http://ift.tt/2fpzjn5
Παρασκευή 15 Σεπτεμβρίου 2017
Oral Administration of Clinical Stage Drug Candidate SENS-401 Effectively Reduces Cisplatin-induced Hearing Loss in Rats
http://ift.tt/2fpzjn5
Long-Term Patient-Reported Outcomes After Surgery for Superior Canal Dehiscence Syndrome
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Venous Diverticula Causing Pulsatile Tinnitus Treated With Coil Embolization and Stent Placement With Resolution of Symptoms: Report of Two Cases and Review of the Literature
http://ift.tt/2fpUQvN
The Effect of Citalopram Versus a Placebo on Central Auditory Processing in the Elderly
http://ift.tt/2fqk8K4
Passive Transcutaneous Bone Conduction Hearing Implants: A Systematic Review
http://ift.tt/2fqk6BW
Hearing Outcome With the Use of Glass Ionomer Cement as an Alternative to Crimping in Stapedotomy
http://ift.tt/2fqiUyx
Comparing Outcomes Following Salvage Microsurgery in Vestibular Schwannoma Patients Failing Gamma-knife Radiosurgery or Microsurgery
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Evaluation of Maximal Speech Intelligibility With Vibrant Soundbridge in Patients With Sensorineural Hearing Loss
http://ift.tt/2xFKhQ2
Sensitivity and Specificity of Clinical and Laboratory Otolith Function Tests
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Patient-Reported Outcomes From the United States Clinical Trial for a Hybrid Cochlear Implant
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Comparison of an Electromagnetic Middle Ear Implant and Hearing Aid Word Recognition Performance to Word Recognition Performance Obtained Under Earphones
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Hearing Preservation During Cochlear Implantation and Electroacoustic Stimulation in Patients With SLC26A4 Mutations
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Clinical Characteristics of Benign Recurrent Vestibulopathy: Clearly Distinctive From Vestibular Migraine and Menière's Disease?
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The Modified Rambo Transcanal Approach for Cochlear Implantation in CHARGE Syndrome
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The First Reported Case of Primary Intestinal-type Adenocarcinoma of the Middle Ear and Review of the Literature
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Duration of Eligibility Prior to Cochlear Implantation: Have We Made Any Progress?
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Patulous Eustachian Tube Dysfunction: Patient Demographics and Comorbidities
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Using Electrically-evoked Compound Action Potentials to Estimate Perceptive Levels in Experienced Adult Cochlear Implant Users
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The Relationship Between Environmental Sound Awareness and Speech Recognition Skills in Experienced Cochlear Implant Users
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Decline patterns and risk assessment of 10 multi-class pesticides in young sprout amaranth ( Amaranthus mangostanus ) under greenhouse growing conditions
Abstract
The present study was designed to investigate the residual decline pattern and the risk assessment of 10 different class pesticides, namely azoxystrobin, boscalid, diazinon, diethofencarb, difenoconazole, etofenprox, flubendiamide, paclobutrazol, and pyraclostrobin in young vegetative amaranth (Amaranthus mangostanus) sprayed once or twice under greenhouse growing conditions. Field-incurred samples, collected at 3, 7, or 10 days after application of both treatments, were extracted and purified with the quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe "QuEChERS" citrate-buffered method and analyzed with liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) in positive ion mode. The linearity was satisfactory with determination coefficients (R 2) falling between 0.9817 and 0.9999 and limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) values of 0.0007 and 0.002 mg/kg, respectively. The mean recovery rate at four spiking levels (equivalent to 5, 10, 50, and 100 × LOQ) ranged from 78.1 to 131.6% with a relative standard deviation (RSD) of < 11%. Substantial differences in the initial deposit between the tested analytes were observed and clearly indicated that the structure, as well as the initial concentration of applied products, greatly affected the residue deposit. From the obtained residual data, the provisional marginal maximum residue limits (MRLs) and the pre-harvest intervals (PHI) were proposed. Risk assessment was evaluated by comparing the theoretical maximum daily intake (TMDI) with the acceptable daily intake (ADI). Herein, the TMDI was lower than the ADI (TMDI/ADI ratio ≤ 80% set by the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety) except for difenoconazole (80.92%, marginally higher), indicating that the vegetative amaranth is not hazardous and can be consumed safely by Korean consumers.
http://ift.tt/2x6GsQE
Evidence for contrasting accumulation pattern of cadmium in relation to other elements in Senilia senilis and Tagelus adansoni from the Bijagós archipelago, Guinea-Bissau
Abstract
Shellfish harvesting in intertidal areas is a widespread and economically important activity in many countries across West Africa. However, in some areas, there is virtually no information concerning the levels of contaminants (and other elements related to nutritional aspects) in the harvested species. We collected sediments and several individuals of the West African bloody cockle Senilia senilis and of the razor clam Tagelus adansoni during the dry season of 2015 nearby three islands in the Bijagós archipelago, Guinea-Bissau. Aluminium, Ca, Fe, Mg, As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn were determined in sediments and whole soft tissues of the two bivalves. Sediments showed uniformly low trace element concentrations, pointing to an ecosystem with low levels of trace element contamination. T. adansoni presented higher concentrations of most elements than S. senilis, with the exception of Cd that showed up to 40 times higher values in S. senilis than in T. adansoni from the same sites. Furthermore, Cd concentrations (25±8.7 mg kg−1, dw) in S. senilis are clearly above the maximum level established for human consumption. Future studies should clarify whether biological factors are the major responsible for this unusual situation.
http://ift.tt/2f1NFJG
Characteristic of microplastics in the atmospheric fallout from Dongguan city, China: preliminary research and first evidence
Abstract
Microplastic pollution has exhibited a global distribution, including seas, lakes, rivers, and terrestrial environment in recent years. However, little attention was paid on the atmospheric environment, though the fact that plastic debris can escape as wind-blown debris was previously reported. Thus, characteristics of microplastics in the atmospheric fallout from Dongguan city were preliminarily studied. Microplastics of three different polymers, i.e., PE, PP, and PS, were identified. Diverse shapes of microplastics including fiber, foam, fragment, and film were found, and fiber was the dominant shape of the microplastics. SEM images illustrated that adhering particles, grooves, pits, fractures, and flakes were the common patterns of degradation. The concentrations of non-fibrous microplastics and fibers ranged from 175 to 313 particles/m2/day in the atmospheric fallout. Thus, dust emission and deposition between atmosphere, land surface, and aquatic environment were associated with the transportation of microplastics.
http://ift.tt/2w0x8N2
Coupling population dynamics with earth system models: the POPEM model
Abstract
Precise modeling of CO2 emissions is important for environmental research. This paper presents a new model of human population dynamics that can be embedded into ESMs (Earth System Models) to improve climate modeling. Through a system dynamics approach, we develop a cohort-component model that successfully simulates historical population dynamics with fine spatial resolution (about 1°×1°). The population projections are used to improve the estimates of CO2 emissions, thus transcending the bulk approach of existing models and allowing more realistic non-linear effects to feature in the simulations. The module, dubbed POPEM (from Population Parameterization for Earth Models), is compared with current emission inventories and validated against UN aggregated data. Finally, it is shown that the module can be used to advance toward fully coupling the social and natural components of the Earth system, an emerging research path for environmental science and pollution research.
http://ift.tt/2f0iI8s
Morphology and size of blood cells of Rhinella arenarum (Hensel, 1867) as environmental health assessment in disturbed aquatic ecosystem from central Argentina
Abstract
Four populations of Rhinella arenarum from aquatic environments with different degrees of disturbance in central Argentina were compared to assess the ability of cytomorphology and cytomorphometry of blood cells as a hematological biomarker. A total of 93 specimens of R. arenarum (adults sexually mature) were captured during the spring. From the analysis of cell, no variations were found in terms of morphology, whereas in nuclear and cell areas and Price-Jones curves, we observed a smaller size in erythrocytes of individuals inhabiting the site most altered, "Villa Dalcar," as well as for leukocytes, lymphocytes, neutrophils, and eosinophils for the same site. This could be caused by presence of different pollutants in the lake. Furthermore, this was confirmed by the high levels of environmental variables (conductivity, total dissolved solids, and salinity) show that Villa Dalcar is the site most affected by human activities.
http://ift.tt/2w0iUM2
Fecal sludge management in developing urban centers: a review on the collection, treatment, and composting
Abstract
The problems posed by fecal sludge (FS) are multidimensional because most cities rapidly urbanize, which results in the increase in population, urban settlement, and waste generation. Issues concerning health and waste treatment have continued to create alarming situations. These issues had indeed interfered with the proper steps in managing FS, which contaminates the environment. FS can be used in agriculture as fertilizer because it is an excellent source of nutrients. The recent decline in crop production due to loss of soil organic component, erosion, and nutrient runoff has generated interest in the recycling of FS into soil nutrients through stabilization and composting. However, human feces are considerably liable to spread microorganisms to other persons. Thus, sanitation, stabilization, and composting should be the main objectives of FS treatment to minimize the risk to public and environmental health. This review presents an improved FS management (FSM) and technology option for soil amendment that is grouped into three headings, namely, (1) collection, (2) treatment, and (3) composting. On the basis of the literature review, the main problems associated with the collection and treatment of FS, such as inadequate tools and improper treatment processes, are summarized, and the trends and challenges that concern the applicability of each of the technologies in developing urban centers are critically reviewed. Stabilization during pretreatment before composting is suggested as the best method to reduce pathogens in FS. Results are precisely intended to be used as a support for decisions on policies and strategies for FSM and investments for improved treatment facilities.
http://ift.tt/2f0iE8I
Effects of phoxim-induced hepatotoxicity on SD rats and the protection of vitamin E
Abstract
Currently, public pay more attention to the adverse effect of organophosphate pesticides on human and animal health and on the environment in developing nations. Vitamin E may protect the hepatocyte and increase the function of liver. The study was to investigate the effects of phoxim-induced hepatotoxicity on Sprague Dawley (SD) rats and the protection of vitamin E. SD rats received by gavage 180 mg kg−1 (per body weight) of phoxim, 200 mg kg−1 (per body weight) of vitamin E, and phoxim + vitamin E. The results showed that exposure to phoxim elevated liver coefficient; glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, total bilirubin, total bile acid, and alanine aminotransferase in the serum; ROS in the liver; and the expression of p53, Bax, CYP2E1, ROS, caspase-9, caspase-8, and caspase-3, while phoxim caused a reduction of total protein, albumin, and cholinesterase in the serum; acetylcholinesterase, total antioxidant capacity, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione in the liver; and the expression of Bcl-2. Vitamin E modified the phoxim-induced hepatotoxicity by reducing the GGT in the serum, malondialdehyde in the liver, and the expression of CYP2E1 significantly. There were no significant changes of globulin in the serum, the activity of catalase in the liver, as well as expression levels of Fas and Bad in the liver. Overall, subacute exposure to phoxim induced hepatic injury, oxidative stress damage, and cell apoptosis. Vitamin E modified phoxim-induced hepatotoxicity slightly. And, vitamin E minimized oxidative stress damage and ultrastructural changes in rat hepatocytes notably.
http://ift.tt/2f0iD4E
Cadmium losses in overland flow from an agricultural soil
Abstract
Cadmium (Cd) transport in overland flow from agricultural soils is potentially important when trying to predict future soil Cd concentrations, but at present there is little information on the magnitude of loss from this pathway. This study measured Cd concentrations and fluxes in overland flow from a catchment where cattle winter-grazed a forage crop (kale) (Brassica oleracea) in year one and measurements continued in year two when the catchment was returned to pasture and grazed by sheep. Flow-weighted mean concentrations (FWMC) of total, particulate and dissolved Cd in overland flow events from the forage crop were 0.49, 0.41 and 0.08 μg L−1, respectively. In contrast, no dissolved Cd was detected in overland flow from pasture, with a FWMC of total Cd of 0.09 μg L−1. In line with the Cd concentrations, total Cd fluxes were greater from the forage crop (0.06 g Cd ha−1 year−1) than from pasture (0.04 g Cd ha−1 year−1). Cadmium losses in overland flow were relatively minor compared with those reported for other pathways such as plant uptake or subsurface flow. Further, compared to the amount of Cd that is currently added to soil in a maintenance application of phosphate fertiliser (30 kg P ha−1 year−1) which is on average 5.5 g Cd ha−1, Cd losses in overland flow represented < 1% of inputs. Measurement of Cd losses in overland flow should be undertaken at other sites to confirm the low Cd losses found in this study, along with the distribution between dissolved and particulate fractions.
http://ift.tt/2w0K7Os
Chemotherapy for advanced HER2-negative breast cancer: can one algorithm fit all?
Source:Cancer Treatment Reviews
Author(s): F. Miglietta, M.V. Dieci, G. Griguolo, V. Guarneri, P.F. Conte
HER2negative (HER2-) metastatic breast cancer (MBC) represents a challenging scenario for clinicians due to its great biological and clinical heterogeneity. Although management of HER2-MBC currently relies on several options, CT still remains a worthwhile strategy to be exploited. However, to date, there is not an univoque algorithm capable of guiding the choice of the proper CT agent/regimen, sequence and duration. Evidence from randomized clinical trials (RCT) and meta-analyses can actually help guiding the decision making process, however the definition of a standard of care for all HER2-MBC patients may be impractical, also in the light of the identification of new promising molecular and immunotherapeutic agents. The purpose of this work is to review available evidence on the role of CT for HER2-MBC with particular emphasis on the need to outline personalized therapeutic strategies for each patient.
http://ift.tt/2xpiLoM
Rare cause of colonic intussusception in an adult
Colonic intussusception is an uncommon phenomenon in adults. Advanced imaging has facilitated the increase in awareness of this rare disease. When present, the lead point is most often secondary to a malignancy with primary adenocarcinoma being the most frequent cause. Current surgical management involves oncologic resections for this reason. This is a report of the third ever-reported case of colonic intussusception secondary to an angiolipoma and the first in the western hemisphere. We also demonstrate that these masses are amenable to minimally invasive resection for definitive management.
http://ift.tt/2jzNtqj
Successful twice interrupted therapy of HCV infection in patients with cirrhosis with hepatocellular carcinoma before and after liver transplantation
We are presenting the case study of the patient diagnosed at the age of 37 with liver cirrhosis due to genotype 1b hepatitis C virus infection. At the age of 46, he was diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma with subsequent resection of the tumour in May 2015. In December 2015, the treatment was started with ombitasvir, paritaprevir/ritonavir and dasabuvir (3D) with ribavirin (RBV) 1000 mg per day. After 24 days of this treatment, the patient received a deceased donor liver transplantation, followed by 18-day interruption of 3D therapy. Due to the anaemia, RBV dose was reduced to 600 mg per day for the rest of the treatment. At the 11th week of 3D+RBV treatment, there was another 8-day long discontinuation of therapy due to the postoperative wound infection. In total, the patient received 24 weeks of 3D+RBV treatment, achieving sustained virological response at week 24 post-treatment.
http://ift.tt/2xGuEI1
Combined caesarean with splenectomy in pregnancy with portal hypertension: defining plausibility
24-year-old woman at 28 weeks gestation was referred from peripheral hospital with diagnosis of pregnancy with portal hypertension. She had received multiple transfusion for pancytopaenia in the past and had undergone endoscopic sclerotherapy for oesophageal varices. Initially, she was admitted in our hospital at 28 weeks gestation for blood transfusion and was evaluated by multispecialty team of doctors. She was advised splenectomy for transfusion-dependent pancytopaenia secondary to hypersplenism in non-cirrhotic portal hypertension. She was readmitted at 36 weeks gestation. A decision for caesarean was taken owing to failed induction of labour at 38 weeks gestation. She underwent combined caesarean with splenectomy. Mother and child had an uneventful postoperative recovery and were discharged on ninth postoperative day. Preconceptional counselling, treatment of oesophageal varices and multispecialty approach was paramount in the management. Combined caesarean with splenectomy is feasible and cost-effective treatment associated with improved quality of life. Prospective clinical trials are essential to prove safety and efficacy of treatment.
http://ift.tt/2jw2E3w
Renal cell carcinoma with isolated metastasis to sigmoid mesentery: a rare resectable combination
Renal cell carcinoma accounts for 2%–3% of all malignancies in adults. It spreads via direct extension, lymphatic route as well as haematogenous route. Lymph nodes, lungs, bone, liver and brain are the usual sites for its metastatic spread. In the presence of limited metastatic disease with potentially resectable metastases, surgery offers the best chances of cure. In the present case, we describe a case of renal cell carcinoma with a solitary metastasis to the sigmoid mesentery in a patient with Von Hippel-Lindau syndrome. There was no retroperitoneal lymphadenopathy or tumour thrombus in the renal vein. The patient was managed with laparoscopic radical nephrectomy and excision of the sigmoid mesentery mass. At 6 months of follow-up, there is no evidence of recurrent disease.
http://ift.tt/2xGiwXC
Rare case of primary leiomyosarcoma of sigmoid mesocolon
We experienced a rare case of primary leiomyosarcoma of sigmoid mesentery. A 45-year-old woman was presented to us with left iliac fossa mass and discomfort for 4-month duration. CT scan of abdomen and pelvis revealed a huge mass 14 cmx14 cmx16 cm occupying left iliac fossa mimicked having a large left ovarian carcinoma. She was subsequently planned for elective total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy by gynaecology team. During laparotomy, a huge mass was revealed arising from sigmoid mesentery invaded to the left lower ureter. Curative resection was done and pathological findings show the tumour being leiomyosarcoma with immunohistochemistry tests on caldesmon, desmin, smooth muscle actin and CD34 reagent all positive. Clinicopathological and literature review of this rare primary leiomyosarcoma of mesocolon was discussed in our case presentation
http://ift.tt/2jvqSel
Novel fabrication of nano functionalized amorphous tungsten oxide coatings with colorful superamphiphobic surface study
Publication date: 5 December 2017
Source:Materials & Design, Volume 135
Author(s): Bingbing Xia, Hongtao Liu, Yinan Fan, Tianchi Chen, Chao Chen, Bo Wang
Fabrication of surfaces with capability of repelling both water and oil is badly needed. Meanwhile, the widespread use of nanomaterials has also attracted great interest in this field. In this paper, we provided novel methods to synthesize nano amorphous tungsten oxide coatings on Al-Mg metals. After modification with FAS-17, the surface could obtain excellent superamphiphobic abilities with lower sliding angles and higher contact angles to water and oil. In addition, outstanding anti-oil pollutant and low adhesion were obtained. Furthermore, the as-prepared superamphiphobic surfaces could survive 200cm abrasion distance under 19.6kPa pressure on 1000grid SiC sandpaper. It should be noted that this coatings could obtain different colors in different temperature. Meanwhile, we found that the droplets with lower surface energy and low viscosity are easier to bounce than the droplets with high surface energy and high viscosity. So the simple procedure and excellent superamphiphobicity about fabricating colorful tungsten oxide coatings have great potential in protecting Al-Mg metal and have potential applied in signals which need to prevent wetting or pollution by water and oils. On one level, this method about synthesizing nano amorphous tungsten oxide also has more promising using in other fields.
Graphical abstract
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Microstructural evolution and properties of TLP diffusion bonding super-Ni/NiCr laminated composite to Ti-6Al-4V alloy with Cu interlayer
Publication date: 5 December 2017
Source:Materials & Design, Volume 135
Author(s): Kun Liu, Yajiang Li, Chunzhi Xia, Juan Wang
Transient liquid phase (TLP) diffusion bonding super-Ni/NiCr laminated composite to Ti-6Al-4V alloy was performed at 950°C with the pressure of 5MPa. Two configurations (super-Ni/Cu/Ti-6Al-4V and Ni80Cr20/Cu/Ti-6Al-4V) were designed to explore interfacial microstructure evolution and mechanical properties. Results showed that the joint of laminated composite and Ti-6Al-4V alloy was mainly divided into two diffusion layers and a reaction layer. The interface was composed of Ni(Cu), Cu(Ni), Ti2Cu, TiCu, Ti3Cu4, Ti2Cu3 and Ti-Cu eutectic microstructure. The width of each layer increased with prolonging the bonding time and the growth rate of interfacial layers was dominated by the diffusion rate of alloying elements i.e. Cu, Ni and Ti. The maximum value of shear strength for both two configurations was about 58MPa.
Graphical abstract
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Long-Term Antithyroid Drug Treatment: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
http://ift.tt/2x9lBxH
Th9 cells promote antitumor immunity via IL-9 and IL-21 and demonstrate atypical cytokine expression in breast cancer
Publication date: November 2017
Source:International Immunopharmacology, Volume 52
Author(s): Fa-Ping You, Jian Zhang, Tao Cui, Rui Zhu, Chong-Qing Lv, Hai-Tao Tang, Di-Wen Sun
Breast cancer is a major cause of cancer-related death in women. Antitumor T cell responses play critical therapeutic roles, including direct cytotoxicity mediated by CD8+ T cells and immunomodulatory roles mediated by CD4+ T cells. The IL-9-expressing Th9 cells are recently found to present antitumor immunity in melanoma and lung adenocarcinoma. In this study, we found that IL-9 expression in the serum and in circulating CD4+ T cells were significantly upregulated in breast cancer patients compared to healthy controls. The IL-9-expressing Th9 cells were enriched in the CCR4−CCR6−CXCR3− subset. Upon TCR stimulation, this subset also presented potent IL-10 and IL-21 expression in addition to IL-9 expression. CCR4−CCR6−CXCR3− CD4+ T cells also assisted in the killing of autologous tumor cells by CD8+ T cells, but did not initiate cytotoxicity by themselves. This enhancement in CD8+ T cell-mediated cytotoxicity was dependent on IL-9 as well as on IL-21. Interestingly, the tumor-infiltrating Th9 cells presented comparable IL-9, reduced IL-10, and elevated IL-21 expression compared with their counterparts in the peripheral blood. Together, these results demonstrated that IL-9-expressing Th9 cells were upregulated in breast cancer patients and potentially possessed antitumor roles by enhancing CD8+ T cell-mediated cytotoxicity.
http://ift.tt/2x9Mi5x
Long-Term Antithyroid Drug Treatment: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
http://ift.tt/2x9lBxH
Radioactive seed migration following parotid gland interstitial brachytherapy
Source:Brachytherapy
Author(s): Yi Fan, Ming-wei Huang, Yi-jiao Zhao, Hong Gao, Jian-Guo Zhang
PurposeTo evaluate the incidence and associated factors of pulmonary seed migration after parotid brachytherapy using a novel migrated seed detection technique.Methods and MaterialsPatients diagnosed with parotid cancer who underwent permanent parotid brachytherapy from January 2006 to December 2011 were reviewed retrospectively. Head and neck CT scans and chest X-rays were evaluated during routine follow-up. Mimics software and Geomagic Studio software were used for seed reconstruction and migrated seed detection from the original implanted region, respectively. Postimplant dosimetry analysis was performed after seeds migration if the seeds were still in their emitting count. Adverse clinical sequelae from seed embolization to the lung were documented.ResultsThe radioactive seed implants were identified on chest X-rays in 6 patients. The incidence rate of seed migration in 321 parotid brachytherapy patients was 1.87% (6/321) and that of individual seed migration was 0.04% (6/15218 seeds). All migrated seeds were originally from the retromandibular region. No adverse dosimetric consequences were found in the target region. Pulmonary symptoms were not reported by any patient in this study.ConclusionsIn our patient set, migration of radioactive seeds with an initial radioactivity of 0.6–0.7 mCi to the chest following parotid brachytherapy was rare. Late migration of a single seed from the central target region did not affect the dosimetry significantly, and patients did not have severe short-term complications. This study proposed a novel technique to localize the anatomical origin of the migrated seeds during brachytherapy. Our evidence suggested that placement of seeds adjacent to blood vessels was associated with an increased likelihood of seed migration to the lungs.
http://ift.tt/2fqvOwF
Dangling regimes after free flap reconstruction of the lower limb; further evidence is required
We read with interest the recent systematic review by McGhee et al.1 on flap survival and morbidity following early post-operative rehabilitation after lower limb free flap reconstruction, where it was concluded that post-operative dangling confers physiological benefit in flap healing.
http://ift.tt/2fcqPTg
Information content of dendritic spines after motor learning
Source:Behavioural Brain Research, Volume 336
Author(s): Davide Viggiano, Luisa Speranza, Marianna Crispino, Gian Carlo Bellenchi, Umberto di Porzio, Attilio Iemolo, Elvira De Leonibus, Floriana Volpicelli, Carla Perrone-Capano
Dendritic spines, small protrusions emerging from the dendrites of most excitatory synapses in the mammalian brain, are highly dynamic structures and their shape and number is continuously modulated by memory formation and other adaptive changes of the brain.In this study, using a behavioral paradigm of motor learning, we applied the non-linear analysis of dendritic spines to study spine complexity along dendrites of cortical and subcortical neural systems, such as the basal ganglia, that sustain important motor learning processes.We show that, after learning, the spine organization has greater complexity, as indexed by the maximum Lyapunov exponent (LyE). The positive value of the exponent demonstrates that the system is chaotic, while recurrence plots show that the system is not simply composed by random noise, but displays quasi-periodic behavior. The increase in the maximum LyE and in the system entropy after learning was confirmed by the modification of the reconstructed trajectories in phase-space. Our results suggest that the remodeling of spines, as a result of a chaotic and non-random dynamical process along dendrites, may be a general feature associated with the structural plasticity underlying processes such as long-term memory maintenance.Furthermore, this work indicates that the non-linear method is a very useful tool to allow the detection of subtle stimulus-induced changes in dendritic spine dynamics, giving a key contribution to the study of the relationship between structure and function of spines.
http://ift.tt/2ydI3EF
For Irritating Itch, a Promising Option Under Scrutiny
Investigational serlopitant afforded clinical trial patients quick relief for a variety of pruritis-characterized diseases.
Medscape Medical News
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Testing Potential Uses for Light Therapy
Green and red light therapies explored to treat migraines and skin conditions.
WebMD Health News
http://ift.tt/2f9bNh7
How Is the Serial Order of a Visual Sequence Represented? Insights From Transposition Latencies.
Author: Hurlstone, Mark J.; Hitch, Graham J.
DOI: 10.1037/xlm0000440
Publication Date: POST AUTHOR CORRECTIONS, 14 September 2017
http://ift.tt/2w0vI4W
Olfactory deficits decrease the time resolution for trigeminal lateralization
Source:International Journal of Psychophysiology
Author(s): A. Oleszkiewicz, T. Meusel, M. Güpfert, B. Westermann, T. Hummel, A. Welge-Lüssen
ObjectivesTo date the temporal resolution of the detection of almost simultaneously applied intranasal trigeminal stimuli is unknown. The aim of our study was to examine this temporal resolution in an/hyposmic subjects, who are known to have reduced trigeminal sensitivity and compare it with healthy controls.MethodsParticipants were 20 posttraumatic an/hyposmic patients, and 23 healthy controls (matched with regard to sex and age). Olfactory function was tested psychophysically using the Sniffin´ Sticks test battery. Bilateral trigeminal stimulation was carried out using a birhinal high-precision olfactometer. The trigeminal stimulus used was CO₂ 60% v/v, the interstimulus interval ranged from 28 to 32s, stimulus duration was 200ms. Time-lags tested between right and left side of stimulation were at 40, 80, 120, 160 and 200ms. Subjects raised their left or right hand to indicate the side on which the stimulus had been perceived first.ResultsIn both groups the accuracy in the trigeminal lateralization task increased with the time-lag but normosmic subjects significantly outperformed an/hyposmics in the 200ms time-lag condition. Normosmics significantly exceeded 50% chance level at the time-lag of 80ms, whereas an/hyposmics were only able to score above chance starting from 120ms time-lag. Lateralization scores significantly decreased with age.ConclusionsAt a time lag of 200ms intranasal trigeminal stimuli can be lateralized. The reduced trigeminal sensitivity in patients with anosmia or hyposmia leads to an increased time lag required for correct perception of intranasal, almost simultaneously, applied stimuli.
http://ift.tt/2x9cc9C
Parity and Risk of Thyroid Cancer: a Population-Based Study in Lithuania
Abstract
An association between parity and thyroid cancer risk has been investigated in a number of independent studies but yielded contradictory findings. The aim of this study was to explore the association between parity and thyroid cancer risk. The population-based cohort study in Lithuanian was conducted. The study dataset based on the linkages between all records from the 2001 population census, all cancer incidence records from the Lithuanian Cancer Registry, and all death and emigration records from Statistics Lithuania for the period between 6 April 2001 and 31 December 2009. Cox's proportional hazards regression models were used to estimate the hazard ratios (HRs) for parity, age at first birth, number of children, place of residence, education, and age at census. The cohort of 868,105 women was followed for 8.6 years, and 1775 thyroid cancer cases were diagnosed during the study period. The significantly higher thyroid cancer risk was observed among parous women (HR = 1.45, 95% CI: 1.20, 1.75) and in women with 1, 2, and 3 children, after adjusting for the possible confounding effects of relevant demographic variables. The findings of this study are consistent with the hypothesis that parity might be associated with the risk of thyroid cancer in women.
http://ift.tt/2ydzUjj
The impact of intraoperative opioid use on survival after oral cancer surgery
Publication date: November 2017
Source:Oral Oncology, Volume 74
Author(s): Miguel A. Patino, Rafael E. Ramirez, Carlos A. Perez, Lei Feng, Pranav Kataria, Jeffrey Myers, Juan P. Cata
ObjectivesTo investigate the impact of opioid use on cancer recurrence after oral cancer surgery. We hypothesized that the amount of opioids administered during oral cancer surgery is an independent predictor of recurrence free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS).MethodsAfter Institutional Review Board approval, we collected demographic, tumor related, intraoperative and survival data of patients who had oral cancer surgery. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were used to determine the impact of important covariates on RFS and OS.Results268 patients were included. After adjusting for significant covariates, the amount of opioids administered during surgery was not an independent predictor of RFS (HR: 1.27 [CI 95%, 0.838–1.924], p=0.26). However, we observed an association between opioid consumption and shorter OS (HR=1.77, [CI 95%=0.995–3.149]. p=0.05).ConclusionsHigh requirements of opioids during surgery increase the risk of recurrence and mortality by 27% and 77%, although the association is not statically significant.
http://ift.tt/2jrthXi
Learning with three factors: modulating Hebbian plasticity with errors
Source:Current Opinion in Neurobiology, Volume 46
Author(s): Łukasz Kuśmierz, Takuya Isomura, Taro Toyoizumi
Synaptic plasticity is a central theme in neuroscience. A framework of three-factor learning rules provides a powerful abstraction, helping to navigate through the abundance of models of synaptic plasticity. It is well-known that the dopamine modulation of learning is related to reward, but theoretical models predict other functional roles of the modulatory third factor; it may encode errors for supervised learning, summary statistics of the population activity for unsupervised learning or attentional feedback. Specialized structures may be needed in order to generate and propagate third factors in the neural network.
http://ift.tt/2x9cgWJ
(Reinforcement?) Learning to forage optimally
Source:Current Opinion in Neurobiology, Volume 46
Author(s): Nils Kolling, Thomas Akam
Foraging effectively is critical to the survival of all animals and this imperative is thought to have profoundly shaped brain evolution. Decisions made by foraging animals often approximate optimal strategies, but the learning and decision mechanisms generating these choices remain poorly understood. Recent work with laboratory foraging tasks in humans suggest their behaviour is poorly explained by model-free reinforcement learning, with simple heuristic strategies better describing behaviour in some tasks, and in others evidence of prospective prediction of the future state of the environment. We suggest that model-based average reward reinforcement learning may provide a common framework for understanding these apparently divergent foraging strategies.
http://ift.tt/2wvXAgR
BRAEBON sets new sleep apnea record in official Malaysian Book of Records: 110 Military Veterans Take Part In Sleep Apnea Test In State of Perak
New sleep apnea testing record using MediByte equipment in official Malaysian Book of Records: 110 Military Veterans Take Part In Sleep Apnea Test In State of Perak
LUMUT, MALAYSIA: A total of 110 military veterans in Perak participated in the largest sleep apnoea test to raise public awareness on the danger of the disorder as well as to educate them on the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment.
Braebon Malaysia Sdn Bhd President, Jojo Chegne said the test was carried out because one in three Malaysians aged 45 years and above had snoring problems with the possibility of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) syndrome.
He said the participants, who were the members of the Perak Malaysian Armed Forces Veterans Association (PVATM), aged between 45 and 76, underwent the test at the Swiss Garden hotel in Segari last night.
"Before they went to sleep, all of them were hooked up to the apnoea testing equipment called Medibyte Jr, to record their breathing patterns, snoring, oxygen levels, heart rate, chest movements and sleep position," he said here today.
Mr. Chegne said the test revealed that 34% of the participants had severe sleep apnoea with as many as 45 pauses in breathing per hour while sleeping.
"This causes a lack of oxygen in the blood and brain which can lead to many other health problems.
"In fact, the lack of oxygen especially in the brain can be fatal if left untreated," Jojo said.
He said those suffering from OSA would experience between 10 and 60 seconds of breathing pauses each time, and up to 400 times each night.
People with OSA often wake up suddenly due to shortness of breath, he added.
Take a closer look at the Technology behind BRAEBON Click Here
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Review of breast augmentation and reconstruction for the radiologist with emphasis on MRI
Publication date: January–February 2018
Source:Clinical Imaging, Volume 47
Author(s): Lauren A. Green, Jillian A. Karow, Jordan E. Toman, Antonella Lostumbo, Karen Xie
It is imperative to continue screening for breast cancer and/or detect tumor recurrence in patients after they have undergone breast augmentation or reconstruction. As there is an increasing role for both screening and diagnostic imaging of the post-operative breast, it is important for the radiologist to be familiar with the commonly performed surgical techniques in breast augmentation and reconstruction. Imaging of the augmented and reconstructed breast, as well as complications, will be reviewed with a focus on Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI).
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Chlorin e6-mediated photodynamic therapy promotes collagen production and suppresses MMPs expression via modulating AP-1 signaling in P. acnes-stimulated HaCaT cells
Publication date: December 2017
Source:Photodiagnosis and Photodynamic Therapy, Volume 20
Author(s): A-Reum Ryu, Mi-Young Lee
BackgroundPhotodynamic therapy (PDT) is a clinically approved therapeutic for cancers and non-neoplastic diseases, based on the use of a photosensitizer activated by light. The feasibility of PDT depends on several factors, such as PDT dose, photosensitizer efficacy, type of light source, and target tissue irradiated.MethodsIn this study, the second generation photosensitizer chlorin e6 (Ce6) and halogen light were used to investigate their PDT effect on the collagen production and MMPs expression of heat killed P. acnes-stimulated HaCaT cells. The mRNA levels of COL1A1, c-Jun, and c-Fos were detected by RT-PCR. The protein levels of MMPs, ERK and JNK were detected by western blot. The transactivation of AP-1 was detected by luciferase assay.ResultsCe6-based PDT markedly upregulated the mRNA level of COL1A1 and type I procollagen level; and at the same time downregulated the expression of MMPs in P. acnes-infected HaCaT cells. Moreover, Ce6-mediated PDT, in a dose dependent manner, inhibited P. acnes-induced phosphorylation of JNK and ERK, as wells as the phosphorylation of their downstream targets c-Jun and c-Fos. P. acnes-induced mRNA expression of c-Jun and c-Fos were also suppressed by Ce6-mediated PDT. The transactivation of AP-1 induced by P. acnes infection was also downregulated.ConclusionThese results indicated that Ce6-mediated PDT with halogen light enhanced collagen production, but inhibited the expression of MMPs in P. acnes-infected HaCaT cells, by regulating AP-1 signals. This investigation provided the first molecular basis for the increase in collagen production by Ce6-mediated PDT, suggesting its potential use for scar amelioration and skin rejuvenation in acne treatment.
Graphical abstract
http://ift.tt/2x3dmUL
Highly sensitive surface plasmon resonance biosensor for the detection of HIV-related DNA based on dynamic and structural DNA nanodevices
Source:Biosensors and Bioelectronics, Volume 100
Author(s): Wei Diao, Min Tang, Shijia Ding, Xinmin Li, Wenbin Cheng, Fei Mo, Xiaoyu Yan, Hongmin Ma, Yurong Yan
Early detection, diagnosis and treatment of human immune deficiency virus (HIV) infection is the key to reduce acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) mortality. In our research, an innovative surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensing strategy has been developed for highly sensitive detection of HIV-related DNA based on entropy-driven strand displacement reactions (ESDRs) and double-layer DNA tetrahedrons (DDTs). ESDRs as enzyme-free and label-free signal amplification circuit can be specifically triggered by target DNA, leading to the cyclic utilization of target DNA and the formation of plentiful double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) products. Subsequently, the dsDNA products bind to the immobilized hairpin capture probes and further combine with DDTs nanostructures. Due to the high efficiency of ESDRs and large molecular weight of DDTs, the SPR response signal was enhanced dramatically. The proposed SPR biosensor could detect target DNA sensitively and specifically in a linear range from 1pM to 150nM with a detection limit of 48fM. In addition, the whole detecting process can be accomplished in 60min with high accuracy and duplicability. In particular, the developed SPR biosensor was successfully used to analyze target DNA in complex biological sample, indicating that the developed strategy is promising for rapid and early clinical diagnosis of HIV infection.
http://ift.tt/2ydsoFn
Developmental Stuttering in Children Who Are Hard of Hearing
Purpose
A number of studies with large sample sizes have reported lower prevalence of stuttering in children with significant hearing loss compared to children without hearing loss. This study used a parent questionnaire to investigate the characteristics of stuttering (e.g., incidence, prevalence, and age of onset) in children who are hard of hearing (CHH). Method
Three hundred three parents of CHH who participated in the Outcomes of Children With Hearing Loss study (Moeller & Tomblin, 2015) were sent questionnaires asking about their child's history of stuttering. Results
One hundred ninety-four parents of CHH responded to the survey. Thirty-three CHH were reported to have stuttered at one point in time (an incidence of 17.01%), and 10 children were still stuttering at the time of survey submission (a prevalence of 5.15%). Compared to estimates in the general population, this sample displayed a significantly higher incidence and prevalence. The age of onset, recovery rate, and other characteristics were similar to hearing children. Conclusions
Based on this sample, mild to moderately severe hearing loss does not appear to be a protective factor for stuttering in the preschool years. In fact, the incidence and prevalence of stuttering may be higher in this population compared to the general population. Despite the significant speech and language needs that children with mild to moderately severe hearing loss may have, speech-language pathologists should appropriately prioritize stuttering treatment as they would in the hearing population. Supplemental Material
http://ift.tt/2x5UlyFhttp://article/doi/10.1044/2017_LSHSS-17-0028/2654658/Developmental-Stuttering-in-Children-Who-Are-Hard
Guidance Statement on BRCA1/2 Tumor Testing in Ovarian Cancer Patients
Publication date: Available online 15 September 2017
Source:Seminars in Oncology
Author(s): Ettore Capoluongo, Gillian Ellison, José Antonio López-Guerrero, Frederique Penault-Llorca, Marjolijn J.L. Ligtenberg, Susana Banerjee, Christian Singer, Eitan Friedman, Birgid Markiefka, Peter Schirmacher, Reinhard Büttner, Christi J. van Asperen, Isabelle Ray-Coquard, Volker Endris, Suzanne Kamel-Reid, Natalie Percival, Jane Bryce, Benno Röthlisberger, Richie Soong, David Gonzalez de Castro
The approval in 2015 of the first poly(adenosine diphosphate-ribose) polymerase inhibitor (PARPi; olaparib [Lynparza™]) for platinum-sensitive relapsed high-grade ovarian cancer with either germline or somatic BRCA1/2 deleterious mutations is changing the way that BRCA1/2 testing services are offered to patients with ovarian cancer. Ovarian cancer patients are now being referred for BRCA1/2 genetic testing for treatment decisions, in addition to familial risk estimation, and irrespective of a family history of breast/ovarian cancer. Furthermore, testing of tumor samples to identify the estimated 3–9% of patients with somatic BRCA1/2 mutations who, in addition to germline carriers, could benefit from PARPi therapy is also now being considered. This new testing paradigm poses some challenges, in particular the technical and analytical difficulties of analyzing chemically challenged DNA derived from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded specimens. In this manuscript, we review some of these challenges and technical recommendations to consider when undertaking BRCA1/2 testing in tumor tissue samples to detect both germline and somatic BRCA1/2 mutations. Also provided are considerations for incorporating genetic analysis of ovarian tumor samples into the patient pathway and ethical requirements.
http://ift.tt/2jxroIO
Erratum to: Allergen immunotherapy for allergic asthma: protocol for a systematic review
Unfortunately this article [1] was published with an error in the Funding section. The BM4SIT project is not acknowledged. This section should be corrected to the below:
http://ift.tt/2jwWP5P
Erratum to: Allergen immunotherapy for allergic rhinoconjunctivitis: protocol for a systematic review
Unfortunately this article [1] was published with an error in the Funding section. The BM4SIT project is not acknowledged. This section should be corrected to the below:
http://ift.tt/2xF69uK
Erratum to: Allergen immunotherapy for IgE-mediated food allergy: protocol for a systematic review
Unfortunately this article [1] was published with an error in the Funding section. The BM4SIT project is not acknowledged. This section should be corrected to the below:
http://ift.tt/2jzeev1
Erratum to: Allergen immunotherapy for insect venom allergy: protocol for a systematic review
Unfortunately this article [1] was published with an error in the Funding section. The BM4SIT project is not acknowledged. This section should be corrected to the below:
http://ift.tt/2xFFvC7
Erratum to: Allergen immunotherapy for allergic asthma: protocol for a systematic review
Unfortunately this article [1] was published with an error in the Funding section. The BM4SIT project is not acknowledged. This section should be corrected to the below:
http://ift.tt/2jwWP5P
Erratum to: Allergen immunotherapy for allergic rhinoconjunctivitis: protocol for a systematic review
Unfortunately this article [1] was published with an error in the Funding section. The BM4SIT project is not acknowledged. This section should be corrected to the below:
http://ift.tt/2xF69uK
Erratum to: Allergen immunotherapy for IgE-mediated food allergy: protocol for a systematic review
Unfortunately this article [1] was published with an error in the Funding section. The BM4SIT project is not acknowledged. This section should be corrected to the below:
http://ift.tt/2jzeev1
Erratum to: Allergen immunotherapy for insect venom allergy: protocol for a systematic review
Unfortunately this article [1] was published with an error in the Funding section. The BM4SIT project is not acknowledged. This section should be corrected to the below:
http://ift.tt/2xFFvC7
Emotional eating is related with temperament but not with stress biomarkers in preschool children
Source:Appetite, Volume 120
Author(s): Nadine Messerli-Bürgy, Kerstin Stülb, Tanja H. Kakebeeke, Amar Arhab, Annina E. Zysset, Claudia S. Leeger-Aschmann, Einat A. Schmutz, Andrea H. Meyer, Ulrike Ehlert, David Garcia-Burgos, Susi Kriemler, Oskar G. Jenni, Jardena J. Puder, Simone Munsch
Emotional eating (EE) corresponds to a change in eating behavior in response to distress and results in an increase of food intake (overeating (EOE)) or in food avoidance (undereating (EUE)). EE has been related to temperament (i.e. negative emotionality) and dysregulated stress biomarkers in school-aged children; parenting has been understood to influence this relationship in older children. The aim of the study was to investigate to which extent stress biomarkers and negative emotionality are related to EE and to understand the role of parenting in this relationship. The sample consisted of 271 children aged 2–6 years of the Swiss cohort study SPLASHY. We assessed the child's EE, negative emotionality and parenting by parent based reports. Salivary samples were collected over two days to analyze cortisol and salivary alpha-amylase levels. From the whole sample of children, 1.1% showed EOE and 32.9% EUE. Negative emotionality was related to EOE and EUE (0.13 (CI 0.06, 021), p < 0.001; 0.25 (CI 0.14, 0.35), p < 0.001). There was no relationship between stress biomarkers and EE and parenting had any moderating role (all p > 0.05). Similar to a Danish study, parents reported more often EUE than EOE of their child. Both are related to the temperament. Even though the course of EE has not yet been well documented, we conclude that a certain subgroup of children with difficult temperament could be at-risk for eat and weight regulation problems in later childhood.
http://ift.tt/2ydJQJH
Easy-going, rational, susceptible and struggling eaters: A segmentation study based on eating behaviour tendencies
Source:Appetite, Volume 120
Author(s): Saara Pentikäinen, Anne Arvola, Leila Karhunen, Kyösti Pennanen
Eating behaviour tendencies, emotional eating (EE), uncontrolled eating (UE) and cognitive restraint (CR), are associated with various indicators of physical and mental health. Therefore, it is important to understand these tendencies in order to design interventions to improve health. Previous research has mostly examined eating behaviour tendencies individually, without considering typical combinations of these tendencies or their manifestation in well-being and food choices. This study aimed to understand the interactive occurrence of EE, UE and CR in two independent populations. Finnish (n = 1060) and German (n = 1070) samples were segmented on the basis of their responses to a modified Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ-R15). Well-being, coping strategies and food consumption habits of the segments were studied.Segmentation revealed four segments: "Susceptible", "Easy-going", "Rational" and "Struggling". These segments were similar in both countries with regard to well-being, coping strategies and food choices.EE and UE co-occurred, and these tendencies were mainly responsible for differentiating the segments. Members of the "Rational" and "Easy-going" segments, who had low scores for EE and UE, tended to experience vitality and positive emotions in life, and contentment with their eating. By contrast, the "Susceptible" and "Struggling" segments, with more pronounced tendencies towards EE and UE, experienced lower levels of vitality and less frequently positive emotions, applied less adaptive coping strategies and experienced more discontent with eating.The results of the current study suggest that it is possible to identify segments, with differing eating habits, coping strategies and well-being on the basis of the eating behaviour tendencies EE, UE and CR. We discuss possible viewpoints for the design of interventions and food products to help people towards psychologically and physiologically healthier eating styles.
http://ift.tt/2vZ0HOT
Learned pleasure from eating: An opportunity to promote healthy eating in children?
Source:Appetite, Volume 120
Author(s): Lucile Marty, Stéphanie Chambaron, Sophie Nicklaus, Sandrine Monnery-Patris
Across the lifespan, eating is a common everyday act driven by the search for pleasure and reinforced by experienced pleasure. Pleasure is an innate indicator of the satisfaction of physiological needs, in addition to other attributes. Pleasure from eating is also learned and contributes to the development of children's eating habits, which remain mostly stable until adulthood. Based on classical models of determinants of food consumption behaviour, we identified three dimensions of pleasure from eating learned during childhood: 1/the sensory dimension, i.e., pleasure from sensory sensations during food consumption; 2/the interpersonal dimension, i.e., pleasure from the social context of food consumption; and 3/the psychosocial dimension, i.e., pleasure from cognitive representations of food. The objective of this narrative review is to explore whether these three dimensions may play a role in promotion of healthy eating behaviour among children. Up to now, it was assumed that providing nutritional information, pointing out which types of foods are "good" or "bad" for health, would drive healthier food choices in children. Today, we know that such strategies based on a cognitive approach toward eating have a limited impact on healthy choices and can even be counter-productive, leading children to avoid healthy foods. In the context of increasing rates of childhood obesity, new perspectives are needed to build efficient interventions that might help children adopt a healthy diet. This review suggests new directions for further research to test the efficacy of novel interventions that emphasize pleasure from eating.
http://ift.tt/2fo1LWs
DNA methylation patterns at sweet taste transducing genes are associated with BMI and carbohydrate intake in an adult population
Source:Appetite, Volume 120
Author(s): O. Ramos-Lopez, A. Arpón, J.I. Riezu-Boj, F.I. Milagro, M.L. Mansego, J.A. Martinez
Individual differences in taste perception may influence appetite, dietary intakes, and subsequently, disease risk. Correlations of DNA methylation patterns at taste transducing genes with BMI and dietary intakes were studied. A nutriepigenomic analysis within the Methyl Epigenome Network Association (MENA) project was conducted in 474 adults. DNA methylation in peripheral white blood cells was analyzed by a microarray approach. KEGG pathway analyses were performed concerning the characterization and discrimination of genes involved in the taste transduction pathway. Adjusted FDR values (p < 0.0001) were used to select those CpGs that showed best correlation with BMI. A total of 29 CpGs at taste transducing genes met the FDR criteria. However, only 12 CpGs remained statistically significant after linear regression analyses adjusted for age and sex. These included cg15743657 (TAS1R2), cg02743674 (TRPM5), cg01790523 (SCN9A), cg15947487 (CALHM1), cg11658986 (ADCY6), cg04149773 (ADCY6), cg02841941 (P2RY1), cg02315111 (P2RX2), cg08273233 (HTR1E), cg14523238 (GABBR2), cg12315353 (GABBR1) and cg05579652 (CACNA1C). Interestingly, most of them were implicated in the sweet taste signaling pathway, except CACNA1C (sour taste). In addition, TAS1R2 methylation at cg15743657 was strongly correlated with total energy (p < 0.0001) and carbohydrate intakes (p < 0.0001). This study suggests that methylation in genes related to sweet taste could be an epigenetic mechanism associated with obesity.
http://ift.tt/2ydwc9B
Parental feeding behavior in relation to children's tasting behavior: An observational study
Source:Appetite, Volume 120
Author(s): Ellen Moens, Lien Goossens, Sandra Verbeken, Laura Vandeweghe, Caroline Braet
Children's eating habits are shaped in part by parental feeding practices. While maladaptive practices have already received a lot of research attention, the effects of adaptive strategies, especially in elementary school aged children of different weight status, are less examined. This study examines how parents (1) model and (2) encourage their child to taste an unknown food. Thereby, attention is paid to the distinction between encouraging what (i.e. adaptive type of encouragement) and the amount (i.e. maladaptive type of encouragement) children eat/drink. Twenty-five families with a child with overweight and 30 families with a child of healthy weight (7–13 years) participated in a taste task. Both the child's tasting behavior and the parents' modelling and encouragement behavior were observed and related to the child's age and weight status. As 94.3% of the children tasted the unknown food, weight status differences between tasters and non-tasters could not be investigated. Only 26.9% of the parents used modelling to enhance tasting behavior; this was unrelated to age and weight status. 77.4% of the parents encouraged their children to taste (encouragement of what children eat/drink), and this was significantly more prevalent in parents of younger children and of healthy-weight children. 21.1% of the parents also encouraged their children to finish the juice (encouragement of amount children eat/drink) and this was also more prevalent in parents of the healthy-weight group. These results evidenced that parental modelling is not often used to enhance tasting behavior in children. In contrast, parental encouragement was frequently observed, especially in parents of younger children and of healthy-weight children. Encouragement, however, seems difficult to measure and more research on adaptive parental encouragement is needed.
http://ift.tt/2wg2dk3
Can attentional bias modification inoculate people to withstand exposure to real-world food cues?
Source:Appetite, Volume 120
Author(s): Eva Kemps, Marika Tiggemann, Ebony Stewart-Davis
Two experiments investigated whether attentional bias modification can inoculate people to withstand exposure to real-world appetitive food cues, namely television advertisements for chocolate products. Using a modified dot probe task, undergraduate women were trained to direct their attention toward (attend) or away from (avoid) chocolate pictures. Experiment 1 (N = 178) consisted of one training session; Experiment 2 (N = 161) included 5 weekly sessions. Following training, participants viewed television advertisements of chocolate or control products. They then took part in a so-called taste test as a measure of chocolate consumption. Attentional bias for chocolate was measured before training and after viewing the advertisements, and in Experiment 2 also at 24-h and 1-week follow-up. In Experiment 2, but not Experiment 1, participants in the avoid condition showed a significant reduction in attentional bias for chocolate, regardless of whether they had been exposed to advertisements for chocolate or control products. However, this inoculation effect on attentional bias did not generalise to chocolate intake. Future research involving more extensive attentional re-training may be needed to ascertain whether the inoculation effect on attentional bias can extend to consumption, and thus help people withstand exposure to real-world palatable food cues.
http://ift.tt/2vZfr08
Is higher formula intake and limited dietary diversity in Australian children at 14 months of age associated with dietary quality at 24 months?
Source:Appetite, Volume 120
Author(s): Rebecca Byrne, Mei En Joy Yeo, Kimberley Mallan, Anthea Magarey, Lynne Daniels
A varied and diverse diet in childhood supports optimum long-term preferences and growth. Previous analysis from 14-month-old Australian children in the NOURISH and South Australian Infants Dietary Intake (SAIDI) studies found higher formula intake was associated with lower dietary diversity. This analysis investigated whether formula intake and dietary diversity at 14 months of age is associated with dietary quality at 24 months.This is a secondary analysis of intake data from NOURISH and SAIDI cohorts. Scores for dietary diversity, fruit variety, vegetable variety and meat/alternative variety were combined using structural equation modelling to form the latent variable 'Dietary quality' (DQ) at age 24 months. A longitudinal model examined influence of formula (grams), cow's milk (grams) and dietary diversity at 14 months and covariates, on DQ.At age 24 months (n = 337) 27% of children obtained a maximum dietary diversity score (5/5). Variety scores were relatively low – with mean variety scores (and possible range) being four for fruit (0–30); five for vegetables (0–36); and three for meat/alternatives (0–8). Dietary diversity at 14 months (β = 0.19, p = 0.001), maternal age (β = 0.24, p < 0.001) and education (β = 0.22, p < 0.001) predicted DQ at 24 months while Child Food Neophobia Score was negatively associated with DQ (β = −0.30, p < 0.001). Formula intake was negatively associated with diversity at 14 months, but not DQ at 24.Diversity and variety were limited despite sociodemographic advantage of the sample. Diversity at 14 months, degree of neophobia and sociodemographic factors predicted DQ at 24 months. There is an ongoing need to emphasise the importance of repeated early exposure to healthy foods, such that children have the opportunity to learn to like a range of tastes and texture, thereby maximising dietary diversity and quality in infancy and early toddlerhood.
http://ift.tt/2ye9OfY
Perceived impact of smaller compared with larger-sized bottles of sugar-sweetened beverages on consumption: A qualitative analysis
Publication date: 1 January 2018
Source:Appetite, Volume 120
Author(s): Eleni Mantzari, Gareth J. Hollands, Rachel Pechey, Susan Jebb, Theresa M. Marteau
Sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption increases obesity risk and is linked to adverse health consequences. Large packages increase food consumption, but most evidence comes from studies comparing larger with standard packages, resulting in uncertainty regarding the impact of smaller packages. There is also little research on beverages. This qualitative study explores the experiences of consuming cola from smaller compared with larger bottles, to inform intervention strategies.Sixteen households in Cambridge, England, participating in a feasibility study assessing the impact of bottle size on in-home SSB consumption, received a set amount of cola each week for four weeks in one of four bottle sizes: 1500 ml, 1000 ml, 500 ml, or 250 ml, in random order. At the study end, household representatives were interviewed about their experiences of using each bottle, including perceptions of i) consumption level; ii) consumption-related behaviours; and iii) factors affecting consumption. Interviews were semi-structured and data analysed using the Framework approach. The present analysis focuses specifically on experiences relating to use of the smaller bottles.The smallest bottles were described as increasing drinking occasion frequency and encouraging consumption of numerous bottles in succession. Factors described as facilitating their consumption were: i) convenience and portability; ii) greater numbers of bottles available, which hindered consumption monitoring and control; iii) perceived insufficient quantity per bottle; and iv) positive attitudes. In a minority of cases the smallest bottles were perceived to have reduced consumption, but this was related to practical issues with the bottles that resulted in dislike.The perception of greater consumption and qualitative reports of drinking habits associated with the smallest bottles raise the possibility that the 'portion size effect' has a lower threshold, beyond which smaller portions and packages may increase consumption. This reinforces the need for empirical evidence to assess the in-home impact of smaller bottles on SSB consumption.
http://ift.tt/2ydJOBz
A study on the independence of egocentric and allocentric neglect
Source:Cortex
Author(s): Nergiz Turgut, Claudia Mödden, Tanja Brumund, Paul Eling, Helmut Hildebrandt
http://ift.tt/2xpc467
Longitudinal study of accelerated long-term forgetting in children with genetic generalized epilepsy: Evidence of ongoing deficits
Source:Cortex
Author(s): Jasmin Grayson-Collins, Michael B. Gascoigne, Belinda Barton, Richard Webster, Deepak Gill, Suncica Lah
Accelerated long-term forgetting (ALF) is a recently described memory disorder characterised by adequate recall after short, but not long delays. Currently, the prevailing conceptualisation of ALF is of a seizure related phenomenon. The main aim of this study was to assess whether ALF subsides as epilepsy severity and seizures abate in children with genetic generalized epilepsy (GGE). Eighteen children with GGE were compared over time to 29 healthy controls on a range of cognitive measures. The primary outcome was a modified version of the California Verbal Learning Test for Children with a long delay (seven day) recall component. At approximately two years follow up, ALF was apparent, although epilepsy severity subsided and seizures resolved in many children. This result contrasts with the dominant conceptualisation of ALF being a seizure related phenomenon. Moreover, at follow-up, worse recall at the long delay was related to greater epilepsy severity at baseline and earlier age of seizure onset, but not to being seizure free at follow-up. While at follow-up worse recall at the long delay related to the worse baseline recall at the long delay, this recall did not relate to scores obtained on standardised memory tests at baseline. Our study suggests that ALF may not be seizure related and identifies factors associated with risk of ALF in children with GGE.
http://ift.tt/2h8kmpi
Hypothesis: Watershed Zones in the Human Eye are a Key for Understanding Glaucomatous Retinal Damage
Source:Medical Hypotheses
Author(s): Christian Albrecht May, Paul Rutkowski
The pathogenesis of glaucoma is complex which has led to numerous hypothesizes concerning the important factors creating this specific type of inner retinal degeneration namely apoptosis of retinal ganglion cells. We favor a primary vascular etiology and provide evidence that the pathogenesis of glaucoma should not be confined to changes exclusively at the optic nerve head but must include changes occurring in the peripheral retina with particular emphasis on the watershed zones of both the retina and choroid. This focus may help to sharpen ones awareness for early glaucoma treatment particularly in patients with minimal findings suggestive of glaucoma.
http://ift.tt/2y4vdaW
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