The Study of Cognitive Function and Related Factors in Patients With Heart Failure

Background: Cognitive impairment is increasingly recognized as a common adverse consequence of heart failure. Both Heart failure and cognitive impairment are associated with frequent hospitalization and increased mortality, particularly when they occur simultaneously. Objectives: To determine cognitive function and related factors in patients with heart failure. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive cross-sectional study, we assessed 239 patients with heart failure. Data were collected by Mini Mental status Examination, Charlson comorbidity index and NYHA classification system. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, chi-square test, t-test and logistic regression analysis. Results: The mean score of cognitive function was 21.68 ± 4.51. In total, 155 patients (64.9%) had cognitive impairment. Significant associations were found between the status of cognitive impairment and gender (P < 0.002), education level (P < 0.000), living location (P < 0.000), marital status (P < 0.03), living arrangement (P < 0.001 ), employment status (P < 0.000), income (P < 0.02), being the head of family (P < 0.03), the family size (P < 0.02), having a supplemental insurance (P < 0.003) and the patient’s comorbidities (P < 0.02). However, in logistic regression analysis, only education and supplementary insurance could predict cognitive status which indicates that patients with supplementary insurance and higher education levels were more likely to maintain optimal cognitive function. Conclusions: More than a half of the subjects had cognitive impairment. As the level of patients cognitive functioning affects their behaviors and daily living activities, it is recommended that patients with heart failure should be assessed for their cognitive functioning

Comparative effects of addition of monensin, tannic acid and cinnamon essential oil on in vitro gas production parameters of sesame meal

ΔΕΝ ΔΙΑΤΙΘΕΤΑΙ ΠΕΡΙΛΗΨΗThe aim of this experiment was to compare the effects of adding monensin, tannic acid and cinnamon essential oil on in vitro gas production parameters of sesame meal. Experimental treatments included sesame meal (control), sesame meal + 12 mg monensin/kg DM, sesame meal + 24 mg monensin/kg DM, sesame meal + 50 mg tannic acid/kg DM, sesame meal + 100 mg tannic acid/kg DM, sesame meal + 150 mg cinnamon essential oil/kg DM, sesame meal + 250 mg cinnamon essential oil/kg DM. The amount of gas produced by treatments fermentation was measured at 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 24, 36, 48, 72, 96 and 120 hours after incubation. The results showed that gas production decreased significantly in 120 hours after incubation in the treatment containing monensin (at 12 and 24 mg/kg DM) and cinnamon essential oil (at 150 and 250 mg/kg DM) compared to the control treatment (P&lt;0.05). The addition of monensin and cinnamon essential oil had a significant effect on increasing partitioning factor and fermentation efficiency compared to control treatment (P&lt;0.05). Acid tannic at 100 mg/kg DM increased NEL, SCFA, OMDe and microbial protein compared to control (P&lt;0.05). Ammonia nitrogen and total volatile fatty acids concentration at 120 h of incubation showed a significant increase in monensin and tannic acid supplementation compared to control (P&lt;0.05), but cinnamon essential oil significantly decreased ammonia nitrogen concentration. In conclusion, cinnamon essential oil and monensin can be used in an environmentally conducive and acceptable way to diminish biogas emissions from ruminants; therewith ameliorate environmental conditions. However, the cinnamon essential oil can be easily used in livestock diets to improve fermentation and reduce biogas production

Comparative effects of addition of monensin, tannic acid and cinnamon essential oil on in vitro gas production parameters of sesame meal

ΔΕΝ ΔΙΑΤΙΘΕΤΑΙ ΠΕΡΙΛΗΨΗThe aim of this experiment was to compare the effects of adding monensin, tannic acid and cinnamon essential oil on in vitro gas production parameters of sesame meal. Experimental treatments included sesame meal (control), sesame meal + 12 mg monensin/kg DM, sesame meal + 24 mg monensin/kg DM, sesame meal + 50 mg tannic acid/kg DM, sesame meal + 100 mg tannic acid/kg DM, sesame meal + 150 mg cinnamon essential oil/kg DM, sesame meal + 250 mg cinnamon essential oil/kg DM. The amount of gas produced by treatments fermentation was measured at 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 24, 36, 48, 72, 96 and 120 hours after incubation. The results showed that gas production decreased significantly in 120 hours after incubation in the treatment containing monensin (at 12 and 24 mg/kg DM) and cinnamon essential oil (at 150 and 250 mg/kg DM) compared to the control treatment (P<0.05). The addition of monensin and cinnamon essential oil had a significant effect on increasing partitioning factor and fermentation efficiency compared to control treatment (P<0.05). Acid tannic at 100 mg/kg DM increased NEL, SCFA, OMDe and microbial protein compared to control (P<0.05). Ammonia nitrogen and total volatile fatty acids concentration at 120 h of incubation showed a significant increase in monensin and tannic acid supplementation compared to control (P<0.05), but cinnamon essential oil significantly decreased ammonia nitrogen concentration. In conclusion, cinnamon essential oil and monensin can be used in an environmentally conducive and acceptable way to diminish biogas emissions from ruminants; therewith ameliorate environmental conditions. However, the cinnamon essential oil can be easily used in livestock diets to improve fermentation and reduce biogas production

Ensuring due process in the IACUC and animal welfare setting: considerations in developing noncompliance policies and procedures for institutional animal care and use committees and institutional officials

Every institution that is involved in research with animals is expected to have in place policies and procedures for the management of allegations of noncompliance with the Animal Welfare Act and the U.S. Public Health Service Policy on the Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. We present here a model set of recommendations for institutional animal care and use committees and institutional officials to ensure appropriate consideration of allegations of noncompliance with federal Animal Welfare Act regulations that carry a significant risk or specific threat to animal welfare. This guidance has 3 overarching aims: 1) protecting the welfare of research animals; 2) according fair treatment and due process to an individual accused of noncompliance; and 3) ensuring compliance with federal regulations. Through this guidance, the present work seeks to advance the cause of scientific integrity, animal welfare, and the public trust while recognizing and supporting the critical importance of animal research for the betterment of the health of both humans and animals.â Hansen, B. C., Gografe, S., Pritt, S., Jen, K.â L. C., McWhirter, C. A., Barman, S. M., Comuzzie, A., Greene, M., McNulty, J. A., Michele, D. E., Moaddab, N., Nelson, R. J., Norris, K., Uray, K. D., Banks, R., Westlund, K. N., Yates, B. J., Silverman, J., Hansen, K. D., Redman, B. Ensuring due process in the IACUC and animal welfare setting: considerations in developing noncompliance policies and procedures for institutional animal care and use committees and institutional officials. FASEB J. 31, 4216â 4225 (2017). www.fasebj.orgPeer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/154293/1/fsb2fj201601250r.pd

Early adolescent adversity alters periaqueductal gray/dorsal raphe threat responding in adult female rats

AbstractEarly adolescent adversity increases adult risk for anxiety disorders. The ventrolateral periaqueductal gray (vlPAG) and neighboring dorsal raphe (DR) are integral to threat prediction, and are responsive to acute stressors. Here, we tested the hypothesis that early adolescent adversity reshapes vlPAG/DR threat-related cue activity and threat probability signaling. Female, Long Evans rats experienced a battery of adverse adolescent experiences (n = 12), while controls did not (n = 8). Single-unit activity was recorded 50 + days following the final adverse experience, when the adult rats received fear discrimination consisting of danger, uncertainty and safety cues. Despite achieving fear discrimination that was equivalent to controls, vlPAG/DR threat responding was altered in adverse-experienced rats. Early adolescent adversity resulted in a greater proportion of cue-responsive neurons. Cue-excited neurons showed greater increases in firing and cue-inhibited neurons showed greater decreases. Even more, early adversity reduced flexible, threat probability signaling by cue-excited neurons and promoted more rigid, fear output signaling by cue-inhibited neurons. The results reveal long-lasting changes in vlPAG/DR threat responding resulting from early adolescent adversity.</jats:p

Timing of behavioral responding to long-duration Pavlovian fear conditioned cues

AbstractBehavioral responding is most beneficial when it reflects event timing. Compared to reward, there are fewer studies on timing of defensive responding. We gave female and male rats Pavlovian fear conditioning over a baseline of reward seeking. Two 100-s cues predicted foot shock at different time points. Rats acquired timing of behavioral responding to both cues. Suppression of reward seeking was minimal at cue onset and maximal before shock delivery. Rats also came to minimize suppression of reward seeking following cue offset. The results reveal timing as a mechanism to focus defensive responding to shock-imminent, cue periods.</jats:p

CURE KINETICS AND FINAL PERFORMANCE OF STYRENE BUTADIENE STYRENE BLOCK COPOLYMER/SILICA NANOCOMPOSITES

ABSTRACT Cure kinetics and the final performance of styrene–butadiene–styrene block copolymer (SBS)/silica nanocomposites followed by vulcanization are analyzed. The results indicated that the presence of silica affects the curing reaction of SBS, and additional heating is required for complete vulcanization of SBS/silica nanocomposites due to their higher activation energy. The samples were characterized using scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and tensile test methods. The tensile strength, hardness, and wear resistance of SBS/silica nanocomposites show considerable increases by incorporating different silica nanoparticle contents in the SBS matrix; however, silica nanoparticles cause a decrease in modulus and elongation at break compared to cured neat SBS.</jats:p