Cold Exposure Exacerbates the Development of Diabetic Polyneuropathy in the Rat

Diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN) and cold-induced nerve injury share several pathogenic mechanisms. This study explores whether cold exposure contributes to the development of DPN. Streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats and controls were exposed to a room temperature (23°C) or cold environment (10°C). H-reflex, tail and sciatic motor, and sensory nerve conduction studies were performed. Analyses of sural nerve, intraepidermal nerve fibers, and skin and nerve nitrotyrosine ELISAs were performed. Diabetic animals exposed to a cold environment had an increased H-reflex four weeks earlier than diabetic room temperature animals (P = .03). Cold-exposed diabetic animals also had greater reduction in motor conduction velocities at 20 weeks (P = .017), decreased skin nerve fiber density (P = .037), and increased skin nitrotyrosine levels (P = .047). Cold exposure appears to hasten the development of DPN in the rat STZ model of diabetes. These findings support that further study into the relationship between ambient temperature and DPN is warranted

A Comparison of Blended Approaches and Lessons Learned in Applied Statistics

Many of the courses developed as part of the Next Generation Learning Challenges blended learning study focused on mathematics and statistics. In this session, three faculty members who developed courses in applied statistics will give an overview of their goals for these courses, the methods and materials they used, and their experiences, giving us a chance to compare and discuss how blended learning worked in the same subject across several different educational settings. Qin Lu, an associate professor of mathematics, used a blended approach to flip MATH186: Applied Statistics, an introductory-level mathematics course inspired by Passion-Driven Statistics approach used at Wesleyan College. Lora Kasselman, an assistant professor of psychology, adopted blended learning for APS925: Quantative Analysis, to support adult learners in Lafayette’s accelerated psychology program, who needed different levels of SPSS practice. Anjali Thapar, a professor of psychology at Bryn Mawr College, experimented with developing SPSS exercises for OLI’s Statistical Reasoning courseware, as a resource for a blended, flipped approach to PSYC205: Experimental Methods and Statistics

A Comparison of Blended Approaches and Lessons Learned in Applied Statistics

Many of the courses developed as part of the Next Generation Learning Challenges blended learning study focused on mathematics and statistics. In this session, three faculty members who developed courses in applied statistics will give an overview of their goals for these courses, the methods and materials they used, and their experiences, giving us a chance to compare and discuss how blended learning worked in the same subject across several different educational settings. Qin Lu, an associate professor of mathematics, used a blended approach to flip MATH186: Applied Statistics, an introductory-level mathematics course inspired by Passion-Driven Statistics approach used at Wesleyan College. Lora Kasselman, an assistant professor of psychology, adopted blended learning for APS925: Quantative Analysis, to support adult learners in Lafayette’s accelerated psychology program, who needed different levels of SPSS practice. Anjali Thapar, a professor of psychology at Bryn Mawr College, experimented with developing SPSS exercises for OLI’s Statistical Reasoning courseware, as a resource for a blended, flipped approach to PSYC205: Experimental Methods and Statistics

Plants, Plants, and More Plants: Plant-Derived Nutrients and Their Protective Roles in Cognitive Function, Alzheimer’s Disease, and Other Dementias

Background and Objectives: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia, with the risk of developing it attributed to non-modifiable and modifiable factors. Currently, there is no cure for AD. A plant-based diet may protect against cognitive decline, due to the effects of plant-based nutrients such as vitamins, antioxidants, and fiber. The aim of the review is to summarize current literature on plant-based nutrients and their impact on cognition. Materials and Methods: A search was conducted on PubMed for clinical and murine studies, using combinations of the following words: “Alzheimer’s disease”, “dementia”, “cognition”, “plant-based diet”, “mild cognitive impairment”, “vitamin B”, “vitamin C”, “vitamin E, “beta carotene”, “antioxidants”, “fiber”, “vitamin K”, “Mediterranean diet”, “vitamin D”, and “mushrooms”. Results and Conclusions: A diet rich in vitamin B and antioxidants can benefit the cognitive functions of individuals as shown in randomized clinical trials. Vitamin K is associated with improved cognition, although large randomized controlled trials need to be done. Fiber has been shown to prevent cognitive decline in animal studies. Vitamin D may contribute to cognitive health via anti-inflammatory processes. Several medical organizations have recommended a plant-based diet for optimizing cognitive health and potentially helping to prevent dementia

The effect of subacute denervation on the electrical anisotropy of skeletal muscle: Implications for clinical diagnostic testing

Objective Applied electrical current flows preferentially along rather than across muscle fibers, a characteristic called anisotropy. In this study, we investigate the alteration in muscle anisotropy after denervation. Methods Eight adult male rats underwent sciatic nerve crush and the gastrocnemius was harvested from 1 to 2.5 weeks later. Muscle from 12 additional healthy rats was also obtained. Multifrequency electrical impedance measurements were made on the tissue and its conductivity and relative permittivity (i.e., its polarizability) calculated. Anisotropy of the tissue was determined by calculating conductivity and permittivity differences, subtracting transverse from longitudinal values. Muscle fiber and blood vessel quantification were also performed. Results The mean conductivity difference for sciatic crush animals was higher (p <0.05) than for the healthy animals across the frequency spectrum, due to a greater increase in longitudinal conductivity than in transverse conductivity. For example, at 10 kHz, the conductivity difference was 0.15 S/m for healthy animals and 0.29 S/m for post-crush animals. Relative permittivity difference values, however, were similar between groups. There was a strong correlation of conductivity anisotropy to muscle fiber size but not to blood vessel area. Conclusions Anisotropy of muscle conductivity increases markedly after subacute denervation injury. Significance This alteration in anisotropy has direct relevance to the clinical application of electrical impedance myography. We also speculate that it may impact other forms of diagnostic testing, including needle electromyography and magnetic resonance imaging

Gut bacterial taxonomic abundances vary with cognition, personality, and mood in the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study

Animal studies have shown that the gut microbiome can influence memory, social behavior, and anxiety-like behavior. Several human studies show similar results where variation in the gut microbiome is associated with dementia, depression, and personality traits, though most of these studies are limited by small sample size and other biases. Here, we analyzed fecal samples from 313 participants in the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study, a randomly selected population-based cohort of older adults, with measured psycho-cognitive dimensions (cognition, mood, and personality) and key confounders. 16s V4 sequencing showed that Megamonas is associated with all measured psycho-cognitive traits, Fusobacterium is associated with cognitive and personality traits, Pseudoramibacter_Eubacterium is associated with mood and personality traits, Butyvibrio is associated with cognitive traits, and Cloacibacillus is associated with mood traits. These findings are robust to sensitivity analyses and provide novel evidence of shared relationships between the gut microbiome and multiple psycho-cognitive traits in older adults, confirming some of the animal literature, while also providing new insights. While we addressed some of the weaknesses in prior studies, further studies are necessary to elucidate temporal and causal relationships between the gut microbiome and multiple psycho-cognitive traits in well-phenotyped, randomly-selected population-based samples

Ongoing Use of SSRIs Does Not Alter Outcome in Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients: A Retrospective Analysis.

SARS-CoV-2 continues to have devastating consequences worldwide. Though vaccinations have helped reduce spread, new strains still pose a threat. Therefore, it is imperative to identify treatments that prevent severe COVID-19 infection. Recently, acute use of SSRI antidepressants in COVID+ patients was shown to reduce symptom severity. The aim of this retrospective observational study was to determine whether COVID+ patients already on SSRIs upon hospital admission had reduced mortality compared to COVID+ patients not on chronic SSRI treatment. Electronic medical records of 9044 patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 from six hospitals were queried for demographic and clinical information. Using R, a logistic regression model was run with mortality as the outcome and SSRI status as the exposure. In this sample, no patients admitted on SSRIs had them discontinued. There was no significant difference in the odds of dying between COVID+ patients on chronic SSRIs vs. those not taking SSRIs, after controlling for age category, gender, and race. This study shows the utility of large clinical databases in determining what commonly prescribed drugs might be useful in treating COVID-19. During pandemics due to novel infectious agents, it is critical to evaluate safety and efficacy of drugs that might be repurposed for treatment

Obesity and atherosclerosis: the exosome link

Obesity is a global public health issue with serious health consequences and rising prevalence. It is a risk factor for a broad range of diseases, particularly atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. Long-term weight loss is difficult to achieve, even with diet, life-style changes and anti-obesity drugs. The causes of the association between obesity and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease are the subject of ongoing investigation. It is known that a chronic surplus in nutritional intake results in expansion and remodeling of adipose tissue, leading to chronic inflammation. Lipid overloaded adipocytes secrete pro-inflammatory adipokines and other mediators that produce this inflammatory state that may in turn, promote atherosclerosis, which is considered an inflammatory disorder. This review discusses the potential role of exosomes from adipose tissue in accelerating atherosclerosis in the setting of obesity. Exosomes are small membrane-bound vesicles that circulate in body fluids and are important participants in intercellular communication both locally and at a distance. They can transfer their cargo of protein, DNA, RNA and microRNA between cells, thus impacting cellular function and signaling. Adipose tissue-derived exosomes may be involved in heightening of the atherogenic environment and, if so, suggests a therapeutic target for the treatment and prevention of cardiovascular complications of obesity

Apolipoprotein B and Cardiovascular Disease: Biomarker and Potential Therapeutic Target

Apolipoprotein (apo) B, the critical structural protein of the atherogenic lipoproteins, has two major isoforms: apoB48 and apoB100. ApoB48 is found in chylomicrons and chylomicron remnants with one apoB48 molecule per chylomicron particle. Similarly, a single apoB100 molecule is contained per particle of very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), intermediate density lipoprotein, LDL and lipoprotein(a). This unique one apoB per particle ratio makes plasma apoB concentration a direct measure of the number of circulating atherogenic lipoproteins. ApoB levels indicate the atherogenic particle concentration independent of the particle cholesterol content, which is variable. While LDL, the major cholesterol-carrying serum lipoprotein, is the primary therapeutic target for management and prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, there is strong evidence that apoB is a more accurate indicator of cardiovascular risk than either total cholesterol or LDL cholesterol. This review examines multiple aspects of apoB structure and function, with a focus on the controversy over use of apoB as a therapeutic target in clinical practice. Ongoing coronary artery disease residual risk, despite lipid-lowering treatment, has left patients and clinicians with unsatisfactory options for monitoring cardiovascular health. At the present time, the substitution of apoB for LDL-C in cardiovascular disease prevention guidelines has been deemed unjustified, but discussions continue