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BioRxiv : the Preprint Server For... Apr 2024GDF15 (growth differentiation factor 15) is a marker of cellular energetic stress linked to physical-mental illness, aging, and mortality. However, questions remain...
GDF15 (growth differentiation factor 15) is a marker of cellular energetic stress linked to physical-mental illness, aging, and mortality. However, questions remain about its dynamic properties and measurability in human biofluids other than blood. Here, we examine the natural dynamics and psychobiological regulation of plasma and saliva GDF15 in four human studies representing 4,749 samples from 188 individuals. We show that GDF15 protein is detectable in saliva (8% of plasma concentration), likely produced by salivary glands secretory duct cells. Using a brief laboratory socio-evaluative stressor paradigm, we find that psychosocial stress increases plasma (+3.5-5.9%) and saliva GDF15 (+43%) with distinct kinetics, within minutes. Moreover, saliva GDF15 exhibits a robust awakening response, declining by ~40-89% within 30-45 minutes from its peak level at the time of waking up. Clinically, individuals with genetic mitochondrial OxPhos diseases show elevated baseline plasma and saliva GDF15, and post-stress GDF15 levels in both biofluids correlate with multi-system disease severity, exercise intolerance, and the subjective experience of fatigue. Taken together, our data establish that saliva GDF15 is dynamic, sensitive to psychological states, a clinically relevant endocrine marker of mitochondrial diseases. These findings also point to a shared psychobiological pathway integrating metabolic and mental stress.
PubMed: 38659958
DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.19.590241 -
Pediatric Reports Mar 2024(1) Background: Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have shown interesting preliminary effects on self-regulation processes in early adolescence. However, programs...
(1) Background: Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have shown interesting preliminary effects on self-regulation processes in early adolescence. However, programs have typically combined different types of interventions with no understanding of the specific effect of each intervention type on attentional, emotional, and behavioral regulation. The objective of this research was to evaluate the effect of two MBIs-one focused on classic attentional practices and another focused on the recognition and expression of emotions-on attentional, emotional, and behavioral self-regulation in early adolescents. (2) Method: An experimental paradigm was used. A sample of 74 children aged between 8 and 12 years old were randomly assigned to three experimental conditions: (1) an MBI with a focus on attentional practices, (2) an MBI with a focus on recognition and expression of emotions, and (3) a control group. The interventions lasted 8 weeks, with a weekly, 1 h online synchronous session plus home practices. Children were evaluated before starting the intervention and at the end of the 8-week period. The assessed outcomes were (1) mindfulness; (2) emotional regulation; (3) attentional regulation, and (4) behavioral regulation. (3) Results: Children who participated in both intervention programs increased their mindfulness and emotional and behavioral regulation scores. Only children who participated in the MBI with a focus on attention showed significant changes in their ability to self-regulate attention. (4) Conclusions: The use of online MBIs, with attention to external and internal stimuli practices, can be a good strategy to strengthen self-regulation skills for attention, emotions, and behavior in early adolescence.
PubMed: 38651461
DOI: 10.3390/pediatric16020022 -
Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience 2024
PubMed: 38645836
DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2024.1388886 -
Journal of Environmental Management May 2024The energy crisis caused by the lack of supply from some countries involved in armed conflicts, coupled with society's continuous demand for energy production, is...
The energy crisis caused by the lack of supply from some countries involved in armed conflicts, coupled with society's continuous demand for energy production, is leading to the proposal of new energy sources, such as the development of uranium mines to increase nuclear energy production. Mine projects (MPs) trigger numerous conflicts in the local societies involved. While for some people, they represent an opportunity for development and benefits, for others these proposals are perceived as a threat and a health risk. However, energy scarcity and price increases create a social dilemma that moderates the established relationships between the perceived risks and benefits and the valuation of energy proposals. This research aims to analyze both the weight of the factors influencing the acceptance of a uranium MP and the moderating role of the energy crisis on these factors. A total of 629 people participated in this study (371 before and 258 after the energy crisis). The participants answered a questionnaire assessing their socio-demographic characteristics, beliefs about the environment, the perceived risks and benefits, and their emotional balance, as well as their level of knowledge and acceptance of the uranium mine proposal. The results show that age, gender, and level of education and knowledge both directly and indirectly influence the acceptance of a mine. In addition, the perception of risks and benefits is associated with the emotional balance generated, explaining the level of final acceptance of the proposal. The moderation-mediated energy crisis hypothesis influences the relationship between the perceived risks and acceptance of the uranium mine. The results are discussed in order to determine factors for intervention to alleviate the social conflicts created by new energy proposals.
Topics: Uranium; Mining; Humans; Surveys and Questionnaires; Male; Female; Adult
PubMed: 38631166
DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.120900 -
Alzheimer's & Dementia : the Journal of... May 2024Effective longitudinal biomarkers that track disease progression are needed to characterize the presymptomatic phase of genetic frontotemporal dementia (FTD). We...
INTRODUCTION
Effective longitudinal biomarkers that track disease progression are needed to characterize the presymptomatic phase of genetic frontotemporal dementia (FTD). We investigate the utility of cerebral perfusion as one such biomarker in presymptomatic FTD mutation carriers.
METHODS
We investigated longitudinal profiles of cerebral perfusion using arterial spin labeling magnetic resonance imaging in 42 C9orf72, 70 GRN, and 31 MAPT presymptomatic carriers and 158 non-carrier controls. Linear mixed effects models assessed perfusion up to 5 years after baseline assessment.
RESULTS
Perfusion decline was evident in all three presymptomatic groups in global gray matter. Each group also featured its own regional pattern of hypoperfusion over time, with the left thalamus common to all groups. Frontal lobe regions featured lower perfusion in those who symptomatically converted versus asymptomatic carriers past their expected age of disease onset.
DISCUSSION
Cerebral perfusion is a potential biomarker for assessing genetic FTD and its genetic subgroups prior to symptom onset.
HIGHLIGHTS
Gray matter perfusion declines in at-risk genetic frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Regional perfusion decline differs between at-risk genetic FTD subgroups . Hypoperfusion in the left thalamus is common across all presymptomatic groups. Converters exhibit greater right frontal hypoperfusion than non-converters past their expected conversion date. Cerebral hypoperfusion is a potential early biomarker of genetic FTD.
Topics: Humans; Frontotemporal Dementia; Female; Male; Middle Aged; Longitudinal Studies; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Cerebrovascular Circulation; C9orf72 Protein; tau Proteins; Gray Matter; Progranulins; Biomarkers; Disease Progression; Brain; Heterozygote; Mutation; Aged; Spin Labels; Adult
PubMed: 38623902
DOI: 10.1002/alz.13750 -
Alzheimer's & Dementia (Amsterdam,... 2024We aimed to expand the range of the frontotemporal dementia (FTD) phenotypes assessed by the Clinical Dementia Rating Dementia Staging Instrument plus National...
INTRODUCTION
We aimed to expand the range of the frontotemporal dementia (FTD) phenotypes assessed by the Clinical Dementia Rating Dementia Staging Instrument plus National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center Behavior and Language Domains (CDR plus NACC FTLD).
METHODS
Neuropsychiatric and motor domains were added to the standard CDR plus NACC FTLD generating a new CDR plus NACC FTLD-NM scale. This was assessed in 522 mutation carriers and 310 mutation-negative controls from the Genetic Frontotemporal dementia Initiative (GENFI).
RESULTS
The new scale led to higher global severity scores than the CDR plus NACC FTLD: 1.4% of participants were now considered prodromal rather than asymptomatic, while 1.3% were now considered symptomatic rather than asymptomatic or prodromal. No participants with a clinical diagnosis of an FTD spectrum disorder were classified as asymptomatic using the new scales.
DISCUSSION
Adding new domains to the CDR plus NACC FTLD leads to a scale that encompasses the wider phenotypic spectrum of FTD with further work needed to validate its use more widely.
HIGHLIGHTS
The new Clinical Dementia Rating Dementia Staging Instrument plus National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center Behavior and Language Domains neuropsychiatric and motor (CDR plus NACC FTLD-NM) rating scale was significantly positively correlated with the original CDR plus NACC FTLD and negatively correlated with the FTD Rating Scale (FRS).No participants with a clinical diagnosis in the frontotemporal dementia spectrum were classified as asymptomatic with the new CDR plus NACC FTLD-NM rating scale.Individuals had higher global severity scores with the addition of the neuropsychiatric and motor domains.A receiver operating characteristic analysis of symptomatic diagnosis showed nominally higher areas under the curve for the new scales.
PubMed: 38623386
DOI: 10.1002/dad2.12571 -
Science Progress 2024In alignment with the distributional hypothesis of language, the work "Quantum Projections on Conceptual Subspaces" (Martínez-Mingo A, Jorge-Botana G, Martinez-Huertas...
In alignment with the distributional hypothesis of language, the work "Quantum Projections on Conceptual Subspaces" (Martínez-Mingo A, Jorge-Botana G, Martinez-Huertas JÁ, et al. Quantum projections on conceptual subspaces. Cogn Syst Res 2023; 82: 101154) proposed a methodology for generating conceptual subspaces from textual information based on previous work (Martinez-Mingo A, Jorge-Botana G and Olmos R. Quantum approach for similarity evaluation in LSA vector space models. 2020). These subspaces enable the utilization of the quantum model of similarity put forth by Pothos and Busemeyer (Pothos E, Busemeyer J. A quantum probability explanation for violations of symmetry in similarity judgments. In , 2011, Vol. 33, No. 33), allowing for the empirical examination of the violations of assumptions concerning symmetry and triangular inequality (Tversky A. Features of similarity. Psychol Rev 1977; 84: 327-352; Yearsley JM, Barque-Duran A, Scerrati E, et al. The triangle inequality constraint in similarity judgments. Prog Biophys Mol Biol 2017; 130: 26-32), as well as the diagnosticity effect (Tversky A. Features of similarity. 1977; 84: 327-352; Yearsley JM, Pothos EM, Barque-Duran A, et al. Context effects in similarity judgments. 2022; 151: 711-717), within a environment. These psychological biases, deeply studied by authors such as Tversky and Kahneman, inform us about the limitations of modeling psychological similarity measures using tools from classical geometry. This commentary aims to offer methodological clarifications, discuss theoretical and practical implications, and speculate on future directions in this field of research. Concretely, it aims to propose the use of different contours (conceptual or contextual) to generate the subspaces, which lead to subspaces of terms or contexts. Once these contours are defined, a differentiation is proposed between (ATSs), (ACSs), and (AFSs) depending on whether we define the subspaces by grouping the terms or contexts within the contour, or from the latent dimensions of the semantic space obtained in the contour window. Finally, new data is provided on the violation of the triangular inequality assumption through the application of the quantum similarity model to ATSs.
PubMed: 38614464
DOI: 10.1177/00368504241238773 -
Cancers Mar 2024(1) Background: The relationship between periodontitis and systemic pathologies continues to grow. Recently, the presence of periodontal pathogens has been linked to an... (Review)
Review
(1) Background: The relationship between periodontitis and systemic pathologies continues to grow. Recently, the presence of periodontal pathogens has been linked to an increased risk of pancreatic cancer (PC) and its mortality. Thus, a systematic review is needed to identify whether an association between the two diseases can be established. The objective of this review is to elucidate the mechanisms responsible for this association. (2) Methods: A systematic review was carried out using three databases (PubMed, Embase and Scopus) with the following keywords "Periodontitis AND pancreatic cancer". A total of 653 articles were retrieved; before selection and screening, the inclusion and exclusion criteria were defined, resulting in a total of 13 articles being included in the review. (3) Results: The increase in low-grade systemic inflammation, pH changes, and the cytotoxicity of certain periodontopathogenic bacteria were found in the scientific literature reviewed as mechanisms linking periodontitis with the risk of PC. (4) Conclusions: Through this systematic review, we have seen how periodontitis can be related to PC and how it worsens its prognosis. Knowing the behavior of periodontopathogenic bacteria and the influence they have on our immune and inflammatory system may help to achieve an interdisciplinary approach to both pathologies.
PubMed: 38610935
DOI: 10.3390/cancers16071257 -
European Journal of Criminology May 2023To compare the observed and forecasted crime trends in Barcelona, using crime statistics from January 2018 to March 2021.
OBJECTIVES
To compare the observed and forecasted crime trends in Barcelona, using crime statistics from January 2018 to March 2021.
METHODS
We trained (seasonal) auto-regressive integrated moving average modelling (95% confidence intervals) using daily recorded crimes from January 2018 to February 2020. These models were then used to forecast crime data from March 2020 to March 2021 across four periods (lockdown, summer, fall and winter). Crime data were organized into two categories: property (burglary, theft) and violent crimes (robbery, assault, domestic violence and sexual offenses [rape, assault or abuse]).
RESULTS
Overall, crime levels for property and violent crimes during lockdown declined sharply from the forecasted levels. Theft, burglary, assault, robbery and sexual offenses exhibited general decreases throughout the study period, with the same sharp declines during the lockdown, progressive recovery in the summer, and steady or slight reductions from fall to March 2021. Only domestic violence differed, reaching the forecasted levels for all periods and surpassing the forecast for summer 2020.
CONCLUSIONS
Our findings show how the pandemic has affected mid-term crime trends. They help to place the measures applied in the last year into context and to determine the most suitable policies to reduce crime during societal change.
PubMed: 38602935
DOI: 10.1177/14773708231156326 -
Anesthesiology Jul 2024Dynamic changes in neuronal activity and in noradrenergic locus coeruleus (LC) projections have been proposed during the transition from acute to chronic pain. Thus, the...
BACKGROUND
Dynamic changes in neuronal activity and in noradrenergic locus coeruleus (LC) projections have been proposed during the transition from acute to chronic pain. Thus, the authors explored the cellular cFos activity of the LC and its projections in conjunction with spontaneous pain-like behavior in neuropathic rats.
METHODS
Tyrosine hydroxylase:Cre and wild-type Long-Evans rats, males and females, were subjected to chronic constriction injury (CCI) for 2 (short-term, CCI-ST) or 30 days (long-term, CCI-LT), evaluating cFos and Fluoro-Gold expression in the LC, and its projections to the spinal cord (SC) and rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC). These tests were carried out under basal conditions (unstimulated) and after noxious mechanical stimulation. LC activity was evaluated through chemogenetic and pharmacologic approaches, as were its projections, in association with spontaneous pain-like behaviors.
RESULTS
CCI-ST enhanced basal cFos expression in the LC and in its projection to the SC, which increased further after noxious stimulation. Similar basal activation was found in the neurons projecting to the rACC, although this was not modified by stimulation. Strong basal cFos expression was found in CCI-LT, specifically in the projection to the rACC, which was again not modified by stimulation. No cFos expression was found in the CCI-LT LCipsilateral (ipsi)/contralateral (contra)→SC. Chemogenetics showed that CCI-ST is associated with greater spontaneous pain-like behavior when the LCipsi is blocked, or by selectively blocking the LCipsi→SC projection. Activation of the LCipsi or LCipsi/contra→SC dampened pain-like behavior. Moreover, Designer Receptor Exclusively Activated by Designer Drugs (DREADDs)-mediated inactivation of the CCI-ST LCipsi→rACC or CCI-LT LCipsi/contra→rACC pathway, or intra-rACC antagonism of α-adrenoreceptors, also dampens pain-like behavior.
CONCLUSIONS
In the short term, activation of the LC after CCI attenuates spontaneous pain-like behaviors via projections to the SC while increasing nociception via projections to the rACC. In the long term, only the projections from the LC to the rACC contribute to modulate pain-like behaviors in this model.
Topics: Animals; Locus Coeruleus; Rats; Male; Rats, Long-Evans; Female; Behavior, Animal; Time Factors; Neuralgia; Disease Models, Animal
PubMed: 38602502
DOI: 10.1097/ALN.0000000000005006