Assessing individual differences: novelty and ultrasonic vocalizations predict acute and chronic D-amphetamine response in rats

Master of ScienceDepartment of Psychological SciencesMary CainNovelty-seeking and sensation-seeking are traits implicated in initial drug experimentation and relapse in human populations. To research the neurobiological substrates that are implicated in novelty/sensation-seeking that predispose an individual to drug use, a rodent model was used. Recently, 50 kHz ultrasonic vocalizations (USV) have been identified as indices of affective state and are evoked by several drugs of abuse, specifically when these drugs of abuse have their pharmacological effects in the mesolimbic dopamine path. Secondly, genetic breeding of high and low vocalizers suggests not only are they different in the calling frequency, but also to drug sensitivity, suggesting ultrasonic vocalizations may be a behavioral marker for individual differences in the mesolimbic dopamine circuit. Two sensation/novelty seeking screens and an ultrasonic vocalization screen were used in rats to predict the locomotor and 50 kHz USV response to a low (.3 mg/kg) and high dose (1.0 mg/kg) of amphetamine. Correlation analysis revealed none of the novelty screens were correlated. Simultaneous regression analyses indicated amphetamine dose-dependently increased locomotor activity acutely and chronically but did not increase 50 kHz USV. The USV assessment predicted USV response to amphetamine acutely and chronically but was not dose dependent. No interactions among any predictors were observed. Previous research has dichotomized the novelty/sensation-seeking trait and found significant differences between high and low novelty responders. The current research provides evidence for maintaining continuous individual difference variables, and suggests each screen measures a different trait implicated in addiction

Environmental risk assessment of PPP application in European soils and potential ecosystem service losses considering impacts on non-target organisms

The use of Plant Protection Products (PPPs) is leading to high exposure scenarios with potential risk to soil organisms, including non-target species. Assessment of the effects of PPPs on non-target organisms is one of the most important components of environmental risk assessment (ERA) since they play crucial functions in ecosystems, being main driving forces in different soil processes. As part of the framework, EFSA is proposing the use of the ecosystem services approach for setting specific protection goals. In fact, the services provided by soil organisms can be impacted by the misuse of PPPs in agroecosystems. The aim of this work was to assess PPPs potential risk upon ecosystem services along European soils, considering impacts on earthworms and collembola. Four well-known (2 insecticides-esfenvalerate and cyclaniliprole- and 2 fungicides - picoxystrobin and fenamidone-) worst case application (highest recommended application) were studied; exploring approaches for linked observed effects with impacts on ecosystem services, accounting for their mode of action (MoA), predicted exposure, time-course effects in Eisenia fetida and Folsomia sp. and landscape variability. The selected fungicides exerted more effects than insecticides on E. fetida, whereas few effects were reported for both pesticides regarding Folsomia sp. The most impacted ecosystem services after PPP application to crops appeared to be habitat provision, soil formation and retention, nutrient cycling, biodiversity, erosion regulation, soil remediation/waste treatment and pest and disease regulation. The main factors to be taken into account for a correct PPP use management in crops are discussed.This work has been partially funded by European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) through the grant NP/EFSA/AFSCO/2016/03. The author Miguel J.G. Santos is employed with the EFSA in the PREV Unit. The author Jose V Tarazona was employed by EFSA until October 2022. The present article is published under the sole responsibility of the au thors and may not be considered as an EFSA scientific output. The po sitions and opinions presented in this article are those of the authors alone and do not represent the views of EFSA.S

Functional behavior of the anomalous magnetic relaxation observed in melt-textured YBa2Cu3O7-δ samples showing the paramagnetic Meissner effect

We have studied the functional behavior of the field-cooled (FC) magnetic relaxation observed in melt-textured YBa2Cu3O7-δ (Y123) samples with 30 wt% of Y2Ba1Cu1O5 (Y211) phase, in order to investigate anomalous paramagnetic moments observed during the experiments. FC magnetic relaxation experiments were performed under controlled conditions, such as cooling rate and temperature. Magnetic fields up to 5T were applied parallel to the ab plane and along the c-axis. Our results are associated with the paramagnetic Meissner effect (PME), characterized by positive moments during FC experiments, and related to the magnetic flux compression into the samples. After different attempts our experimental data could be adequately fitted by an exponential decay function with different relaxation times. We discuss our results suggesting the existence of different and preferential flux dynamics governing the anomalous FC paramagnetic relaxation in different time intervals. This work is one of the first attempts to interpret this controversial effect in a simple analysis of the pinning mechanisms and flux dynamics acting during the time evolution of the magnetic moment. However, the results may be useful to develop models to explain this interesting and still misunderstood feature of the paramagnetic Meissner effect

Parents' Perceptions about Salt Consumption in Urban Areas of Peru: Formative Research for a Social Marketing Strategy.

BACKGROUND: Salt intakes in Latin America currently double the World Health Organization's recommendation of 5 g/day. Various strategies to reduce the population's salt consumption, such as raising awareness using social marketing, have been recommended. This study identified parents' perceptions of salt consumption to inform a social marketing strategy focused on urban areas in Peru. METHODS: Using a sequential exploratory methods design, parents of pre-school children, of high and low socioeconomic status, provided qualitative data in the form of interviews and focus groups. Following this, quantitative data was obtained via questionnaires, which were sent to all parents. The information was analyzed jointly. RESULTS: 296 people (mean age 35.4, 82% women) participated, 64 in the qualitative and 232 in the quantitative phase of the study. Qualitative data from the first phase revealed that the majority of mothers were in charge of cooking, and female participants expressed that cooking was "their duty" as housewives. The qualitative phase also revealed that despite the majority of the participants considered their salt intake as adequate, half of them mentioned that they have tried to reduce salt consumption, and the change in the flavor of the food was stated as the most difficult challenge to continue with such practice. Quantitative data showed that 67% of participants would be willing to reduce their salt intake, and 79.7% recognized that high salt intake causes hypertension. In total, 84% of participants reaffirmed that mothers were in charge of cooking. There were no salient differences in terms of responses provided by participants from high versus low socioeconomic groups. CONCLUSIONS: The results point towards the identification of women as a potential target-audience of a social marketing strategy to promote reductions in salt intake in their families and, therefore, a gender-responsive social marketing intervention is recommended

Measurement of inner wall limiter SOL widths in KSTAR tokamak

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nme.2016.12.001.Scrape-off layer (SOL) widths λq are presented from the KSTAR tokamak using fast reciprocating Langmuir probe assembly (FRLPA) measurements at the outboard mid-plane (OMP) and the infra-Red (IR) thermography at inboard limiter tiles in moderately elongated (κ = 1.45 – 1.55) L-mode inner wall-limited (IWL) plasmas under experimental conditions such as BT = 2.0 T, PNBI = 1.4 – 1.5 MW, line averaged densities 2.5 – 5.1 × 1019 m−3) and plasma current Ip = 0.4 − 0.7 MA. There is clear evidence for a double exponential structure in q||(r) from the FRLPA such that, for example at Ip = 0.6 MA, a narrow feature, λq,near (=3.5 mm) is found close to the LFCS, followed by a broader width, λq,main (=57.0 mm). Double exponential profiles (λq,near = 1.5 – 2.8 mm, λq,main = 17.0 – 35.0 mm) can be also observed in the IR heat flux mapped to the OMP throughout the range of Ip investigated. In addition, analysis of SOL turbulence statistics obtained with the FRLPA shows high relative fluctuation levels and positively skewed distributions in electron temperature and ion particle flux across the SOL, with both properties increasing for longer distance from the LCFS, as often previously observed in the tokamaks. Interestingly, the fluctuation character expressed in terms of spectral distributions remains unchanged in passing from the narrow to the broad SOL heat flux channel

Applying Customer Journey Mapping in Social Marketing to Understand Salt-Related Behaviors in Cooking. A Case Study

Worldwide, salt consumption exceeds the World Health Organization's recommendation of a daily intake of 5 g. Customer journey mapping is a research method used in market research to understand customer behaviors and experiences and could be useful in social marketing as well. This study aimed to explore the potential of customer journey mapping to better understand salt-related behaviors performed during the preparation of household cooking. We tracked the journey of four women in their kitchens for approximately two hours to observe the preparation of lunch. Individual journey maps were created, one for each woman, that were composited into a single journey map. We found that customer journey mapping was a suitable research method to understand how food preparers made decisions around adding salt and artificial seasonings at each stage of the journey. In contrast to the interviewee' responses, it was observed that the four women added salt and artificial seasonings consistently and incrementally with little control and without any standard measure. In this study, we demonstrate the utility of customer journey mapping in a novel context and nudge social marketers to include this tool in their repertory of research methods to understand human behavior

CXCR4 chemokine receptor antagonists: nickel(II) complexes of configurationally restricted macrocycles

Tetraazamacrocyclic complexes of transition metals provide useful units for incorporating multiple coordination interactions into a single protein binding molecule. They can be designed with available sites for protein interactions via donor atom-containing amino acid side chains or labile ligands, such as H 2 O, allowing facile exchange. Three configurationally restricted nickel(ii) cyclam complexes with either one or two macrocyclic rings were synthesised and their ability to abrogate the CXCR4 chemokine receptor signalling process was assessed (IC 50 = 8320, 194 and 14 nM). Analogues were characterised crystallographically to determine the geometric parameters of the acetate binding as a model for aspartate. The most active nickel(ii) compound was tested in several anti-HIV assays against representative viral strains showing highly potent EC 50 values down to 13 nM against CXCR4 using viruses, with no observed cytotoxicity (CC 50 > 125 μM). © 2013 The Royal Society of Chemistry

Thermo-viscous damping of acoustic waves in narrow channels: A comparison of effects in air and water.

Recent work in the acoustic metamaterial literature has focused on the design of metasurfaces that are capable of absorbing sound almost perfectly in narrow frequency ranges by coupling resonant effects to visco-thermal damping within their microstructure. Understanding acoustic attenuation mechanisms in narrow, viscous-fluid-filled channels is of fundamental importance in such applications. Motivated by recent work on acoustic propagation in narrow, air-filled channels, a theoretical framework is presented that demonstrates the controlling mechanisms of acoustic propagation in arbitrary Newtonian fluids, focusing on attenuation in air and water. For rigid-walled channels, whose widths are on the order of Stokes's boundary layer thickness, attenuation in air at 10 kHz can be over 200 dB m-1; in water it is less than 37 dB m-1. However, in water, fluid-structure-interaction effects can increase attenuation dramatically to over 77 dB m-1 for a steel-walled channel, with a reduction in phase-speed approaching 70%. For rigid-walled channels, approximate analytical expressions for dispersion relations are presented that are in close agreement with exact solutions over a broad range of frequencies, revealing explicitly the relationship between complex phase-speed, frequency and channel width.EPSRC Grant EP/R014604/

Association of Circulating Ketone Bodies With Functional Outcomes After ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction

Background: Circulating ketone bodies (KBs) are increased in patients with heart failure (HF), corresponding with increased cardiac KB metabolism and HF severity. However, the role of circulating KBs in ischemia/reperfusion remains unknown. Objectives: This study sought to investigate longitudinal changes of KBs and their associations with functional outcomes in patients presenting with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Methods: KBs were measured in 369 participants from a randomized trial on early metformin therapy after STEMI. Nonfasting plasma concentrations of KBs (β-hydroxybutyrate, acetoacetate, and acetone) were measured by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy at presentation, at 24 hours, and after 4 months. Myocardial infarct size and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) were determined by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging at 4 months. Associations of circulating KBs with infarct size and LVEF were determined using multivariable linear regression analyses. Results: Circulating KBs were high at presentation with STEMI (median total KBs: 520 μmol/L; interquartile range [IQR]: 315-997 μmol/L). At 24 hours after reperfusion, KBs were still high compared with levels at 4-month follow-up (206 μmol/L [IQR: 174-246] vs 166 μmol/L [IQR: 143-201], respectively; P < 0.001). Increased KB concentrations at 24 hours were independently associated with larger myocardial infarct size (total KBs, per 100 μmol/L: β = 1.56; 95% confidence interval: 0.29-2.83; P = 0.016) and lower LVEF (β = −1.78; 95% CI: (−3.17 to −0.39; P = 0.012). Conclusions: Circulating KBs are increased in patients presenting with STEMI. Higher KBs at 24 hours are associated with functional outcomes after STEMI, which suggests a potential role for ketone metabolism in response to myocardial ischemia. (Metabolic Modulation With Metformin to Reduce Heart Failure After Acute Myocardial Infarction: Glycometabolic Intervention as Adjunct to Primary Coronary Intervention in ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction (GIPS-III): a Randomized Controlled Trial; NCT01217307