Effects of beta-alanine supplementation on brain homocarnosine/carnosine signal and cognitive function: an exploratory study

Objectives: Two independent studies were conducted to examine the effects of 28 d of beta-alanine supplementation at 6.4 g d-1 on brain homocarnosine/carnosine signal in omnivores and vegetarians (Study 1) and on cognitive function before and after exercise in trained cyclists (Study 2). Methods: In Study 1, seven healthy vegetarians (3 women and 4 men) and seven age- and sex-matched omnivores undertook a brain 1H-MRS exam at baseline and after beta-alanine supplementation. In study 2, nineteen trained male cyclists completed four 20-Km cycling time trials (two pre supplementation and two post supplementation), with a battery of cognitive function tests (Stroop test, Sternberg paradigm, Rapid Visual Information Processing task) being performed before and after exercise on each occasion. Results: In Study 1, there were no within-group effects of beta-alanine supplementation on brain homocarnosine/carnosine signal in either vegetarians (p = 0.99) or omnivores (p = 0.27); nor was there any effect when data from both groups were pooled (p = 0.19). Similarly, there was no group by time interaction for brain homocarnosine/carnosine signal (p = 0.27). In study 2, exercise improved cognitive function across all tests (P0.05) of beta-alanine supplementation on response times or accuracy for the Stroop test, Sternberg paradigm or RVIP task at rest or after exercise. Conclusion: 28 d of beta-alanine supplementation at 6.4g d-1 appeared not to influence brain homocarnosine/ carnosine signal in either omnivores or vegetarians; nor did it influence cognitive function before or after exercise in trained cyclists

Identification of genetic variants associated with Huntington's disease progression: a genome-wide association study

Background Huntington's disease is caused by a CAG repeat expansion in the huntingtin gene, HTT. Age at onset has been used as a quantitative phenotype in genetic analysis looking for Huntington's disease modifiers, but is hard to define and not always available. Therefore, we aimed to generate a novel measure of disease progression and to identify genetic markers associated with this progression measure. Methods We generated a progression score on the basis of principal component analysis of prospectively acquired longitudinal changes in motor, cognitive, and imaging measures in the 218 indivduals in the TRACK-HD cohort of Huntington's disease gene mutation carriers (data collected 2008–11). We generated a parallel progression score using data from 1773 previously genotyped participants from the European Huntington's Disease Network REGISTRY study of Huntington's disease mutation carriers (data collected 2003–13). We did a genome-wide association analyses in terms of progression for 216 TRACK-HD participants and 1773 REGISTRY participants, then a meta-analysis of these results was undertaken. Findings Longitudinal motor, cognitive, and imaging scores were correlated with each other in TRACK-HD participants, justifying use of a single, cross-domain measure of disease progression in both studies. The TRACK-HD and REGISTRY progression measures were correlated with each other (r=0·674), and with age at onset (TRACK-HD, r=0·315; REGISTRY, r=0·234). The meta-analysis of progression in TRACK-HD and REGISTRY gave a genome-wide significant signal (p=1·12 × 10−10) on chromosome 5 spanning three genes: MSH3, DHFR, and MTRNR2L2. The genes in this locus were associated with progression in TRACK-HD (MSH3 p=2·94 × 10−8 DHFR p=8·37 × 10−7 MTRNR2L2 p=2·15 × 10−9) and to a lesser extent in REGISTRY (MSH3 p=9·36 × 10−4 DHFR p=8·45 × 10−4 MTRNR2L2 p=1·20 × 10−3). The lead single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in TRACK-HD (rs557874766) was genome-wide significant in the meta-analysis (p=1·58 × 10−8), and encodes an aminoacid change (Pro67Ala) in MSH3. In TRACK-HD, each copy of the minor allele at this SNP was associated with a 0·4 units per year (95% CI 0·16–0·66) reduction in the rate of change of the Unified Huntington's Disease Rating Scale (UHDRS) Total Motor Score, and a reduction of 0·12 units per year (95% CI 0·06–0·18) in the rate of change of UHDRS Total Functional Capacity score. These associations remained significant after adjusting for age of onset. Interpretation The multidomain progression measure in TRACK-HD was associated with a functional variant that was genome-wide significant in our meta-analysis. The association in only 216 participants implies that the progression measure is a sensitive reflection of disease burden, that the effect size at this locus is large, or both. Knockout of Msh3 reduces somatic expansion in Huntington's disease mouse models, suggesting this mechanism as an area for future therapeutic investigation

Effect of yeast supplementation on the in vitro fermentatuion of high-temperature dried lucerne incubated with an equine faecal inoculum

An in vitro gas production (GP) experiment, using equine faeces as the source of inoculum, was conducted to assess the effect of a yeast preparation (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) on the fermentation of high-temperature dried lucerne. The experiment was a factorial design consisting of six levels of yeast supplementation of high-temperature dried lucerne; 0 g yeast g−1 (L0—Control), 2 g yeast g−1 (L1), 4 g yeast g−1 (L2), 8 g yeast g−1 (L3), 16 g yeast g−1 (L4) and 40 g yeast g−1 (L5) herbage added at two time points; time 0 (inoculation) and at hour 14 of the incubation to 4 replicate bottles (5 × 2 × 4). Total GP increased significantly (P<0.01) at the highest level of yeast supplementation (L5; 188 ml) compared to the control (L0) and all other levels of yeast supplementation (averaging 177 ml). Rate parameter values, e.g. fractional rate of degradation (FRGP) and time taken to produce 50 or 95% of the total gas production (T50 and T95, respectively) were all significantly (P<0.05) decreased by the supplementation of lucerne with yeast. Dry matter loss (DML) also decreased significantly (P<0.01) with the addition of yeast to the lucerne (735 vs. 660 for L0 and L5, respectively). The pH increased significantly (P<0.001) with yeast supplementation; however, there was no effect of yeast supplementation on total volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentration or VFA molar proportions. In conclusion, the addition of yeast to lucerne appears significantly to reduce the extent (DML) and rate at which lucerne is degraded, which has important implications for the overall energy balance in equids

Evaluation of an SLT service using therapy outcome measures

This poster discussed the evaluation of an SLT service using therapy outcome measures

Three-dimensional motion analysis of postural adjustments during over-ground locomotion in a rat model of Parkinson's disease

Postural instability, a symptom of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients, leads to frequent falls and difficulty in forward motion during gait. These motor deficits are mainly caused by neurodegenerative processes in the brain leading to reduced levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine. Postural studies involving animal models of PD are mainly based on movement scores or descriptive approaches to discerning differences in behaviour or function. Our aim was to describe postural adjustments in a rat model of PD utilising a quantitative three dimensional motion analysis technique during gait to investigate the effects of unilateral dopamine depletion on rat locomotion while walking on beams of varying widths (wide, narrow and graduated). Tail orientation, limb positions on the beam, range of motion and kinematic waveforms of the Roll, Pitch and Yaw of male Lister Hooded rats were investigated using passive markers placed in locations that were representative of their body axis. Hemiparkinsonian rats moved on the wide beam with a significantly higher Roll range of motion coupled with a positively biased Roll kinematic waveform during one gait cycle. While walking on the narrow beam they displayed an increased use of the ledge and placed their tail towards the right. These results are brought about by the rats’ inability to shift body posture using the impaired limb. Our data demonstrate that marker-based motion capture can provide an effective and simple approach to quantifying postural adjustments for rat models of PD

In vitro assessment of three fibrolytic enzyme preparations as potential feed additives in equine diets

A series of in vitro experiments were conducted to assess three fibrolytic enzyme preparations as potential feed additives in equine diets. The three fibrolytic enzyme preparations were a concentrated cellulase (E1), an acid cellulase (E2) and a concentrated xylanase (E3). The enzymes were evaluated on their ability to modify the cell wall fraction of high-temperature dried lucerne (HTL) under various experimental conditions including differences in temperature, pH, incubation period, substrate levels and particle size to enable selection of the enzyme preparation most effective in the hydrolysis of lucerne. Results showed enzyme activities (as measured by reducing sugar assays) to be greatest at 50 °C, pH 5 and over an incubation period of greater than 20 h. E1 exhibited the greatest effect on total monosaccharide release from the HTL compared to E2 and E3. Moreover, dry matter (DM) and total non-starch polysaccharide (TNSP) losses were also greater in HTL treated with E1 compared to E2 and E3. Therefore, since the cell wall fraction of HTL contained substantial amounts of cellulose, the enzyme with the highest cellulase activity (Enzyme 1) was most effective in hydrolysing the cell walls of HTL. Consequently, it would appear that the application of exogenous fibrolytic enzyme preparations to forages requires the chemical characterisation of the target forage to enable selection of enzymes that are (a) most suitable to degrade the cell wall components of the candidate forage and (b) effective under field conditions

The effect of feeding a low- or high-starch diet on equine faecal parameters

Seven mature Welsh-cross pony geldings provided the faecal inocula in a cross-over design experiment, consisting of two 14-day periods. In period 1, four ponies (group 1) were fed a low-starch fibre-mix (LS), and three (group 2) were fed a conventional high-starch coarse-mix (HS), both groups were fed these mixes in a 50:50 ratio with mature grass hay, to give a total daily dry matter (DM) intake of 17.5 g/kg live weight per day. Diets were then switched in period 2. At the end of each experimental period freshly voided faeces were collected from each animal and analysed for cellulolytic and amylolytic bacterial numbers, volatile fatty acid (VFA) and lactate concentration. There was no effect of diet on the number of cellulolytic and amylolytic bacteria, VFA or lactate present in the faeces of the experimental ponies. Consequently, it would appear that the effect of feeding LS or HS on faecal parameters is minimal; however, further work is required to determine the accuracy of faeces as a model for changes in the hindgut environment of the horse

The emerging role of the specialist nurse in promoting the health of looked after children

In the light of recent guidelines from the Department of Health, Catherine Hill in collaboration with Vanessa Wright, Carolyn Sampeys, Kathy Dunnett, Sue Daniel, Lesley O'Dell and Janet Watkins, discusses the growing contribution that specialist nurses are making in promoting the health of looked after children. To illustrate this trend two projects, in Southampton and Cardiff, are examined, followed by a review of the current professional status of looked after children's nurses in England and Wales. All the evidence presented points to better outcomes and additional quality through nurse-led assessments