Motion sickness, stress and the endocannabinoid system

A substantial number of individuals are at risk for the development of motion sickness induced nausea and vomiting (N&V) during road, air or sea travel. Motion sickness can be extremely stressful but the neurobiologic mechanisms leading to motion sickness are not clear. The endocannabinoid system (ECS) represents an important neuromodulator of stress and N&V. Inhibitory effects of the ECS on N&V are mediated by endocannabinoid-receptor activation

Protocol for measuring myocardial blood flow by PET/CT in cats

Purpose: The aim of this study was to establish a protocol for measuring myocardial blood flow (MBF) by PET/CT in healthy cats. The rationale was its future use in Maine Coon cats with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) as a model for human HCM. Methods: MBF was measured in nine anaesthetized healthy cats using a PET/CT scanner and 13NH3 at rest and during adenosine infusion. Each cat was randomly assigned to receive vasodilator stress with two or three adenosine infusions at the following rates (μg/kg per minute): 140 (Ado1, standard rate for humans), 280 (Ado2, twice the human standard rate), 560 (Ado4), 840 (Ado6) and 1,120 (Ado8). Results: The median MBF at rest was 1.26ml/min per g (n = 9; range 0.88-1.72ml/min per g). There was no significant difference at Ado1 (n = 3; median 1.35, range 0.93-1.55ml/min per g; ns) but MBF was significantly greater at Ado2 (n = 6; 2.16, range 1.35-2.68ml/min per g; p < 0.05) and Ado4 (n = 6; 2.11, 1.92-2.45ml/min per g; p < 0.05). Large ranges of MBF values at Ado6 (n = 4; 2.53, 2.32-5.63ml/min per g; ns) and Ado8 (n = 3; 2.21, 1.92-5.70ml/min per g; ns) were noted. Observed adverse effects, including hypotension, AV-block and ventricular premature contractions, were all mild, of short duration and immediately reversed after cessation of the adenosine infusion. Conclusion: MBF can be safely measured in cats using PET. An intravenous adenosine infusion at a rate of 280μg/kg per minute seems most appropriate to induce maximal hyperaemic MBF response in healthy cats. Higher adenosine rates appear less suitable as they are associated with a large heterogeneity in flow increase and rate pressure product, most probably due to the large variability in haemodynamic and heart rate respons

André Schwarz-Bart, le Juif et les Antillais

Cet entretien (resté inédit) s’est déroulé à La Souvenance, à Goyave, le 26 janvier 2011. Il a été enregistré, retranscrit et mis en forme par Francine Kaufmann. Lors d’une seconde rencontre, également à La Souvenance, le 30 janvier 2012, Ernest Pépin, en présence de Simone Schwarz-Bart qui intervenait de temps en temps, a relu et précisé son texte. Cet entretien porte notamment sur la réception de La Mulâtresse Solitude aux Antilles.Xxxx Abstract xxx

Approaches for assessing the impacts of the Rural Development Programmes in the context of multiple intervening factors

The Common Monitoring and Evaluation Framework (CMEF) provides a single framework for monitoring and evaluation of all EU Rural Development Programmes (RDP) in the current programming period (2007-2013). It provides continuity from previous periods and constitutes a significant simplification as regards assessment of results and impacts, while at the same time offering greater flexibility to Member States. The European Evaluation Network for Rural Development has published a Working Paper on Approaches for assessing the impacts of the Rural Development Programmes in the context of multiple intervening factors. The aim of the Working Paper is to inspire and to encourage programme evaluators, not to restrict or constrain them. From a methodological perspective, the three common socio-economic impact indicators of the CMEF (economic growth, employment creation, labour productivity) are more closely related than the four common environmental impact indicators (reversing biodiversity decline, maintenance of High Nature Value faming and forestry, improvement in water quality, contribution to combating climate change).assessment of impacts, Rural Development Programmes, policy evaluation, EU policy, Agricultural and Food Policy,

Vielfältiger Anklang in Bern West

Ende Mai erklangen in Bern West neue Töne. Mit der Intervention «Mein Lied fürs Tscharni» wurde das bisherige Liederrepertoire des bekannten Glockenspiels für Melodien der heterogenen Quartierbevölkerung geöffnet. Im transdisziplinären Projekt «Quartier für alle» suchen das Departement Soziale Arbeit und die HKB mit Praxispartner*innen und Quartierbewohnenden nach Wegen, die Beteiligungsmöglichkeiten im Quartier diversitätssensibler zu gestalten

BH3 mimetics efficiently induce apoptosis in mouse basophils and mast cells.

Basophil granulocytes and mast cells are recognized for their roles in immunity and are central effectors of diverse immunological disorders. Despite their similarities, there is emerging evidence for non-redundant roles of the circulating yet scarce basophils and tissue-resident mast cells, respectively. Because of their importance in allergic pathogenesis, specific induction of apoptosis in basophils and mast cells may represent an interesting novel treatment strategy. The pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-3 serves as a key factor for basophil and mouse mast cell survival. Interleukin-3 increases the expression of anti-apoptotic BCL-2 family members, such as BCL-2, BCL-XL or MCL-1; however, little is known how strongly these individual proteins contribute to basophil survival. Here, we were applying small molecule inhibitors called BH3 mimetics, some of which show remarkable success in cancer treatments, to neutralize the function of anti-apoptotic BCL-2 family members. We observed that expression levels of anti-apoptotic BCL-2 proteins do not necessarily correlate with their respective importance for basophil survival. Whereas naive in vitro-differentiated mouse basophils efficiently died upon BCL-2 or BCL-XL inhibition, interleukin-3 priming rendered the cells highly resistant toward apoptosis, and this could only be overcome upon combined targeting of BCL-2 and BCL-XL. Of note, human basophils differed from mouse basophils as they depended on BCL-2 and MCL-1, but not on BCL-XL, for their survival at steady state. On the other hand, and in contrast to mouse basophils, MCL-1 proved critical in mediating survival of interleukin-3 stimulated mouse mast cells, whereas BCL-XL seemed dispensable. Taken together, our results indicate that by choosing the right combination of BH3 mimetic compounds, basophils and mast cells can be efficiently killed, even after stimulation with potent pro-survival cytokines such as interleukin-3. Because of the tolerable side effects of BH3 mimetics, targeting basophils or mast cells for apoptosis opens interesting possibilities for novel treatment approaches.Cell Death and Differentiation advance online publication, 29 September 2017; doi:10.1038/cdd.2017.154

Shape and orientation of stellar velocity ellipsoids in spiral galaxies

We present a numerical study of the properties of the stellar velocity distribution in stellar discs which have developed a saturated, two-armed spiral structure. We follow the growth of the spiral structure deeply into the non-linear regime by solving the Boltzmann moment equations up to second order. By adopting the thin-disc approximation, we restrict our study of the stellar velocity distribution to the plane of the stellar disc. We find that the outer (convex) edges of stellar spiral arms are characterized by peculiar properties of the stellar velocity ellipsoids, which make them distinct from most other galactic regions. In particular, the ratio \sigma_1:\sigma_2 of the smallest versus largest principal axes of the stellar velocity ellipsoid can become abnormally small (as compared to the rest of the disc) near the outer edges of spiral arms. Moreover, the epicycle approximation fails to reproduce the ratio of the tangential versus radial velocity dispersions in these regions. These peculiar properties of the stellar velocity distribution are caused by large-scale non-circular motions of stars, which in turn are triggered by the non-axisymmetric gravitational field of stellar spiral arms. The magnitude of the vertex deviation appears to correlate globally with the amplitude of the spiral stellar density perturbations. However, locally there is no simple correlation between the vertex deviation and the density perturbations. (Abstract abridged).Comment: 16 pages, 18 figures, Accepted for publication in MNRA