Improvement of Lipid Absorption in Young Pigs as a Model for Preterm Infants

Preterm infants and neonatal suckling piglets have a limited bile acid pool that may hinder absorption of dietary lipids such as fatty acids, triacylglycerols (TAGs), and other lipid-soluble nutrients. Because dietary lipids are a valuable source of energy for growth, it is important that they are efficiently absorbed. The hypothesis of this study is that oral administration of 0.2 g/kg body weight daily of cholylsarcosine, an artificial bile acid, would decrease fecal excretion of dietary fatty acids and TAGs in suckling piglets. Twelve 7-d-old piglets were housed individually and fed a commercial milk replacer with or without oral cholylsarcosine until 21 d of age. Cholylsarcosine treatment decreased fecal excretion of stearic acid (18:0) and palmitic acid (16:0) (P ≤ 0.02). Cholylsarcosine supplementation had no effect on absorption of unsaturated fatty acids of 16 or 18 carbons (P \u3e 0.05). Cholylsarcosine increased fecal excretion of deoxycholic acid (P = 0.03). Apparent absorption of dietary TAGs was increased from 77% in piglets not fed cholylsarcosine to 83% in the piglets that received oral cholylsarcosine. These results support the hypothesis that cholylsarcosine increases absorption of dietary TAGs

The Effects of Pathological Gaming on Aggressive Behavior

Studies have shown that pathological involvement with computer or video games is related to excessive gaming binges and aggressive behavior. Our aims for this study were to longitudinally examine if pathological gaming leads to increasingly excessive gaming habits, and how pathological gaming may cause an increase in physical aggression. For this purpose, we conducted a two-wave panel study among 851 Dutch adolescents (49% female) of which 540 played games (30% female). Our analyses indicated that higher levels of pathological gaming predicted an increase in time spent playing games 6 months later. Time spent playing violent games specifically, and not just games per se, increased physical aggression. Furthermore, higher levels of pathological gaming, regardless of violent content, predicted an increase in physical aggression among boys. That this effect only applies to boys does not diminish its importance, because adolescent boys are generally the heaviest players of violent games and most susceptible to pathological involvement

A Review of Vitamin D and Its Precursors in Plants and Their Translation to Active Metabolites in Meat

Vitamin D plays crucial roles in calcium absorption, bone metabolism, and immune, neurological and cardiovascular-related functions. In plants, it plays an important role in the form of D2 (ergocalciferol). Intake of vitamin D and its precursors by livestock varies with the specific forage crop, season, presence of fungal infestation and geographic location. Oral supplementation with vitamin D3 is highly effective at raising plasma and tissue levels of vitamin D and its metabolites in livestock. The vitamin D3 content varies in different cuts of meat, with higher levels typically correlated with increased fat content, although the same does not hold true for 25(OH)D3. The highest vitamin D3 content in meat is typically found in pork (mean content of 2.5 µg/kg) and chicken (mean of 2.4 µg/kg), followed by beef (mean of 2.2 µg/kg), with lamb containing the least (mean of 1.1 µg/kg). Storage and processing generally have minimal impact on the content of vitamin D or its metabolites in meat, aside from an increase on an as-is basis resulting from moisture loss. Due to their widespread availability and consumption, meat products appear to be a significant source of vitamin D and its hydroxylated forms for much of the global population.</p

A Motivational Model of Video Game Engagement

More Americans now play video games than go to the movies ( NPD Group, 2009 ). The meteoric rise in popularity of video games highlights the need for research approaches that can deepen our scientific understanding of video game engagement. This article advances a theory-based motivational model for examining and evaluating the ways by which video game engagement shapes psychological processes and influences well-being. Rooted in self-determination theory ( Deci &amp; Ryan, 2000 ; Ryan &amp; Deci, 2000a ), our approach suggests that both the appeal and well-being effects of video games are based in their potential to satisfy basic psychological needs for competence, autonomy, and relatedness. We review recent empirical evidence applying this perspective to a number of topics including need satisfaction in games and short-term well-being, the motivational appeal of violent game content, motivational sources of postplay aggression, the antecedents and consequences of disordered patterns of game engagement, and the determinants and effects of immersion. Implications of this model for the future study of game motivation and the use of video games in interventions are discussed. </jats:p

Serious games can support psychotherapy of children and adolescents

Computers and video games are a normal part of life for millions of children. However, due to the association between intensive gaming and aggressive behavior, school failure, and overweight, video games have gained negative publicity. While most reports centre upon their potential negative consequences, little research has been carried out with regard to the innovative potentials of video games. ‘Treasure Hunt’, the first psychotherapeutic computer game based on principles of behavior modification, makes use of children’s fascination for video games in order to support psychotherapy. This interactive adventure game for eight to twelve year old children is not meant to substitute the therapist, but to offer attractive electronic homework assignments and rehearse basic psycho-educational concepts that have been learnt during therapy sessions. While psychotherapeutic computer games may prove to be a useful tool in the treatment of children and adolescents, unrealistic expectations with regard to such games should be discussed

Violence-related content in video game may lead to functional connectivity changes in brain networks as revealed by fMRI-ICA in young men

In violent video games, players engage in virtual aggressive behaviors. Exposure to virtual aggressive behavior induces short-term changes in players' behavior. In a previous study, a violence-related version of the racing game "Carmageddon TDR2000" increased aggressive affects, cognitions, and behaviors compared to its non-violence-related version. This study investigates the differences in neural network activity during the playing of both versions of the video game. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) recorded ongoing brain activity of 18 young men playing the violence-related and the non-violence-related version of the video game Carmageddon. Image time series were decomposed into functional connectivity (FC) patterns using independent component analysis (ICA) and template-matching yielded a mapping to established functional brain networks. The FC patterns revealed a decrease in connectivity within 6 brain networks during the violence-related compared to the non-violence-related condition: three sensory-motor networks, the reward network, the default mode network (DMN), and the right-lateralized frontoparietal network. Playing violent racing games may change functional brain connectivity, in particular and even after controlling for event frequency, in the reward network and the DMN. These changes may underlie the short-term increase of aggressive affects, cognitions, and behaviors as observed after playing violent video games