Rapid Assessment of Reward-Related Eating: The RED-X5.

OBJECTIVE:The prevalence of obesity has created a plethora of questionnaires characterizing psychological aspects of eating behavior, such as reward-related eating (RRE). The Reward-based Eating Drive questionnaires (RED-9, RED-13) broadly and deeply assess the RRE construct. However, large-sample research designs require shorter questionnaires that capture RRE quickly and precisely. This study sought to develop a brief, reliable, and valid version of the RED questionnaire. METHODS:All-subset correlation was used to find a subset that maximally associated with the full RED-13 in two separate samples. Results were validated in a third independent sample. Internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and ability to explain variance in external outcomes were also assessed. RESULTS:A five-item questionnaire (RED-X5) correlated strongly with RED-13 in the independent sample (r = 0.95). RED-X5 demonstrated high internal consistency (omega total ≥ 0.80) and 6-month test-retest reliability (r = 0.72). RED-X5 accurately reproduced known associations between RED-13 and BMI, diabetes status, and craving for sweet and savory foods. As a novel finding, RED questionnaires predicted laboratory intake of chips. CONCLUSIONS:RED-X5 is a short, reliable, and valid measure of the RRE construct and can be readily implemented in large-sample research designs in which questionnaire space is limited

The Constructability of the Cheops Pyramid

Abstract The aim of this paper is to forecast the methodology by which Cheops Pyramid as a historic building was built, based on notions of modular patterns discovered within the following planar illustrations, starting at the apex and descending to its grand base. Some of Cheops’ heritage in terms of form and function has existed for millennia, as its mark was recapped with a front line that was constructed thousands of years before. Such a voyage through the missing captures of the building techniques wouldn’t have occurred without the incidental outcome that resulted from overlaying the various pixelated plans of block arrangements on the floor maps of Cheops. This building is believed to exhibit norms similar to those governing the balance between matter and void in the universe. By assessing this historical masonry structure of Giza, we have come to find some regulatory approaches concerning how to asses the construction of such a building by predicting their interiors, spatial definitions, customs, and layouts. As there are no major records of their plans, the best practice anticipated in this paper is to modularize the figurative appearance of such buildings, by imitating themes of the repetitive patterns of past regional Egyptian architecture seen as pixels. This led to the fundamental solution to such a dilemma in building construction. Keywords: Cheops, Pyramid, Balance, Historical Building

Nucleus accumbens volume is related to obesity measures in an age‐dependent fashion

Motivation theories of obesity suggest that one of the brain mechanisms underlying pathological eating and weight gain is the dysregulation of dopaminergic circuits. While these dysregulations occur likely at the microscopic level, studies on gray matter volume reported macroscopic differences associated with obesity. One region suggested to play a key role in the pathophysiology of obesity is the nucleus accumbens (NAcc). We performed a meta‐analysis of findings regarding NAcc volume and overweight/obesity. We additionally examined whether gray matter volume in the NAcc and other mesolimbic areas depends on the longitudinal trajectory of obesity, using the UK Biobank dataset. To this end, we analysed the data using a latent growth model, which identifies whether certain variables of interest (e.g. NAcc volume) is related to another variable's (BMI) initial values or longitudinal trajectories. Our meta‐analysis showed that, overall, NAcc volume is positively related to BMI. However, further analyses revealed that the relationship between NAcc volume and BMI is dependent on age. For younger individuals such relationship is positive, while for older adults it is negative. This was corroborated by our analysis in the UK Biobank dataset, which includes older adults, where we found that higher BMI was associated with lower NAcc and thalamus volume. Overall, our study suggests that increased NAcc volume in young age might be a vulnerability factor for obesity, while in the older age decreased NAcc volume with increased BMI might be an effect of prolonged influences of neuroinflammation on the brain

Rho GTPases show differential sensitivity to nucleotide triphosphate depletion in a model of ischemic cell injury

Rho GTPases are critical for actin cytoskeletal regulation, and alterations in their activity may contribute to altered cytoskeletal organization that characterizes many pathological conditions, including ischemia. G protein activity is a function of the ratio of GTP-bound (active) to GDP-bound (inactive) protein, but the effect of altered energy metabolism on Rho protein activity has not been determined. We used antimycin A and substrate depletion to induce depletion of intracellular ATP and GTP in the kidney proximal tubule cell line LLC-PK10 and measured the activity of RhoA, Rac1, and Cdc42 with GTPase effector binding domains fused to glutathione S-transferase. RhoA activity decreased in parallel with the concentration of ATP and GTP during depletion, so that by 60 min there was no detectable RhoA-GTP, and recovered rapidly when cells were returned to normal culture conditions. Dissociation of the membrane-actin linker ezrin, a target of RhoA signaling, from the cytoskeletal fraction paralleled the decrease in RhoA activity and was augmented by treatment with the Rho kinase inhibitor Y27632. The activity of Cdc42 did not decrease significantly during depletion or recovery. Rac1 activity decreased moderately to a minimum at 30 min of depletion but then increased from 30 to 90 min of depletion, even as ATP and GTP levels continued to fall. Our data are consistent with a principal role for RhoA in cytoskeletal reorganization during ischemia and demonstrate that the activity of Rho GTPases can be maintained even at low GTP concentrations

Synthesis, Characterization and Anti-hyperglycemic Activity of some novel Formazans Derivatives

In the present investigation, a series of novel formazans 4[a – h]were synthesized by the condensation of Schiff bases2[a-c] and diazonium salt chloride of various substituted aromatic amines 3[a-c] . The intermediate Schiff bases (2a-2h) were itself synthesized by the condensation of different aromatic amines2( thiocarbohydrazide , nicotinic hydrazide , carbohydrazide) with various aromatic aldehydes1.The completion of reactions  was checked by TLC.The structures of the  formazan compoundswere identified by FT- IR ,1H-NMR , 13C- NMR and mass spectral studies. Newly synthesized compound was  screened for their anti- hyperglycemiaactivity. Keywords:: Formazans, Schiff bases Anti-hyperglycemi

Working sick and out of sorts: a cross-cultural approach on presenteeism climate, organizational justice and work–family conflict

A climate of presenteeism has important effects on employee well-being and the organization itself. Our study, based on surveys of health sector employees in six different countries (Brazil, Ecuador, Lebanon, Portugal, Russia and Spain) examines whether organizational justice plays a mediating role in the relationship between a presenteeism climate in the organization and work–family conflict (WFC). Our results indicate that the perception of organizational justice and the presenteeism climate do influence WFC. Moreover, higher levels of WFC were found in non-Latin countries. This study contributes to the work attendance and life balance field by providing cross-cultural empirical evidence corroborating the effect of justice and presenteeism climate on the WFC.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Al_5+αSi_5+δN₁₂, a new Nitride compound

The family of III-Nitride semiconductors has been under intensive research for almost 30 years and has revolutionized lighting applications at the dawn of the 21st century. However, besides the developments and applications achieved, nitride alloys continue to fuel the quest for novel materials and applications. We report on the synthesis of a new nitride-based compound by using annealing of AlN heteroepitaxial layers under a Si-atmosphere at temperatures between 1350 °C and 1550 °C. The structure and stoichiometry of this compound are investigated by high resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques and energy dispersive X-Ray (EDX) spectroscopy. Results are supported by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The identified structure is a derivative of the parent wurtzite AlN crystal where the anion sublattice is fully occupied by N atoms and the cation sublattice is the stacking of 2 different planes along lt;0001gt;: The first one exhibits a ×3 periodicity along lt;11–20gt; with 1/3 of the sites being vacant. The rest of the sites in the cation sublattice are occupied by an equal number of Si and Al atoms. Assuming a semiconducting alloy, a range of stoichiometries is proposed, Al5+αSi5+δN12 with α being between −2/3 and 1/4 and δ between 0 and 3/4. © 2019, The Author(s)