Causes of the regional variability in observed sea level, sea surface temperature and ocean colour over the period 1993-2011

We analyse the regional variability in observed sea surface height (SSH), sea surface temperature (SST) and ocean colour (OC) from the ESA Climate Change Initiative (CCI) datasets over the period 1993-2011. The analysis focuses on the signature of the ocean large-scale climate fluctuations driven by the atmospheric forcing and do not address the mesoscale variability. We use the ECCO version 4 ocean reanalysis to unravel the role of ocean transport and surface buoyancy fluxes in the observed SSH, SST and OC variability. We show that the SSH regional variability is dominated by the steric effect (except at high latitude) and is mainly shaped by ocean heat transport divergences with some contributions from the surface heat fluxes forcing that can be significant regionally (confirming earlier results). This is in contrast with the SST regional variability, which is the result of the compensation of surface heat fluxes by ocean heat transport in the mixed layer and arises from small departures around this background balance. Bringing together the results of SSH and SST analyses, we show that SSH and SST bear some common variability. This is because both SSH and SST variability show significant contributions from the surface heat fluxes forcing. It is evidenced by the high correlation between SST and buoyancy forced SSH almost everywhere in the ocean except at high latitude. OC, which is determined by phytoplankton biomass, is governed by the availability of light and nutrients that essentially depend on climate fluctuations. For this reason OC show significant correlation with SST and SSH. We show that the correlation with SST display the same pattern as the correlation with SSH with a negative correlation in the tropics and subtropics and a positive correlation at high latitude. We discuss the reasons for this pattern

Sweet taste pleasantness is modulated by morphine and naltrexone

Rodent models highlight the key role of µ-opioid receptor (MOR) signaling in palatable food consumption. In humans however, the effects of MOR stimulation on eating and food liking remain unclear. In a bidirectional psychopharmacological cross-over study, 49 healthy men underwent a sweet taste paradigm following double-blind administration of the MOR agonist morphine, placebo, and the opioid antagonist nalt rexone. We hypothesized that behaviors regulated by the endogenous MOR system would be enhanced by MOR agonism, and decreased by antagonism. The strongest drug effects were expected for the sweetest (high-calorie) sucrose solution, as reported in rodents. However, very sweet sucrose-water solutions are considered sickly and aversive by many people (called sweet dislikers). Since both sweet likers and dislikers were tested, we were able to assess whether MOR manipulations affect pleasantness ratings differently depending on both subjective and objective value. As hypothesized, MOR stimulation with morphine increased pleasantness of the sweetest of five sucrose solutions, without enhancing pleasantness of the lower-sucrose solutions. For opioid antagonism, an opposite pattern was observed for the sweetest drink only. This bidirectional effect of agonist and antagonist treatment is consistent with rodent findings that MOR manipulations most strongly affect the highest-calorie foods. Importantly, the observed drug effects on pleasantness of the sweetest drink did not differ between sweet likers and dislikers. We speculate that the MOR system promotes survival in part by increasing concordance between the objective (caloric) and subjective (hedonic) value of food stimuli, so that feeding behaviour becomes more focused on the richest food available

Lowering the glycemic index of white bread using a white bean extract

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Phase 2^®is a dietary supplement derived from the common white kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris). Phase 2 has been shown to inhibit alpha-amylase, the complex carbohydrate digesting enzyme, in vitro. The inhibition of alpha-amylase may result in the lowering of the effective Glycemic Index (GI) of certain foods. The objective of this study was to determine whether the addition of Phase 2 would lower the GI of a commercially available high glycemic food (white bread).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>An open-label 6-arm crossover study was conducted with 13 randomized subjects. Standardized GI testing was performed on white bread with and without the addition of Phase 2 in capsule and powder form, each in dosages of 1500 mg, 2000 mg, and 3000 mg. Statistical analysis was performed by one-way ANOVA of all seven treatment groups using unadjusted multiple comparisons (t tests) to the white bread control.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>For the capsule formulation, the 1500 mg dose had no effect on the GI and the 2000 mg and 3000 mg capsule doses caused insignificant reductions in GI. For the powder, the 1500 mg and 2000 mg doses caused insignificant reductions in the GI, and the 3000 mg dose had a significant effect (-20.23 or 34.11%, p = 0.023)</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Phase 2 white bean extract appears to be a novel and potentially effective method for reducing the GI of existing foods without modifying their ingredient profile.</p> <p>Trial Registration</p> <p>Trial Registration: ISRCTN50347345</p

Inferring the Transcriptional Landscape of Bovine Skeletal Muscle by Integrating Co-Expression Networks

Background: Despite modern technologies and novel computational approaches, decoding causal transcriptional regulation remains challenging. This is particularly true for less well studied organisms and when only gene expression data is available. In muscle a small number of well characterised transcription factors are proposed to regulate development. Therefore, muscle appears to be a tractable system for proposing new computational approaches. Methodology/Principal Findings: Here we report a simple algorithm that asks "which transcriptional regulator has the highest average absolute co-expression correlation to the genes in a co-expression module?" It correctly infers a number of known causal regulators of fundamental biological processes, including cell cycle activity (E2F1), glycolysis (HLF), mitochondrial transcription (TFB2M), adipogenesis (PIAS1), neuronal development (TLX3), immune function (IRF1) and vasculogenesis (SOX17), within a skeletal muscle context. However, none of the canonical pro-myogenic transcription factors (MYOD1, MYOG, MYF5, MYF6 and MEF2C) were linked to muscle structural gene expression modules. Co-expression values were computed using developing bovine muscle from 60 days post conception (early foetal) to 30 months post natal (adulthood) for two breeds of cattle, in addition to a nutritional comparison with a third breed. A number of transcriptional landscapes were constructed and integrated into an always correlated landscape. One notable feature was a 'metabolic axis' formed from glycolysis genes at one end, nuclear-encoded mitochondrial protein genes at the other, and centrally tethered by mitochondrially-encoded mitochondrial protein genes. Conclusions/Significance: The new module-to-regulator algorithm complements our recently described Regulatory Impact Factor analysis. Together with a simple examination of a co-expression module's contents, these three gene expression approaches are starting to illuminate the in vivo transcriptional regulation of skeletal muscle development

Effects of aging on the opioid modulation of feeding in humans

The definitive version is available at www.blackwell-synergy.comOBJECTIVES:To determine whether aging is associated with a reduction in the opioid modulation of feeding, which may be important in the pathogenesis of the "anorexia of aging." DESIGN:Three studies on separate days, in randomized order and double-blind fashion. SETTING:Clinical Human Research Laboratory, Department of Medicine, RAH, Adelaide, Australia. PARTICIPANTS:Twelve older (5 male/7 female) (age 65-84) and 12 young (5 male/7 female) (age 20-26) healthy subjects. INTERVENTION:Subjects received in double-blinded random order, intravenous bolus (10 minutes) and then continuous (140 minutes) infusions of saline (control), naloxone low dose (LD) (bolus 27 microg/kg; continuous 50 microg/kg/hr), or naloxone high dose (HD) (bolus 54.5 microg/kg; continuous 100 microg/kg/hr). MEASUREMENTS:After 120 minutes, subjects were offered a buffet meal, and their energy intake was quantified. Hunger, fullness, nausea, and drowsiness were assessed using visual analogue scales. RESULTS:The naloxone LD and HD infusions had no significant effect on ratings of hunger, fullness, or nausea, but increased drowsiness (P < .01) compared with the control infusion in both age groups. Older subjects ate less (P < .001) at the buffet meal than young subjects during all three infusions. Naloxone infusions reduced energy intake compared with control (P < .001), LD by 13.2 +/- 5.0% and HD by 10.7 +/- 5.0%, with no difference between the doses (P = .71). Overall, naloxone suppressed energy intake in both young and older subjects (P < .01). This suppression was slightly, but not significantly, greater in young than in older subjects (mean of LD and HD 16.4 +/- 4.9% vs 7.5 +/- 4.9%, P = .42), because of a trend to reduced suppression in older women. CONCLUSIONS:We conclude that healthy older adults retain their sensitivity to the suppressive effects of naloxone on food intake. Possible gender differences in this sensitivity warrant further investigation. A decline in opioid activity is unlikely to contribute substantially to the physiological anorexia of aging observed in older people.Caroline G. MacIntosh, Jessica Sheehan, Nusha Davani, John E. Morley, Michael Horowitz, Ian M. Chapma

Análise da função respiratória na doença de Parkinson Analysis of breathing function in Parkinson's disease

Avaliou-se a função respiratória de 40 parkinsonianos (P), entre 50 e 80 anos, nos estágio I a III da Escala de Hoehn e Yahr e de 40 não parkinsonianos (NP), com características semelhantes. A amplitude torácica de 1,8±0,8 cm nos P foi menor que 4,3±1,0 cm nos NP (p=0,00001), assim como os percentuais das capacidades vital e vital forçada de 66,8±20,3% e 69,6±22,2% nos P e de 82,3±15,7% e 82,7±16,6% nos NP (p=0,00001 e p=0,0023). Apresentaram-se equivalentes as pressões inspiratória e expiratória máximas, de 33,5±12,7 cmH2O e 36, 3±17,8 cmH2O nos P e de 37,0±12,2 cmH2O e 43,1±16,6 cmH2O nos NP (p=0,1753 e 0,0398), o volume do 1º segundo da curva expiratória forçada de 71,3±25,6% nos P e 80,6±23,6% nos NP (p=0,0899) e o percentual da capacidade vital forçada expirada em um segundo, de 104,5±19,9% nos P e 97,4±22,8% nos NP (p=0,1234). Os parkinsonianos evidenciaram restrição respiratória e diminuição de amplitude torácica, sem alteração da força muscular respiratória.<br>We studied 40 parkinsonian patients (P), mean age 50-80 years, with Hoehn and Yahr stages I-III and 40 no parkinsonian patients (NP), with similar characteristics. The results of the thoracic amplitude was 1,8±0,8cm of P that showed a reduction to 4,3±1,0 cm of NP (p=0,00001), the vital capacity and forced vital capacity, 66,8±20,3% and 69,6±22,2% of P was decreased that 82,3±15,7% and 82,7±16,6% of NP (p=0,00001 and p=0,0023). There was not difference among the maximal inspiratory and expiratory mouth pressures, 33,5±12,7 cmH2O and 36,3±17,8 cmH2O of P and 37,0±12,2 cmH2O and 43,1±16,6 cmH2O of NP (p=0,1753 and p=0,0398), the forced expiratory volume in 1 second, 71,3±25,6% of P and 80,6±23,6% of NP (p=0,0899), and the forced expiratory volume in 1 second/ forced vital capacity, 104,5±19,9% of P and 97,4±22,8% of NP (p=0,1234). The parkinsonian patients present restrictive pulmonary dysfunction, low chest wall compliance and the respiratory muscle strenght do not decreased