Changes in cholesterol homeostasis modify the response of F1B hamsters to dietary very long chain n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The plasma lipoprotein response of F1B Golden-Syrian hamsters fed diets high in very long chain (VLC) n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) is paradoxical to that observed in humans. This anomaly is attributed, in part, to low lipoprotein lipase activity and is dependent on cholesterol status. To further elucidate the mechanism(s) for these responses, hamsters were fed diets containing supplemental fish oil (VLC n-3 PUFA) or safflower oil (n-6 PUFA) (both 10% [w/w]) and either cholesterol-supplemented (0.1% cholesterol [w/w]) or cholesterol-depleted (0.01% cholesterol [w/w] and 10 days prior to killing fed 0.15% lovastatin+2% cholestyramine [w/w]).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Cholesterol-supplemented hamsters fed fish oil, relative to safflower oil, had higher non-high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations (P < 0.001) which were associated with lower hepatic low density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor, sterol regulatory element binding protein (SREBP)-1c and acyl-CoA: cholesterol acyl transferase-2 (ACAT) mRNA and protein (p < 0.05), and higher hepatic apolipoprotein (apo) B-100 and apo E protein levels. In contrast, cholesterol-depleted hamsters fed fish oil, relative to safflower oil, had lower non-HDL cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations (P < 0.001) which were associated with lower hepatic SREBP-1c (p < 0.05) but not apo B-100, apo E or ACAT-2 mRNA or protein levels. Independent of cholesterol status, fish oil fed hamsters had lower HDL cholesterol concentrations (p < 0.001), which were associated with lower hepatic apoA-I protein levels (p < 0.05).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These data suggest disturbing cholesterol homeostasis in F1B hamsters alters their response to dietary fatty acids, which is reflected in altered plasma lipoprotein patterns and regulation of genes associated with their metabolism.</p

Interplays of psychometric abilities on learning gross anatomy

In recent years, there has been international debate concerning how students learn anatomy. The rapid increase in scientific knowledge has put pressure on the place of anatomy within the medical and allied health professional curricula, as well as the design and structure of anatomy courses. In this regard, relatively little is known about what medical and allied health professions students want from an anatomy course or how they learn it. To assess students’ learning approaches and perceptions of anatomy, a series of psychometric tests were administered to Medical (n=82), Podiatry (n=21), and Pharmacy (n=74) students in the United Kingdom. Analysis of the Anatomy Learning Experience (ALE) questionnaire revealed a predominantly positive attitude towards anatomy and the dissection room, with most valuing cadaveric dissection and not regarding it as a daunting environment. Further to this, analysis of the Approaches to Studying Inventory for Students (ASSIST) revealed predominant preferences for strategic and deep approaches. Personality traits were associated with certain learning approaches; neuroticism with surface (p=0.038), conscientiousness with both a deep and strategic approach (p=0.000 and p=0.060 respectively). Certain personality traits were also found to be associated with anatomy experience e.g. neuroticism and achievement striving felt the most effective way to learn was to get their hands in and feel for structures (p=0.044 and p=0.012 respectively). This study concludes that undergraduate students of medicine, podiatry and pharmacy learn anatomy in slightly different ways. Preparation for classroom activities should centre on the promotion of an optimum learning environment and teaching strategies which promote a deep approach to learning. Understanding students’ personality and learning experiences should help teachers improve the students’ learning of anatomy for effective application to clinical practice

The muscarinic M1 receptor modulates associative learning and memory in psychotic disorders.

BACKGROUND: Psychotic disorders are characterized by prominent deficits in associative learning and memory for which there are currently no effective treatments. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies in psychotic disorders have identified deficits in fronto-temporal activation during associative learning and memory. The underlying pathology of these findings remains unclear. Postmortem data have suggested these deficits may be related to loss of muscarinic M1 receptor mediated signaling. This is supported by an in-vivo study showing improvements in these symptoms after treatment with the experimental M1/4 receptor agonist xanomeline. The current study tests whether reported deficits in fronto-temporal activation could be mediated by loss of M1 receptor signaling in psychotic disorders. METHODS: Twenty-six medication-free subjects diagnosed with a psychotic disorder and 29 age-, gender-, and IQ-matched healthy controls underwent two functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) sessions, one under placebo and one under selective M1 antagonist biperiden, while performing the paired associated learning task. M1 binding potentials (BPND) were measured in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and hippocampus using 123I-IDEX single photon emission computed tomography. RESULTS: In the subjects with psychotic disorders DLPFC hypoactivation was only found in the memory phase of the task. In both learning and memory phases of the task, M1 antagonism by biperiden elicited significantly greater hyperactivation of the parahippocampal gyrus and superior temporal gyrus in subjects with a psychotic disorders compared to controls. Greater hyperactivation of these areas after biperiden was associated with greater hippocampal M1 receptor binding during learning, with no association found with M1 receptor binding in the DLPFC. M1 receptor binding in the DLPFC was related to greater functional sensitivity to biperiden of the cingulate gyrus during the memory phase. CONCLUSION: The current study is the first to show differences in M1 receptor mediated functional sensitivity between subjects with a psychotic disorder and controls during a paired associate learning and memory task. Results point to subjects with psychotic disorders having a loss of M1 receptor reserve in temporal-limbic areas

Study on Solar KANG Heating System for Cold Areas

AbstractThe current rural traditional heated kang cannot meet people's increasing requirements of comfort and environmental protection. This paper propose solar kang heating system in cold regions. System performance and heating effect were analyzed. We selected two typical rooms. One was set in traditional kang, and the other one was solar Kang type. Using temperature recording instrument and 64 roads inspection instrument and other instruments, we test the indoor temperature and the kang surface temperature of two rooms. Solar kang thermal resistance, heat storage, heat dissipation and heating effect were analyzed and compared. The results of the study show this system have the smaller fluctuation, more comfort while alleviating the kang surface overheat or super-cooling problem. It satisfied the requirements of indoor thermal comfort. The warming rate is 5.17°C/h, and the cooling rate is 3.01°C/h. These are slower than traditional Huokang speed. It improved the heat storage capacity of kang body with surface heat dissipation 1237W. Average temperature of the solar kang heating room was improved 3.28°C. It gets the smaller indoor temperature fluctuation. PMV values are concentrated about -0.5, and this basically meet the requirements of the user comfort

Late-life brain perfusion after prenatal famine exposure

Early nutritional deprivation may cause irreversible damage to the brain and seems to affect cognitive function in older age. We investigated whether prenatal undernutrition was associated with brain perfusion differences in older age. We acquired Arterial spin labeling scans in 118 Dutch famine birth cohort members. Using linear regression analyses, cerebral blood flow was compared between exposed and unexposed groups in gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM), perfusion territories, the neurodegeneration-related regions anterior and posterior cingulate cortex and precuneus. Furthermore, we compared the GM/WM ratio and the spatial coefficient of variation as a proxy of overall cerebrovascular health. The WM arterial spin labeling signal and the GM/WM ratio were significantly lower and higher, respectively, among exposed participants (−2.5 mL/100 g/min [95% CI: −4.3 to −0.8; p = 0.01] and 0.48 [0.19 to 0.76; p = 0.002], respectively). Exposed men had lower cerebral blood flow in anterior and posterior cingulate cortices (−8.0 mL/100 g/min [−15.1 to −0.9; p = 0.03]; −11.4 mL/100 g/min [−19.6 to −3.2; p = 0.02]) and higher spatial coefficient of variation (0.05 [0.00 to 0.09; p = 0.05]). The latter seemed largely mediated by higher 2h-glucose levels at age 50. Our findings suggest that prenatal undernutrition affects brain perfusion parameters providing further evidence for life-long effects of undernutrition during early brain development

Neuropsychopharmacology advance online publication

Dexamphetamine (dAMPH) is a stimulant drug that is widely used recreationally as well as for the treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Although animal studies have shown neurotoxic effects of dAMPH on the dopaminergic system, little is known about such effects on the human brain. Here, we studied the dopaminergic system at multiple physiological levels in recreational dAMPH users and age, gender, and IQ-matched dAMPH-naïve healthy controls. We assessed baseline D 2/3 receptor availability, in addition to changes in dopamine (DA) release using single-photon emission computed tomography and DA functionality using pharmacological magnetic resonance imaging, following a dAMPH challenge. Also, the subjective responses to the challenge were determined. dAMPH users displayed significantly lower striatal DA D 2/3 receptor binding compared with healthy controls. In dAMPH users, we further observed a blunted DA release and DA functionality to an acute dAMPH challenge, as well as a blunted subjective response. Finally, the lower D 2/3 availability, the more pleasant the dAMPH administration was experienced by control subjects, but not by dAMPH users. Thus, in agreement with preclinical studies, we show that the recreational use of dAMPH in human subjects is associated with dopaminergic system dysfunction. These findings warrant further (longitudinal) investigations and call for caution when using this drug recreationally and for ADHD

Increased brain-predicted aging in treated HIV disease

Objective: To establish whether HIV disease is associated with abnormal levels of age-related brain atrophy, by estimating apparent brain age using neuroimaging and exploring whether these estimates related to HIV status, age, cognitive performance, and HIV-related clinical parameters. Methods: A large sample of virologically suppressed HIV-positive adults (n = 162, age 45-82 years) and highly comparable HIV-negative controls (n = 105) were recruited as part of the Comorbidity in Relation to AIDS (COBRA) collaboration. Using T1-weighted MRI scans, a machinelearning model of healthy brain aging was defined in an independent cohort (n = 2,001, aged 1890 years). Neuroimaging data from HIV-positive and HIV-negative individuals were then used to estimate brain-predicted age; then brain-predicted age difference (brain-PAD 5 brain-predicted brain age 2 chronological age) scores were calculated. Neuropsychological and clinical assessments were also carried out. Results: HIV-positive individuals had greater brain-PAD score (mean +/- SD 2.15 +/- 7.79 years) compared to HIV-negative individuals (20.87 +/- 8.40 years; b = 3.48, p < 0.01). Increased brainPAD score was associated with decreased performance in multiple cognitive domains (information processing speed, executive function, memory) and general cognitive performance across all participants. Brain-PAD score was not associated with age, duration of HIV infection, or other HIV-related measures. Conclusion: Increased apparent brain aging, predicted using neuroimaging, was observed in HIV-positive adults, despite effective viral suppression. Furthermore, the magnitude of increased apparent brain aging related to cognitive deficits. However, predicted brain age difference did not correlate with chronological age or duration of HIV infection, suggesting that HIV disease may accentuate rather than accelerate brain aging

Do we need universal competence in space

В данной статье рассматривается вопрос влияния личностных качеств на профессиональную деятельность. К чему может привести отсутствие компетенций? Какими качествами должен обладать космонавт - испытатель? Проведен анализ трудовых функций космонавта - испытателя, и по этим данным подобраны универсальные компетенции космонавта, находящегося в космосе. Универсальные компетенции - это качества личности, от которых зависит ее успех практически во всех областях профессиональной деятельности.This article discusses the question of the impact of personal qualities on professional activities. What can be due to lack of competencies? What are the qualities of a test cosmonaut? The analysis of the job functions of test - cosmonaut on this data selected generic competence astronaut is in space. Universal jurisdiction is the quality of the person depends on its success in almost all areas of professional activity

The role of soluble fiber intake in patients under highly effective lipid-lowering therapy

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>It has been demonstrated that statins can increase intestinal sterol absorption. Augments in phytosterolemia seems related to cardiovascular disease.</p> <p>Objective</p> <p>We examined the role of soluble fiber intake in endogenous cholesterol synthesis and in sterol absorption among subjects under highly effective lipid-lowering therapy.</p> <p>Design</p> <p>In an open label, randomized, parallel-design study with blinded endpoints, subjects with primary hypercholesterolemia (n = 116) were assigned to receive during 12 weeks, a daily dose of 25 g of fiber (corresponding to 6 g of soluble fibers) plus rosuvastatin 40 mg (n = 28), rosuvastatin 40 mg alone (n = 30), sinvastatin 40 mg plus ezetimibe 10 mg plus 25 g of fiber (n = 28), or sinvastatin 40 mg plus ezetimibe 10 mg (n = 30) alone.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The four assigned therapies produced similar changes in total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, and triglycerides (p < 0.001 vs. baseline) and did not change HDL-cholesterol. Fiber intake decreased plasma campesterol (p < 0.001 vs. baseline), particularly among those patients receiving ezetimibe (p < 0.05 vs. other groups), and β-sitosterol (p = 0.03 vs. baseline), with a trend for lower levels in the group receiving fiber plus ezetimibe (p = 0.07). Treatment with rosuvastatin alone or combined with soluble fiber was associated with decreased levels of desmosterol (p = 0.003 vs. other groups). Compared to non-fiber supplemented individuals, those treated with fibers had weight loss (p = 0.04), reduced body mass index (p = 0.002) and blood glucose (p = 0.047).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Among subjects treated with highly effective lipid-lowering therapy, the intake of 25 g of fibers added favorable effects, mainly by reducing phytosterolemia. Additional benefits include improvement in blood glucose and anthropometric parameters.</p