Omega‐3 Fatty Acids and Heart Rhythm, Rate, and Variability in Atrial Fibrillation

Background Previous randomized control trials showed mixed results concerning the effect of omega‐3 fatty acids (n‐3 FAs) on atrial fibrillation (AF). The associations of n‐3 FA blood levels with heart rhythm in patients with established AF are unknown. The goal of this study was to assess the associations of total and individual n‐3 FA blood levels with AF type (paroxysmal versus nonparoxysmal), heart rate (HR), and HR variability in patients with AF. Methods and Results Total n‐3 FAs, eicosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, docosapentaenoic acid, and alpha‐linolenic acid blood levels were determined in 1969 patients with known AF from the SWISS‐AF (Swiss Atrial Fibrillation cohort). Individual and total n‐3 FAs were correlated with type of AF, HR, and HR variability using standard logistic and linear regression, adjusted for potential confounders. Only a mild association with nonparoxysmal AF was found with total n‐3 FA (odds ratio [OR], 0.97 [95% CI, 0.89–1.05]) and docosahexaenoic acid (OR, 0.93 [95% CI, 0.82–1.06]), whereas other individual n‐3 FAs showed no association with nonparoxysmal AF. Higher total n‐3 FAs (estimate 0.99 [95% CI, 0.98–1.00]) and higher docosahexaenoic acid (0.99 [95% CI, 0.97–1.00]) tended to be associated with slower HR in multivariate analysis. Docosapentaenoic acid was associated with a lower HR variability triangular index (0.94 [95% CI, 0.89–0.99]). Conclusions We found no strong evidence for an association of n‐3 FA blood levels with AF type, but higher total n‐3 FA levels and docosahexaenoic acid might correlate with lower HR, and docosapentaenoic acid with a lower HR variability triangular index

Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Heart Rhythm, Rate, and Variability in Atrial Fibrillation.

Background Previous randomized control trials showed mixed results concerning the effect of omega-3 fatty acids (n-3 FAs) on atrial fibrillation (AF). The associations of n-3 FA blood levels with heart rhythm in patients with established AF are unknown. The goal of this study was to assess the associations of total and individual n-3 FA blood levels with AF type (paroxysmal versus nonparoxysmal), heart rate (HR), and HR variability in patients with AF. Methods and Results Total n-3 FAs, eicosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, docosapentaenoic acid, and alpha-linolenic acid blood levels were determined in 1969 patients with known AF from the SWISS-AF (Swiss Atrial Fibrillation cohort). Individual and total n-3 FAs were correlated with type of AF, HR, and HR variability using standard logistic and linear regression, adjusted for potential confounders. Only a mild association with nonparoxysmal AF was found with total n-3 FA (odds ratio [OR], 0.97 [95% CI, 0.89-1.05]) and docosahexaenoic acid (OR, 0.93 [95% CI, 0.82-1.06]), whereas other individual n-3 FAs showed no association with nonparoxysmal AF. Higher total n-3 FAs (estimate 0.99 [95% CI, 0.98-1.00]) and higher docosahexaenoic acid (0.99 [95% CI, 0.97-1.00]) tended to be associated with slower HR in multivariate analysis. Docosapentaenoic acid was associated with a lower HR variability triangular index (0.94 [95% CI, 0.89-0.99]). Conclusions We found no strong evidence for an association of n-3 FA blood levels with AF type, but higher total n-3 FA levels and docosahexaenoic acid might correlate with lower HR, and docosapentaenoic acid with a lower HR variability triangular index

Effects of Message Repetition and Negativity on Credibility Judgments and Political Attitudes

Research on the truth effect has demonstrated that statements are rated as more credible when they are repeatedly presented. However, current research indicates that there are limits to the truth effect and that too many repetitions can decrease message credibility. This study investigates whether message negativity contributes to this boomerang effect and whether the interaction of credibility and negativity influences political attitudes. These assumptions were tested in an online experiment in which the frequency of exposure to political campaign posters and message negativity were manipulated. The results show that negativity on political campaign posters functions as a crucial moderator, especially in combination with high-frequency exposure. Repeatedly presented negative posters resulted in a more negative attitude toward the presented political issue, which was mediated by a decrease in credibility judgments

Der Bauernhof als ausserschulischer Lernort. Eine handlungsorientierte Unterrichtsreihe zum Weg des Getreides

Bereits im Jahre 1762 hat Jean – Jacques Rousseau mit seinem Roman «Emil oder Über die Erziehung» auf die Bedeutung von entdeckendem und erfahrungsorientiertem Lernen in natürlichen Umgebungen aufmerksam gemacht. Es sind ihm viele weitere Pädagoginnen und Pädagogen gefolgt und haben sich für mehr Lebensweltbezug in den Schulen eingesetzt. Heute sind ausserschulische Lernorte im Lehrplan der Volksschule verankert. In der vorliegenden Arbeit wird deshalb der folgenden Frage nachgegangen: Welche Faktoren müssen bei der Planung einer handlungsorientierten Unterrichtsreihe zum Thema Getreide, die den Bauernhof als ausserschulischen Lernort berücksichtigt, beachtet werden? Um die Frage zu beantworten, wurden theoretische Grundlagen zu ausserschulischem und handlungsorientiertem Lernen erarbeitet und eine Unterrichtsreihe zum Thema Getreide erstellt, die Klassenbesuche auf einem Bauernhof vorsieht. Die Planung wurde anschliessend anhand der Theorie ausgewertet. Es hat sich gezeigt, dass das gemeinsame Vorbereiten, Durchführen und Auswerten des Unterrichts und der darin entstandenen Handlungsprodukte mit den Lernenden eine bedeutende Rolle sowohl beim handlungsorientierten als auch beim ausserschulischen Lernen übernimmt. Weiter ist beim handelnden Lernen der Aufbau von Methodenkompetenzen zentral. Als mögliche Schwierigkeit hat sich die Bewertung von Schülerleistungen erwiesen

Finding Compact BDDs Using Genetic Programming

Abstract. Binary Decision Diagrams (BDDs) can be used to design multiplexor based circuits. Unfortunately, the most commonly used kind of BDDs – ordered BDDs – has exponential size in the number of variables for many functions. In some cases, more general forms of BDDs are more compact. In constrast to the minimization of OBDDs, which is well understood, there are no heuristics for the construction of compact BDDs up to today. In this paper we show that compact BDDs can be constructed using Genetic Programming.

Partitioned beta diversity patterns of plants across sharp and distinct boundaries of quartz habitat islands

Questions: Habitat islands are often characterized by the presence of more or less sharp boundaries to adjacent matrix habitats. However, knowledge on boundaries of natural habitat islands is scarce, especially regarding patterns of beta diversity and its two underlying components: species turnover and nestedness. We therefore aim to quantify the effects of fine-scaled and sharp boundaries of quartz islands (quartz gravel-covered soils) on the different components of plant beta diversity and how they are linked to different soil environmental drivers. Location: Knersvlakte, Western Cape, South Africa. Methods: We sampled plant species richness in 56 fine-scale transects of 6 m × 1 m plots across eight different boundary types (four quartz island to matrix, four between habitats on quartz islands). Soil depth and chemistry (pH, electrical conductivity) were analyzed for each 1 m2 plot. Differences in the two beta diversity components (turnover and nestedness) for each boundary type were tested by t tests. We used linear models to test relationships between species and environmental dissimilarity. Results: All boundary types showed high beta diversity. Species turnover was the prevailing component for six boundary types, the nestedness component was only important for two boundary types. We found a significant linear increase of species dissimilarity with increasing dissimilarity in soil pH and distinct plant communities for the habitat types, but no significant increase for electrical conductivity or soil depth. Conclusions: The spatial distinctiveness of the quartz islands leads to sharp boundaries, which result in high beta diversity, mainly through species turnover. This reflects the high levels of diversification and adaptation of the local plant communities. Nestedness occurred at two boundaries to the matrix, indicating that the latter does not necessarily represent an impermeable boundary for all species of the respective ecosystem. Studying diversity patterns across boundaries contributes to the question of applicability of island biogeography theory to habitat islands