Reading comprehension in digital and printed texts

Recent studies have yielded contradictory results regarding how reading from print or from the screen influences reading comprehension. This study examined 12-year-old students’ (N = 142) reading comprehension using printed text and digital text. The results indicated that performance was similar for printed text and digital text, even when gender, decoding skills, preference for school tasks on paper, screen, or both, and self-concept as a reader and computer user were controlled for. Regardless of the reading medium, students with better decoding skills and a higher self-concept as a reader performed better, boys outperformed girls, and students equally willing to study with books and computers outperformed students who preferred computers. The results of this study highlight the benefits of flexible use of both printed texts and digital texts for reading comprehension. As students are getting as used to studying via computers as they are to studying from books, the emphasis on the medium of studying seems to become less important. The topic of this study is of great relevance in a modern school context where ICT use has become a part of daily schoolwork worldwide.</p

Validation of indirect calorimetry for measurement of energy expenditure in healthy volunteers undergoing pressure controlled non-invasive ventilation support

The aim of this validation study was to assess the reliability of gas exchange measurement with indirect calorimetry among subjects who undergo non-invasive ventilation (NIV). Oxygen consumption (VO2) and carbon dioxide production (VCO2) were measured in twelve healthy volunteers. Respiratory quotient (RQ) and resting energy expenditure (REE) were then calculated from the measured VO2 and VCO2 values. During the measurement period the subjects were breathing spontaneously and ventilated using NIV. Two different sampling air flow values 40 and 80 l/min were used. The gas leakage from the measurement setup was assessed with a separate capnograph. The mean weight of the subjects was 93 kg. Their mean body mass index was 29 (range 22-40) kg/m(2). There was no statistically significant difference in the measured values for VO2, VCO2, RQ and REE during NIV-supported breathing and spontaneous breathing. The change of sampling air flow had no statistically significant effect on any of the above parameters. We found that REE can be accurately measured with an indirect calorimeter also during NIV-supported breathing and the change of sampling air flow does not distort the gas exchange measurement. A higher sampling air flow in indirect calorimetry decreases the possibility for air leakages in the measurement system and increases the reliability of REE measurement

APOE Genotypes, Lipid Profiles, and Associated Clinical Markers in a Finnish Population with Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors

Introduction: The APOE ε4 allele predisposes to high cholesterol and increases the risk for lifestyle-related diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). The aim of this study was to analyse interrelationships of APOE genotypes with lipid metabolism and lifestyle factors in middle-aged Finns among whom the CVD risk factors are common. Methods: Participants (n = 211) were analysed for APOE ε genotypes, physiological parameters, and health- and diet-related plasma markers. Lifestyle choices were determined by a questionnaire. Results: APOE genotypes ε3/ε4 and ε4/ε4 (ε4 group) represented 34.1% of the participants. Genotype ε3/ε3 (ε3 group) frequency was 54.5%. Carriers of ε2 (ε2 group; ε2/ε2, ε2/ε3 and ε2/ε4) represented 11.4%; 1.9% were of the genotype ε2/ε4. LDL and total cholesterol levels were lower (p < 0.05) in the ε2 carriers than in the ε3 or ε4 groups, while the ε3 and ε4 groups did not differ. Proportions of plasma saturated fatty acids (SFAs) were higher (p < 0.01), and omega-6 fatty acids lower (p = 0.01) in the ε2 carriers compared with the ε4 group. The ε2 carriers had a higher (p < 0.05) percentage of 22:4n-6 and 22:5n-6 and a lower (p < 0.05) percentage of 24:5n-3 and 24:6n-3 than individuals without the ε2 allele. Conclusions: The plasma fatty-acid profiles in the ε2 group were characterized by higher SFA and lower omega-6 fatty-acid proportions. Their lower cholesterol values indicated a lower risk for CVD compared with the ε4 group. A novel finding was that the ε2 carriers had different proportions of 22:4n-6, 22:5n-6, 24:5n-3, and 24:6n-3 than individuals without the ε2 allele. The significance of the differences in fatty-acid composition remains to be studied.Peer reviewe

High genetic diversity at the extreme range edge: nucleotide variation at nuclear loci in Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) in Scotland

Nucleotide polymorphism at 12 nuclear loci was studied in Scots pine populations across an environmental gradient in Scotland, to evaluate the impacts of demographic history and selection on genetic diversity. At eight loci, diversity patterns were compared between Scottish and continental European populations. At these loci, a similar level of diversity (θsil=~0.01) was found in Scottish vs mainland European populations, contrary to expectations for recent colonization, however, less rapid decay of linkage disequilibrium was observed in the former (ρ=0.0086±0.0009, ρ=0.0245±0.0022, respectively). Scottish populations also showed a deficit of rare nucleotide variants (multi-locus Tajima's D=0.316 vs D=−0.379) and differed significantly from mainland populations in allelic frequency and/or haplotype structure at several loci. Within Scotland, western populations showed slightly reduced nucleotide diversity (πtot=0.0068) compared with those from the south and east (0.0079 and 0.0083, respectively) and about three times higher recombination to diversity ratio (ρ/θ=0.71 vs 0.15 and 0.18, respectively). By comparison with results from coalescent simulations, the observed allelic frequency spectrum in the western populations was compatible with a relatively recent bottleneck (0.00175 × 4Ne generations) that reduced the population to about 2% of the present size. However, heterogeneity in the allelic frequency distribution among geographical regions in Scotland suggests that subsequent admixture of populations with different demographic histories may also have played a role

Bacterial DNAemia in Older Participants and Nonagenarian Offspring and Association With Redox Biomarkers: Results From MARK-AGE Study

Aging and age-related diseases have been linked to microbial dysbiosis with changes in blood bacterial DNA concentration. This condition may promote chronic low-grade inflammation, which can be further aggravated by antioxidant nutrient deficiency. Low plasma carotenoids are associated with an increased risk of inflammation and cellular damage and predict mortality. However, no evidence is yet available on the relationship between antioxidants and the blood bacterial DNA (BB-DNA). Therefore, this study aimed to compare BB-DNA from (a) GO (nonagenarian offspring), (b) age-matched controls (Randomly recruited Age-Stratified Individuals from the General population [RASIG]), and (c) spouses of GO (SGO) recruited in the MARK-AGE project, as well as to investigate the association between BB-DNA, behavior habits, Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), leucocyte subsets, and the circulating levels of some antioxidants and oxidative stress markers. BB-DNA was higher in RASIG than GO and SGO, whereas GO and SGO participants showed similar values. BB-DNA increased in smokers and males with CCI &gt;= 2 compared with those with CCI &lt;= 1 within RASIG. Moreover, BB-DNA was positively associated with lymphocyte, neutrophil, and monocyte counts, but not with self-reported dietary habits. Higher quartiles of BB-DNA were associated with low lutein and zeaxanthin and elevated malondialdehyde plasma concentrations in RASIG. BB-DNA was also positively correlated with nitric oxide levels. Herein, we provide evidence of a reduced BB-DNA in individuals from long-living families and their spouses, suggesting a decreased microbial dysbiosis and bacterial systemic translocation. BB-DNA was also associated with smoking, CCI, leukocyte subsets, and some redox biomarkers in older participants

Reversibility of myocardial metabolism and remodelling in morbidly obese patients 6 months after bariatric surgery

AbstractAIMS: To study myocardial substrate uptake, structure and function, before and after bariatric surgery, to clarify the interaction between myocardial metabolism and cardiac remodelling in morbid obesity.METHODS: We studied 46 obese patients (age 44 ± 10 years, body mass index [BMI] 42 ± 4 kg/m2 ), including 18 with type 2 diabetes (T2D) before and 6 months after bariatric surgery and 25 healthy age-matched control group subjects. Myocardial fasting free fatty acid uptake (MFAU) and insulin-stimulated myocardial glucose uptake (MGU) were measured using positron-emission tomography. Myocardial structure and function, and myocardial triglyceride content (MTGC) and intrathoracic fat were measured using magnetic resonance imaging and magnetic resonance spectroscopy.RESULTS: The morbidly obese study participants, with or without T2D, had cardiac hypertrophy, impaired myocardial function and substrate metabolism compared with the control group. Surgery led to marked weight reduction and remission of T2D in most of the participants. Postoperatively, myocardial function and structure improved and myocardial substrate metabolism normalized. Intrathoracic fat, but not MTGC, was reduced. Before surgery, BMI and MFAU correlated with left ventricular hypertrophy, and BMI, age and intrathoracic fat mass were the main variables associated with cardiac function. The improvement in whole-body insulin sensitivity correlated positively with the increase in MGU and the decrease in MFAU.CONCLUSIONS: In the present study, obesity and age, rather than myocardial substrate uptake, were the causes of cardiac remodelling in morbidly obese patients with or without T2D. Cardiac remodelling and impaired myocardial substrate metabolism are reversible after surgically induced weight loss and amelioration of T2D.</div

Tumour necrosis factor gene polymorphism: a predictive factor for the development of post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease

Epstein–Barr virus-positive post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease (PTLD) is a potentially lethal complication of iatrogenic immunosupression after transplantation. Predicting the development of PTLD allowing early and effective intervention is therefore of importance. Polymorphisms within cytokine genes are implicated in susceptibility to, and progression of, disease however the published data are often conflicting. We undertook investigation of polymorphic alleles within cytokine genes in PTLD and non-PTLD transplant cohorts to determine risk factors for disease. &lt;br/&gt; Methods: SSP-PCR was used to analyse single nucleotide polymorphism within tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin- 1, -6, -10 and lymphotoxin-α genes. The TNF-α levels were measured by standard enzyme-linked immuno-absorbant assay. &lt;br/&gt; Results: We show an association between variant alleles within the TNF-α promoter (−1031C (&lt;i&gt;P&lt;/i&gt;=0.005)); −863A (&lt;i&gt;P&lt;/i&gt;=0.0001) and TNF receptor I promoter regions (−201T (&lt;i&gt;P&lt;/i&gt;=0.02)); −1135C (&lt;i&gt;P&lt;/i&gt;=0.03) with the development of PTLD. We also show an association with TNF-α promoter haplotypes with haplotype-3 significantly increased (&lt;i&gt;P&lt;/i&gt;=0.0001) and haplotype-1 decreased (P=0.02) in PTLD patients compared to transplant controls. Furthermore, we show a significant increase (&lt;i&gt;P&lt;/i&gt;=0.02) in the level of TNF-α in PTLD patient plasma (range 0–97.97 pg ml&lt;sup&gt;−1&lt;/sup&gt;) compared to transplant controls (0–8.147 pg ml&lt;sup&gt;−1&lt;/sup&gt;), with the highest levels found in individuals carrying the variant alleles. &lt;br/&gt; Conclusion: We suggest that genetic variation within TNF-α loci and the level of plasma cytokine could be used as a predictive risk factor for the development of PTLD

Variation in Uteroglobin-Related Protein 1 (UGRP1) gene is associated with Allergic Rhinitis in Singapore Chinese

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Uteroglobin-Related Protein 1 (<it>UGRP1</it>) is a secretoglobulin protein which has been suggested to play a role in lung inflammation and allergic diseases. UGRP1 has also been shown to be an important pneumoprotein, with diagnostic potential as a biomarker of lung damage. Previous genetic studies evaluating the association between variations on <it>UGRP1 </it>and allergic phenotypes have yielded mixed results. The aim of this present study was to identify genetic polymorphisms in <it>UGRP1 </it>and investigate if they were associated with asthma and allergic rhinitis in the Singapore Chinese population.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Resequencing of the <it>UGRP1 </it>gene was conducted on 40 randomly selected individuals from Singapore of ethnic Chinese origin. The polymorphisms identified were then tagged and genotyped in a population of 1893 Singapore Chinese individuals. Genetic associations were evaluated in this population comparing 795 individuals with allergic rhinitis, 718 with asthma (of which 337 had both asthma and allergic rhinitis) and 717 healthy controls with no history of allergy or allergic diseases.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>By resequencing the <it>UGRP1 </it>gene within our population, we identified 11 novel and 16 known single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). TagSNPs were then genotyped, revealing a significant association between rs7726552 and allergic rhinitis (Odds Ratio: 0.81, 95% Confidence Interval: 0.66-0.98, P = 0.039). This association remained statistically significant when it was analyzed genotypically or when stratified according to haplotypes. When variations on <it>UGRP1 </it>were evaluated against asthma, no association was observed.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This study documents the association between polymorphisms in <it>UGRP1 </it>and allergic rhinitis, suggesting a potential role in its pathogenesis.</p