Hypoxia Due to Cardiac Arrest Induces a Time-Dependent Increase in Serum Amyloid β Levels in Humans

Amyloid β (Aβ) peptides are proteolytic products from amyloid precursor protein (APP) and are thought to play a role in Alzheimer disease (AD) pathogenesis. While much is known about molecular mechanisms underlying cerebral Aβ accumulation in familial AD, less is known about the cause(s) of brain amyloidosis in sporadic disease. Animal and postmortem studies suggest that Aβ secretion can be up-regulated in response to hypoxia. We employed a new technology (Single Molecule Arrays, SiMoA) capable of ultrasensitive protein measurements and developed a novel assay to look for changes in serum Aβ42 concentration in 25 resuscitated patients with severe hypoxia due to cardiac arrest. After a lag period of 10 or more hours, very clear serum Aβ42 elevations were observed in all patients. Elevations ranged from approximately 80% to over 70-fold, with most elevations in the range of 3–10-fold (average approximately 7-fold). The magnitude of the increase correlated with clinical outcome. These data provide the first direct evidence in living humans that ischemia acutely increases Aβ levels in blood. The results point to the possibility that hypoxia may play a role in the amyloidogenic process of AD

Gender analysis of factors affecting facilitation of agricultural programmes: insight from Fadama 111 development programme in Nigeria

This study sought to ascertain factors that affect facilitation of agricultural programmes as perceived by different gender groups among facilitators of FADAMA 111 development programme in Enugu State. It ascertained the perception of the gender groups on the organizational, job related and employee related factors. The data were analyzed with mean, standard deviation and t-test. Results indicate that out of the various identified organizational factors that affect facilitators in Enugu National Fadama Development Project III only one, monitoring and Evaluation System (t= -3.08*) was perceived differently by both men and women facilitators. From the various identified job related factors that affect facilitators in Enugu NFDP III only insufficient authority (t= 1.17) was perceived differently by both men and women facilitators. The results also show that from the various identified employee/personnel factors that affect facilitators in Enugu NFDP III, involvement in social meetings, involvement in house chores, size of family, relationship with spouse, proximity to client and extended family burden were perceived differently by both men and women facilitators. Based on the findings of the study, some factors were identified to affect the facilitators differently because of their genders differences. Hence, there is need to consider these factors and ensure balanced working conditions for both men and women facilitators in the NFDP III. This will help to ultimately improve their job performance.Key words: Gender analysis; factor; facilitatio