of the immune system are involved in tumour rejection, and whether long-term immunological memory can be obtained. METHODOLOGY AND RESULTS: During the effector phase in BALB/c mice, only depletion of CD4+ and CD8+ in combination, with or without NK cells, completely abrogated tumour protection. Depletion of single CD4+, CD8+ or NK cell populations only had minor effects. During the immunization/induction phase, combined depletion of CD4+ and CD8+ cells abolished protection, while depletion of each individual subset had no or negligible effect. When tumour rejection was studied in knock-out mice with a C57Bl/6 background, protection was lost in CD4-/-CD8-/- and CD4-/-, but not in CD8-/- mice. In contrast, when normal C57Bl/6 mice were depleted of different cell types, protection was lost irrespective of whether only CD4+, only CD8+, or CD4+ and CD8+ cells in combination were eradicated. No anti-Her2/neu antibodies were detected but a Her2/neu-specific IFNgamma response was seen. Studies of long-term memory showed that BALB/c mice could be protected against tumour development when immunized together with CpG as long as ten weeks before challenge. CONCLUSION: Her2MPtVLP immunization is efficient in stimulating several compartments of the immune system, and induces an efficient immune response including long-term memory. In addition, when depleting mice of isolated cellular compartments, tumour protection is not as efficiently abolished as when depleting several immune compartments together

Smooth Muscle Cell Phenotype Modulation and Contraction on Native and Cross-Linked Polyelectrolyte Multilayers

Smooth muscle cells convert between a motile, proliferative “synthetic ” phenotype and a sessile, “contractile ” phenotype. The ability to manipulate the phenotype of aortic smooth muscle cells with thin biocompatible polyelectrolyte multilayers (PEMUs) with common surface chemical characteristics but varying stiffness was investigated. The stiffness of (PAH/ PAA) PEMUs was varied by heating to form covalent amide bond cross-links between the layers. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) showed that cross-linked PEMUs were thinner than those that were not cross-linked. AFM nanoindentation demonstrated that the Young’s modulus ranged from 6 MPa for hydrated native PEMUs to more than 8 GPa for maximally cross-linked PEMUs. Rat aortic A7r5 smooth muscle cells cultured on native PEMUs exhibited morphology and motility of synthetic cells and expression of the synthetic phenotype markers vimentin, tropomyosin 4, and nonmuscle myosin heavy chain IIB (nmMHCIIB). In comparison, cells cultured on maximally cross-linked PEMUs exhibited the phenotype markers calponin, smooth muscle myosin heavy chain (smMHC), myocardin, transgelin, and smooth muscle R-actin (smActin) that are characteristic of the smooth muscle “contractile ” phenotype. Consistent with those cells being “contractile”, A7r5 cells grown on cross-linked PEMUs produced contractile force when stimulated with a Ca2+ ionophore

TBC1D3, a Hominoid-Specific Gene, Delays IRS-1 Degradation and Promotes Insulin Signaling by Modulating p70 S6 Kinase Activity

Insulin/IGF-1 signaling plays a pivotal role in the regulation of cellular homeostasis through its control of glucose metabolism as well as due to its effects on cell proliferation. Aberrant regulation of insulin signaling has been repeatedly implicated in uncontrolled cell growth and malignant transformations. TBC1D3 is a hominoid specific gene previously identified as an oncogene in breast and prostate cancers. Our efforts to identify the molecular mechanisms of TBC1D3-induced oncogenesis revealed the role of TBC1D3 in insulin/IGF-1 signaling pathway. We document here that TBC1D3 intensifies insulin/IGF-1-induced signal transduction through intricate, yet elegant fine-tuning of signaling mechanisms. We show that TBC1D3 expression substantially delayed ubiquitination and degradation of insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1). This effect is achieved through suppression of serine phosphorylation at S636/639, S307 and S312 of IRS-1, which are key phosphorylation sites required for IRS-1 degradation. Furthermore, we report that the effect of TBC1D3 on IRS-1:S636/639 phosphorylation is mediated through TBC1D3-induced activation of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A), followed by suppression of T389 phosphorylation on p70 S6 kinase (S6K). TBC1D3 specifically interacts with PP2A regulatory subunit B56γ, indicating that TBC1D3 and PP2A B56γ operate jointly to promote S6K:T389 dephosphorylation. These findings suggest that TBC1D3 plays an unanticipated and potentially unique role in the fine-tuning of insulin/IGF-1 signaling, while providing novel insights into the regulation of tumorigenesis by a hominoid-specific protein