Components of Identity Expression in Problem and Non-Problem Gamblers.

Few studies have examined whether specific aspects of group identification predict problematic and non-problematic addictive behaviours and none have focused on gambling. Applying Leach et al.’s (2008) hierarchical model of in-group identification, we tested the associations between components of self-investment (satisfaction, solidarity, and centrality) and components of self-definition (individual self-stereotyping, in-group homogeneity) on distinguishing between problem and non-problem gambling (n = 10,157) and on the severity of problematic gambling behaviour (n = 2,568). Results showed that (i) in-group-based identities are important in predicting problematic vs. non-problematic gambling behaviours; (ii) in-group-based identities are important in predicting the severity of problematic gambling; (iii) how self-invested an individual is with their in-group and aspects associated with self-definition processes are both important predictors; (iv) perceptions related to how chronically salient one’s group membership is for the self (centrality) are essential features of the self-investment mechanism; and (v) self-stereotypical beliefs about one’s essential similarities to the prototypical gambling group member norm are fundamental for the defining oneself as a gambler

Long-term physical activity: an exogenous risk factor for sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis?

Objectives: To conduct a geographically defined, UK-based case-control study, to examine any association between physical activity (PA) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Methods: A novel historical PA questionnaire was designed, validated, and subsequently administered in individual face-to-face interviews of 175 newly diagnosed sporadic ALS cases and 317 age- and sex-matched community controls. Historical PA energy expenditure and time spent in vigorous-intensity PA were derived from questionnaire data and compared between cases and controls. Results: Participation in an extra 10kJ/kg/day of PA (equivalent to approximately 45minutes brisk walking) was consistently associated with an increased risk of ALS, with the strongest association observed for adulthood exercise-related PA (OR 1.47, 95% CI 1.10-1.97). An extra 10mins/day of vigorous PA was also associated with the odds of ALS (OR 1.03, 95% CI 1·01-1·05). Results were slightly attenuated following adjustment for smoking and educational attainment. Conclusions: To our knowledge this is the first study to demonstrate a positive association between ALS and PA participation using a specifically designed and validated historical PA questionnaire. Despite the well-established health benefits of PA, a high activity lifestyle may also be associated with elevated risk of ALS. Large-scale prospective studies in the future may help to confirm this association.This study was funded by a Medical Research Council/Motor Neurone Disease Association Lady Edith Wolfson Fellowship.This is the final version of the article. It first appeared from Taylor and Francis via https://doi.org/10.3109/21678421.2016.115457

Long-term physical activity: an exogenous risk factor for sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis?

OBJECTIVES: To conduct a geographically defined, UK-based case-control study, to examine any association between physical activity (PA) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). METHODS: A novel historical PA questionnaire was designed, validated, and subsequently administered in individual face-to-face interviews of 175 newly diagnosed sporadic ALS cases and 317 age- and sex-matched community controls. Historical PA energy expenditure and time spent in vigorous-intensity PA were derived from questionnaire data and compared between cases and controls. RESULTS: Participation in an extra 10kJ/kg/day of PA (equivalent to approximately 45minutes brisk walking) was consistently associated with an increased risk of ALS, with the strongest association observed for adulthood exercise-related PA (OR 1.47, 95% CI 1.10-1.97). An extra 10mins/day of vigorous PA was also associated with the odds of ALS (OR 1.03, 95% CI 1·01-1·05). Results were slightly attenuated following adjustment for smoking and educational attainment. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge this is the first study to demonstrate a positive association between ALS and PA participation using a specifically designed and validated historical PA questionnaire. Despite the well-established health benefits of PA, a high activity lifestyle may also be associated with elevated risk of ALS. Large-scale prospective studies in the future may help to confirm this association.This study was funded by a Medical Research Council/Motor Neurone Disease Association Lady Edith Wolfson Fellowship.This is the final version of the article. It first appeared from Taylor and Francis via https://doi.org/10.3109/21678421.2016.115457

Selective transfers of acetylenic acids to form lecithins

Although acetylenic acids are not normally found in mammalian tissues, octadecynoyl-CoA esters can serve as substrates for rat liver microsomal acyl-CoA: phospholipid acyltransferases. The relatively high rate of transfer to the 2-hydroxyl of 1-acylglycerol-3-phosphorylcholine by the 5-, 9-, and 12-positional cis, trans and yne isomers of acids supports the concept that [pi]-bonds at these positions facilitate esterification irrespective of configuration. The preferred positional isomers for transfer to the 1-hydroxyl, however, are different for the cis and yne derivatives, indicating a sensitivity of the enzyme(s) to configuration. In the latter transfer, an alternating selectivity occurred with the acetylenic isomers between 8 to 13 that was opposite to the pattern for the cis-octadecenoyl transfers.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/33918/1/0000184.pd

Positional specificity of cyclopropane ring formation from cis-octadecenoic acid isomers in Escherichia coli

An unsaturated fatty acid auxotroph of Escherichia coli was grown with a series of cis-octadecenoate isomers in which the location of the double bond varied from positions 3 to 17. Each of these fatty acid isomers was incorporated into the cellular lipids, but cyclopropane derivatives were formed to at least a 3-fold greater extent from the cis-9 and cis-11 isomers than from any other positional isomers. The extent of cyclopropane acid formation was observed to be highly dependent on the rate of shaking of the culture. A culture shaking at 340 rev./min converted 8.7% of its oleate to the cyclopropane derivative at stationary phase, whereas a parellel culture shaken at 110 rev./min converted 66% of the oleate to a cyclopropane acid.The inability to observe selectivity or form derivatives from isomers other than the is-9 and cis-11 isomers seems to be due to enzyme specificity rather than a secondary affect of the abnormal unconverted fatty acids on the cell, because the cis-9 isomer is converted to its cyclopropane derivative even in cells grown with abnormal unreactive positional isomers.The preferred substrates for cyclopropanecarboxylic acid formation contained a cis ethylenic bond at either the 9 position or the -7 position. In combination with results of previous studies the specificity reported here supports a concept that two different enzymes may participate in cyclopropane ring synthesis. One enzyme activity may recognize its substrate by the distance from the [pi]-bond to the carboxyl group and the other by the distance to the methyl group.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/21769/1/0000163.pd

EPR study of radical intermediates from the oxidation of 6-ethoxy-2,2,4-trimethyl- and 6-ethoxy-2,2,4,8-tetramethyl-1,2-dihydroquinoline

The EPR spectra of 1,2-dihydro-6-ethoxy-2,2,4-trimethyl- and 1,2-dihydro-6-ethoxy-2,2,4,8-tetramethyl-quinolin-1-yl radicals were observed in heptane solution. The hyperfine splittings showed that this class of radical is extensively delocalised with significant spin density at C(8). Both radicals decayed by second-order processes, the rate constants being 5 × 106 and 4 × 102 dm3 mol–1 s–1, respectively at 273 K. The latter reaction is much slower because the 8-methyl substituent blocks the formation of the 1,8′-dimer. Both radicals reacted with oxygen to give the corresponding nitroxides, although reaction was very slow for the 8-methyl derivative. A mechanism is proposed to rationalise product formation from 1,2-dihydro-6-ethoxy-2,2,4-trimethylquinoline when used as an antioxidan

Analysis of cod-liver oil adulteration using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy.

Analysis of the adulteration of cod-liver oil with much cheaper oil-like animal fats has become attractive in recent years. This study highlights an application of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy as a nondestructive and fast technique for the determination of adulterants in cod-liver oil. Attenuated total reflectance measurements were made on pure cod-liver oil and cod-liver oil adulterated with different concentrations of lard (0.5–50% v/v in cod-liver oil). A chemometrics partial least squares (PLS) calibration model was developed for quantitative measurement of the adulterant. Discriminant analysis method was used to classify cod-liver oil samples from common animal fats (beef, chicken, mutton, and lard) based on their infrared spectra. Discriminant analysis carried out using seven principal components was able to classify the samples as pure or adulterated cod-liver oil based on their FTIR spectra at the selected fingerprint regions (1,500–1,030 cm−1)

Development of intuitive rules: Evaluating the application of the dual-system framework to understanding children's intuitive reasoning

This is an author-created version of this article. The original source of publication is Psychon Bull Rev. 2006 Dec;13(6):935-53 The final publication is available at www.springerlink.com Published version: http://dx.doi.org/10.3758/BF0321390

Quantitative effects of unsaturated fatty acids in microbial mutants : VII. Influence of the acetylenic bond location on the effectiveness of acyl chains

The ability of a series of 18 carbon acetylenic fatty acids to fulfill the unsaturated fatty acid requirements of Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae was investigated. Despite their high melting points (>40[deg]C), several isomers of the acetylenic fatty acids were as efficient or more efficient in supporting growth than the analogous fatty acid having a cis-double bond.The efficiencies of the different positional isomers in supporting cell proliferation varied from essentially 0 cells per fmol for the 2-5 and 13-17 isomers to high values when the acetylenic bond was near the center of the chain: e.g. 45 E. coli and 5.5 S. cerevisiae cells/fmol for the 10 isomer. A striking ineffectiveness of the 9 isomer was observed with E. coli. The 7, 8 and 10 isomers were at least 10-fold more efficient than any of the other positional isomers in supporting the growth of E. coli. In contrast, the 9 isomer was among the most effective acetylenic fatty acids tested with the yeast mutant.Chromatographic analysis of the extracted lipids indicated that each of the acetylenic isomers tested (except [Delta]2 and [Delta]3) could be esterified by the prokaryotic and eukaryotic microorganisms. The content of unsaturated plus cyclopropane acids observed when growth ceased in E. coli cultures supplemented with growth-limiting concentrations of the acetylenic fatty acids ranged from approx. 15 mol% for the 8 isomer to approx. 35 mol% for the 14 and 17 isomers. The 8-11 isomers were observed to be esterified predominantly at the two position in phosphatidylethanolamine of E. coli and in phosphatidylcholine of S. cerevisiae.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/22954/1/0000521.pd

Monounsaturated fats and immune function

Animal studies suggest that olive oil is capable of modulating functions of cells of the immune system in a manner similar to, albeit weaker than, fish oils. There is some evidence that the effects of olive oil on immune function in animal studies are due to oleic acid rather than to trace elements or antioxidants. Importantly, several studies have demonstrated effects of oleic acid-containing diets on in vivo immune responses. In contrast, consumption of a monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA)-rich diet by humans does not appear to bring about a general suppression of immune cell functions. The effects of this diet in humans are limited to decreasing aspects of adhesion of peripheral blood mononuclear cells, although there are trends towards decreases in natural killer cell activity and proliferation. The lack of a clear effect of MUFA in humans may be attributable to the higher level of monounsaturated fat used in the animal studies, although it is ultimately of importance to examine the effects of intakes which are in no way extreme. The effects of MUFA on adhesion molecules are potentially important, since these molecules appear to have a role in the pathology of a number of diseases involving the immune system. This area clearly deserves further exploration