Complementary Roles of Orexin and Melanin-Concentrating Hormone in Feeding Behavior

Transcribed within the lateral hypothalamus, the neuropeptides orexin/hypocretin (OX) and melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) both promote palatable food intake and are stimulated by palatable food. While these two neuropeptides share this similar positive relationship with food, recent evidence suggests that this occurs through different albeit complementary effects on behavior, with OX promoting food seeking and motivation for palatable food and MCH functioning during ongoing food intake, reinforcing the consumption of calorically dense foods. Further differences are evident in their effects on physiological processes, which are largely opposite in nature. For example, activation of OX receptors, which is neuronally excitatory, promotes waking, increases energy expenditure, and enhances limbic dopamine levels and reward. In contrast, activation of MCH receptors, which is neuronally inhibitory, promotes paradoxical sleep, enhances energy conservation, reduces limbic dopamine, and increases depressive behavior. This review describes these different effects of the neuropeptides, developing the hypothesis that they stimulate the consumption of palatable food through excessive seeking in the case of OX and through excessive energy conservation in the case of MCH. It proposes that OX initiates food intake and subsequently stimulates MCH which then acts to prolong the consumption of palatable, energy-dense food

Isotropization of Bianchi type models and a new FRW solution in Brans-Dicke theory

Using scaled variables we are able to integrate an equation valid for isotropic and anisotropic Bianchi type I, V, IX models in Brans-Dicke (BD) theory. We analyze known and new solutions for these models in relation with the possibility that anisotropic models asymptotically isotropize, and/or possess inflationary properties. In particular, a new solution of curve ($k\neq0$) Friedmann-Robertson-Walker (FRW) cosmologies in Brans-Dicke theory is analyzed.Comment: 15 pages, 4 postscript figures, to appear in Gen. Rel. Grav., special issue dedicated in honour of Prof. H. Dehne

Nonlinear Circuits

Contains reports on four research projects

Isotropization of Bianchi-Type Cosmological Solutions in Brans-Dicke Theory

The cosmic, general analitic solutions of the Brans--Dicke Theory for the flat space of homogeneous and isotropic models containing perfect, barotropic, fluids are seen to belong to a wider class of solutions --which includes cosmological models with the open and the closed spaces of the Friedmann--Robertson--Walker metric, as well as solutions for models with homogeneous but anisotropic spaces corresponding to the Bianchi--Type metric clasification-- when all these solutions are expressed in terms of reduced variables. The existence of such a class lies in the fact that the scalar field, $\phi$, times a function of the mean scale factor or ``volume element'', $a^3 = a_1 a_2 a_3$, which depends on time and on the barotropic index of the equation of state used, can be written as a function of a ``cosmic time'' reduced in terms of another function of the mean scale factor depending itself again on the barotropic index but independent of the metrics here employed. This reduction procedure permites one to analyze if explicitly given anisotropic cosmological solutions ``isotropize'' in the course of their time evolution. For if so can happen, it could be claimed that there exists a subclass of solutions that is stable under anisotropic perturbations.Comment: 15 pages, Late

Persistent cough as a paraneoplastic presenting symptom in six patients with renal cell carcinoma

Objective: With today's modern imaging modalities, patients diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) rarely present symptomatically. In some cases, however, they can develop paraneoplastic syndromes with associated symptoms. To date, only three cases of RCC presenting with chronic dry cough have been reported. We describe six patients who presented with cough that improved following radical nephrectomy. Methods: A retrospective review of patients undergoing partial or radical nephrectomy for renal masses between January 2015 and March 2016 was performed, and patients presenting with a cough were examined. Results: Six patients presented with chronic cough and were discovered to have a large renal mass. Postoperative spontaneous resolution of cough was noted in all but one patient, in whom coughing was reduced and limited to the mornings. Cough duration ranged from 3 months to just over a year. All patients were treated with radical nephrectomy, which was cytoreductive in four patients. Average tumor size was 10.9 cm (SD = 2.2 cm). Five of the tumors had clear cell pathology, and every tumor was Fuhrman grade IV, unifocal, and demonstrated necrosis. Sarcomatoid features were reported in four of the tumors. Conclusion: Our study presents the largest series of patients with RCC who presented with a chronic cough that was significantly improved following radical nephrectomy. We believe the cause of cough is multifactorial and further investigation is needed to clearly elucidate the etiology