11 research outputs found
Scaling Behavior of Human Locomotor Activity Amplitude: Association with Bipolar Disorder
Scale invariance is a feature of complex biological systems, and abnormality of multi-scale behaviour may serve as an indicator of pathology. The hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) is a major node in central neural networks responsible for regulating multi-scale behaviour in measures of human locomotor activity. SCN also is implicated in the pathophysiology of bipolar disorder (BD) or manic-depressive illness, a severe, episodic disorder of mood, cognition and behaviour. Here, we investigated scaling behaviour in actigraphically recorded human motility data for potential indicators of BD, particularly its manic phase. A proposed index of scaling behaviour (Vulnerability Index [VI]) derived from such data distinguished between: [i] healthy subjects at high versus low risk of mood disorders; [ii] currently clinically stable BD patients versus matched controls; and [iii] among clinical states in BD patients
Uptake and Distribution of Bisphenol A and Its Metabolites in Lettuce Grown in Sandy Loam and Loam Soil
Distribution of PCDD/Fs and dioxin-like PCBs in sediment and plants from a contaminated salt marsh (Tejo estuary, Portugal)
Concentrations and profiles of 2,3,7,8-substituted
polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, polychlorinated dibenzofurans
(PCDD/Fs) and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (dl-
PCBs)were investigated in sediment and plants collected from a
salt marsh in the Tejo estuary, Portugal. The highest PCDD/F
and dl-PCB concentrations were detected in uncolonized
sediments, averaging 325.25±57.55 pg g−1 dry weight (dw)
and 8,146.33±2,142.14 pg g−1 dw, respectively. The plants
Sarcocornia perennis and Halimione portulacoides growing
in PCDD/F and dl-PCB contaminated sediments accumulated
contaminants in roots, stems, and leaves. It was observed that
PCDD/F and dl-PCB concentrations in roots were significantly
lower in comparison with stems and leaves. In general, concentration
of ΣPCDD/Fs and Σdl-PCBs in H. portulacoides tissues
were found to be twofold higher than those in S. perennis,
indicating a difference in the accumulation capability of both
species. Furthermore, congener profiles changed between sediments
and plant tissues, reflecting a selective accumulation of
low chlorinated PCDD/Fs and non-ortho dl-PCBs in plants.This work was financially supported by
the FCT—Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia, through a PhD grant
attributed to MN Cardoso (SFRH/BD/46969/2008) co-funded by the
POPH/FSE