An Initial Analysis of a Long-Term Ketogenic Diet’s Impact on Motor Behavior, Brain Purine Systems, and Nigral Dopamine Neurons in a New Genetic Rodent Model of Parkinson’s Disease

A growing body of research suggests that dopaminergic cell death seen in Parkinson’s disease is caused by mitochondrial dysfunction. Oxidative stress, with subsequent generation of reactive oxygen species, is the hallmark biochemical product of mitochondrial dysfunction. The ketogenic diet has been found to enhance mitochondrial energy production, protect against reactive oxygen species-generated cell death, and increase adenosine, a purine that modulates dopamine activity. The current study evaluates the effects of a long-term (5-month) ketogenic diet on behavioral, neurochemical, and neuroanatomical measures in PINK1-KO rats, a new animal model of Parkinson’s disease. Both wild-type and PINK1-KO animals fed a ketogenic diet exhibited significantly higher blood beta-hydroxybutyrate levels. PINK1-KO animals fed a normal diet experienced a decrease in stride length and an increase in stride frequency over time which was absent in PINK1-KO animals fed a ketogenic diet. Animals fed the ketogenic diet had decreased tissue content of both adenosine and inosine in the nucleus accumbens, posterior caudate, hippocampus, and substantia nigra. Finally, immunohistochemical staining for tyrosine hydroxylase-positive cells in the substantia nigra suggest a ketogenic diet-induced protection of dopaminergic cell death. The results of the present study indicate that a long-term ketogenic diet may positively impact both motor and neuroanatomical correlates and alter neurochemical systems in a genetic rodent model of Parkinson’s disease

An Initial Analysis of a Long-Term Ketogenic Diet’s Impact on Motor Behavior, Brain Purine Systems, and Nigral Dopamine Neurons in a New Genetic Rodent Model of Parkinson’s Disease

A growing body of research suggests that dopaminergic cell death seen in Parkinson’s disease is caused by mitochondrial dysfunction. Oxidative stress, with subsequent generation of reactive oxygen species, is the hallmark biochemical product of mitochondrial dysfunction. The ketogenic diet has been found to enhance mitochondrial energy production, protect against reactive oxygen species-generated cell death, and increase adenosine, a purine that modulates dopamine activity. The current study evaluates the effects of a long-term (5-month) ketogenic diet on behavioral, neurochemical, and neuroanatomical measures in PINK1-KO rats, a new animal model of Parkinson’s disease. Both wild-type and PINK1-KO animals fed a ketogenic diet exhibited significantly higher blood beta-hydroxybutyrate levels. PINK1-KO animals fed a normal diet experienced a decrease in stride length and an increase in stride frequency over time which was absent in PINK1-KO animals fed a ketogenic diet. Animals fed the ketogenic diet had decreased tissue content of both adenosine and inosine in the nucleus accumbens, posterior caudate, hippocampus, and substantia nigra. Finally, immunohistochemical staining for tyrosine hydroxylase-positive cells in the substantia nigra suggest a ketogenic diet-induced protection of dopaminergic cell death. The results of the present study indicate that a long-term ketogenic diet may positively impact both motor and neuroanatomical correlates and alter neurochemical systems in a genetic rodent model of Parkinson’s disease

Biomass and Biofuels in Maine: Estimating Supplies for Expanding the Forest Products Industry

This paper estimates the renewable energy potential of Maine’s forest resources, and how much energy these resources could potentially provide the state. Using the most recent state-specific data available, and a methodology similar to the Billion Tons Report, we find that ethanol production from Maine’s forest residues could potentially provide 18% of Maine’s transportation (gasoline) fuels with a fermentation wood to ethanol process. Making Fischer-Tropsch diesel (F-T diesel) using forest residues can replace 39% of Maine’s petro-diesel consumption. Actual levels of biofuels that can be produced will depend on conversion factors and forestry residue removals that are subject to uncertainty

Urinary Fistulae: Etiology, Diagnosis & Management

This chapter covers the most common and clinically relevant types of urinary fistulae. Fistulae are classified by the involved organs and discussed separately. For each type of fistula, its pathogenesis, clinical presentation, recommended workup and management options are reviewed. Advantages and disadvantages of different surgical approaches are explored, however detailed instruction on surgical techniques is not provided. This chapter should prepare the clinician to recognize risk factors and symptoms of urinary fistula, initiate the appropriate diagnostic steps, and guide patients toward informed decisions between the available therapeutic options

Light-scattering properties of a woven shade-screen material used for daylighting and solar heat-gain control

Shade-screens are widely used in commercial buildings as a way to limit the amount of direct sunlight that can disturb people in the building. The shade screens also reduce the solar heat-gain through glazing the system. Modern energy and daylighting analysis software such as EnergyPlus and Radiance require complete scattering properties of the scattering materials in the system. In this paper a shade screen used in the LBNL daylighting testbed is characterized using a photogoniometer and a normal angle of incidence integrating sphere. The data is used to create a complete bi-directional scattering distribution function (BSDF) that can be used in simulation programs. The resulting BSDF is compared to a model BADFs, both directly and by calculating the solar heat-gain coefficient for a dual pane system using Window 6

The Egg Surface LDL Receptor Repeat-Containing Proteins EGG-1 and EGG-2 Are Required for Fertilization in Caenorhabditis elegans

SummaryThe molecular machinery that mediates sperm-egg interactions at fertilization is largely unknown. We identify two partially redundant egg surface LDL receptor repeat-containing proteins (EGG-1 and EGG-2) that are required for Caenorhabditis elegans fertility in hermaphrodites, but not males. Wild-type sperm cannot enter the morphologically normal oocytes produced by hermaphrodites that lack egg-1 and egg-2 function despite direct gamete contact. Furthermore, we find that levels of meiotic maturation/ovulation and sperm migratory behavior are altered in egg-1 mutants. These observations suggest an unexpected regulatory link between fertilization and other events necessary for reproductive success. egg-1 and egg-2 are the result of a gene duplication in the nematode lineage leading to C. elegans. The two closely related species C. briggsae and C. remanei encode only a single egg-1/egg-2 homolog that is required for hermaphrodite/female fertility. In addition to being the first identified egg components of the nematode fertilization machinery, the egg-1 and egg-2 gene duplication could be vital with regards to maximizing C. elegans fecundity and understanding the evolutionary differentiation of molecular function and speciation

Multi-Instrument Assessment of Phytoplankton Abundance and Cell Sizes in Mono-Specific Laboratory Cultures and Whole Plankton Community Composition in the North Atlantic

publishedVersio

Use of portable air purifiers to reduce aerosols in hospital settings and cut down the clinical backlog

SARS-CoV-2 has severely affected capacity in the NHS, and waiting lists are markedly increasing due to downtime of up to 50 minutes between patient consultations/procedures, to reduce the risk of infection. Ventilation accelerates this air cleaning, but retroactively installing built-in mechanical ventilation is often cost-prohibitive. We investigated the effect of using portable air cleaners (PAC), a low-energy and low-cost alternative, to reduce the concentration of aerosols in typical patient consultation/procedure environments. The experimental setup consisted of an aerosol generator, which mimicked the subject affected by SARS-CoV-19, and an aerosol detector, representing a subject who could potentially contract SARS-CoV-19. Experiments of aerosol dispersion and clearing were undertaken in situ in a variety of rooms with 2 different types of PAC in various combinations and positions. Correct use of PAC can reduce the clearance half-life of aerosols by 82% compared to the same indoor-environment without any ventilation, and at a broadly equivalent rate to built-in mechanical ventilation. In addition, the highest level of aerosol concentration measured when using PAC remains at least 46% lower than that when no mitigation is used, even if the PAC’s operation is impeded due to placement under a table. The use of PAC leads to significant reductions in the level of aerosol concentration, associated with transmission of droplet-based airborne diseases. This could enable NHS departments to reduce the downtime between consultations/procedures

Sibling Support Program: A Family-Centered Mental Health Initiative

Sibling Support Program: A Family-Centered Mental Health Initiative was developed at the Eunice Kennedy Shriver Center of the University of Massachusetts Medical School. The project is currently implemented at Cambridge Health Alliance in Cambridge, Massachusetts as an IRB-approved research study, and at another Boston-based hospital as a Quality Improvement (QI) initiative. The program was also piloted at Boston Children\u27s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. The project explores the impact of mental illness on typically developing siblings and caregivers of children with psychiatric needs. Project goals: to increase resiliency and mitigate the trauma commonly experienced by siblings of children admitted for psychiatric hospitalization; to build skills, competency and confidence among parents; to help restore family stability post-discharge; to build capacity among medical practitioners. Interventions include psycho-educational groups for caregivers, and sibling support groups for children growing up alongside the patient. Participants complete surveys following the intervention to report on knowledge learned, satisfaction level, and behavioral change anticipated by the participant. Over 1,500 participants have participated in this innovative program that utilizes parent mentors and medical trainees to deliver interventions, with high satisfaction scores among participants. Results suggest that a child\u27s mental illness can be traumatic for family members, and that sharing stories can alleviate the stress and anxiety related to living in a home with a child with mental illness. The program serves as a training rotation for psychiatry residents through Harvard Medical School