Associations between anxiety, body mass index, and sex hormones in women

Background: Several studies have shown a positive association between anxiety and obesity, particularly in women. We aimed to study whether sex hormone alterations related to obesity might play a role in this association. Patients and methods: Data for this study were obtained from a population-based cohort study (the LIFE-Adult-Study). A total of 3,124 adult women (970 premenopausal and 2,154 postmenopausal) were included into the analyses. The anxiety symptomatology was assessed using the GAD-7 questionnaire (cut-off ≥ 10 points). Sex hormones were measured from fasting serum samples. Results: We did not find significant differences in anxiety prevalence in premenopausal obese women compared with normal-weight controls (4.8% vs. 5.5%). Both obesity and anxiety symptomatology were separately associated with the same sex hormone alteration in premenopausal women: higher total testosterone level (0.97 ± 0.50 in obese vs. 0.86 ± 0.49 nmol/L in normal-weight women, p = 0.026 and 1.04 ± 0.59 in women with vs. 0.88 ± 0.49 nmol/L in women without anxiety symptomatology, p = 0.023). However, women with anxiety symptomatology had non-significantly higher estradiol levels than women without anxiety symptomatology (548.0 ± 507.6 vs. 426.2 ± 474.0 pmol/L), whereas obesity was associated with lower estradiol levels compared with those in normal-weight group (332.7 ± 386.5 vs. 470.8 ± 616.0 pmol/L). Women with anxiety symptomatology had also significantly higher testosterone and estradiol composition (p = 0.006). No associations of sex hormone levels and BMI with anxiety symptomatology in postmenopausal women were found. Conclusions: Although both obesity and anxiety symptomatology were separately associated with higher testosterone level, there was an opposite impact of anxiety and obesity on estradiol levels in premenopausal women. We did not find an evidence that the sex hormone alterations related to obesity are playing a significant role in anxiety symptomatology in premenopausal women. This could be the explanation why we did not find an association between obesity and anxiety. In postmenopausal women, other mechanisms seem to work than in the premenopausal group

Glutamate-induced depression of EPSP–spike coupling in rat hippocampal CA1 neurons and modulation by adenosine receptors

The presence of high concentrations of glutamate in the extracellular fluid following brain trauma or ischaemia may contribute substantially to subsequent impairments of neuronal function. In this study, glutamate was applied to hippocampal slices for several minutes, producing over-depolarization, which was reflected in an initial loss of evoked population potential size in the CA1 region. Orthodromic population spikes recovered only partially over the following 60 min, whereas antidromic spikes and excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) showed greater recovery, implying a change in EPSP–spike coupling (E–S coupling), which was confirmed by intracellular recording from CA1 pyramidal cells. The recovery of EPSPs was enhanced further by dizocilpine, suggesting that the long-lasting glutamate-induced change in E–S coupling involves NMDA receptors. This was supported by experiments showing that when isolated NMDA-receptor-mediated EPSPs were studied in isolation, there was only partial recovery following glutamate, unlike the composite EPSPs. The recovery of orthodromic population spikes and NMDA-receptor-mediated EPSPs following glutamate was enhanced by the adenosine A1 receptor blocker DPCPX, the A2A receptor antagonist SCH58261 or adenosine deaminase, associated with a loss of restoration to normal of the glutamate-induced E–S depression. The results indicate that the long-lasting depression of neuronal excitability following recovery from glutamate is associated with a depression of E–S coupling. This effect is partly dependent on activation of NMDA receptors, which modify adenosine release or the sensitivity of adenosine receptors. The results may have implications for the use of A1 and A2A receptor ligands as cognitive enhancers or neuroprotectants

Towards Reuse on the Meta-Level

Modern software development peaks in complex product lines and utilizes features of programming languages to their extend. On the other hand, model driven development shines by abstraction from implementation details to ease communication between programmers and domain experts. With the CINCO meta tooling suite there is now a framework to factor out programming knowledge completely in that it allows creating domain specific graphical modeling environments. Bundled with capabilities of full code generation domain experts can create software with minimum effort. In this paper an extension to the language family of CINCO is introduced which acts as one part of a foundation for developing software product lines. It highly stretches reuse of model specifications to overcome reoccurring problems in the context of inter-model references

Sequential uncaging with green light can be achieved by fine-tuning the structure of a dicyanocoumarin chromophore

We report the synthesis and photochemical properties of a series of dicyanocoumarinylmethyl (DEAdcCM)- and dicyanocoumarinylethyl (DEAdcCE)-based photocages of carboxylic acids and amines with absorption maximum around 500 nm. Photolysis studies with green light have demonstrated that the structure of the coumarin chromophore as well as the nature of the leaving group and the type of bond to be photocleaved (ester or carbamate) have a strong influence on the rate and efficiency of the uncaging process. These experimental observations were also supported by DFT calculations. Such differences in deprotection kinetics have been exploited to sequentially photolyze two dicyanocoumarin-caged model compounds (e.g. benzoic acid and ethylamine), and open the way to increasing the number of functional levels that can be addressed with light in a single system, particularly when combining dicyanocoumarin caging groups with other photocleavable protecting groups that remain intact under green light irradiation

Qualitative und quantitative Analyse der Neutrophil Extracellular Traps und Monocyte Extracellular Traps von Neugeborenen und Frühgeborenen im Vergleich zu Erwachsenen

Die Freisetzung von intrazellulärer DNA ins Zytoplasma assoziiert mit antimikrobiellen Proteinen fungiert als Abwehrfunktion von Neutrophilen Granulozyten und Monozyten und wird als „Extracellular Traps“ (ETs) bezeichnet. Die Bildung von „Neutrophil Extracellular Traps“ (NETs) ist bei termingerecht geborenen Säuglingen (Reifgeborenen) im Vergleich zu gesunden Erwachsenen reduziert. Ziel dieser Arbeit ist die Quantifizierung der durch Neutrophile Granulozyten und Monozyten gebildeten ETs sowie der assoziierten Myeloperoxidase (MPO) bei Frühgeborenen. In dieser prospektiven explorativen Studie wurde die ET-Induktion durch N-Formyl-Methionyl-Leucyl-Phenylalanin (fMLP), Phorbol-12- Myristat-13-Acetat (PMA), Lipopolysaccharid (LPS) und Lipoteichonsäure (LTA) im Nabelschnurblut von Frühgeborenen im Vergleich zu Reifgeborenen und Erwachsenen untersucht. „Monocyte Extracellular Traps“ (METs) wurden durch Mikroskopie und NETs durch Mikroskopie und FACS-Analyse quantifiziert. Außerdem führten wir eine Bestimmung der Expression von MPO in NETs durch. Der Prozentsatz der Neutrophilen, die NETs freisetzen, war bei allen Stimulanzien bei Frühgeborenen im Vergleich zu Erwachsenen signifikant reduziert, und bei PMA kam es im Vergleich zu Reifgeborenen zu einer weiteren Reduzierung um 68 % (p = 0,0141). Die NET-Fläche wurde nicht reduziert, außer wenn fMLP verabreicht wurde. Die Menge an MPO in NET-produzierenden Zellen war bei Frühgeborenen im Vergleich zu Reifgeborenen verringert. Bei Frühgeborenen war der Prozentsatz der Monozyten, die ETs freisetzen, im Vergleich zu gesunden Erwachsenen bei LTA- und LPS Stimulation signifikant verringert. Hieraus lässt sich schließen, dass bei Frühgeborenen ETs eine messbare Komponente des angeborenen Immunsystems sind, jedoch im Vergleich zu Erwachsenen ein prozentual geringerer Anteil an Zellen ETs freisetzen

Evaluating selection bias in a population-based cohort study with low baseline participation: the LIFE-Adult-Study

Background: Participation in epidemiologic studies is steadily declining, which may result in selection bias. It is therefore an ongoing challenge to clarify the determinants of participation to judge possible selection effects and to derive measures to minimise that bias. We evaluated the potential for selection bias in a recent population-based cohort study with low baseline participation and investigated reasons for nonparticipation. Methods: LIFE-Adult is a cohort study in the general population of the city of Leipzig (Germany) designed to gain insights into the distribution and development of civilisation diseases. Nine thousand one hundred forty-five participants aged 40–79 years were randomly sampled in 2011–2014. We compared LIFE-Adult participants with both the Leipzig population and nonparticipants using official statistics and short questionnaire data. We applied descriptive statistics and logistic regression analysis to evaluate the determinants of study participation. Results: Thirty-one percent of the invited persons participated in the LIFE-Adult baseline examination. Study participants were less often elderly women and more often married, highly educated, employed, and current nonsmokers compared to both the Leipzig population and nonparticipants. They further reported better health than nonparticipants. The observed differences were considerable in education and health variables. They were generally stronger in men than in women. For example, in male study participants aged 50–69, the frequency of high education was 1.5 times that of the general population, and the frequency of myocardial infarction was half that of nonparticipants. Lack of time and interest, as well as health problems were the main reasons for nonparticipation. Conclusions: Our investigation suggests that the low baseline participation in LIFE-Adult is associated with the typical selection of study participants with higher social status and healthier lifestyle, and additionally less disease. Notably, education and health status seem to be crucial selection factors. Consequently, frequencies of major health conditions in the general population will likely be underestimated. A differential selection related to sex might also distort effect estimates. The extent of the assessment, the interest in the research topic, and health problems of potential participants should in future be considered in LIFE-Adult and in similar studies to raise participation and to minimise selection bias

Long-term (trophic) purinergic signalling: purinoceptors control cell proliferation, differentiation and death

The purinergic signalling system, which uses purines and pyrimidines as chemical transmitters, and purinoceptors as effectors, is deeply rooted in evolution and development and is a pivotal factor in cell communication. The ATP and its derivatives function as a 'danger signal' in the most primitive forms of life. Purinoceptors are extraordinarily widely distributed in all cell types and tissues and they are involved in the regulation of an even more extraordinary number of biological processes. In addition to fast purinergic signalling in neurotransmission, neuromodulation and secretion, there is long-term (trophic) purinergic signalling involving cell proliferation, differentiation, motility and death in the development and regeneration of most systems of the body. In this article, we focus on the latter in the immune/defence system, in stratified epithelia in visceral organs and skin, embryological development, bone formation and resorption, as well as in cancer. Cell Death and Disease (2010) 1, e9; doi:10.1038/cddis.2009.11; published online 14 January 201

Diversity, population structure and palaeoecology of the Pleistocene large cervids from the Padang Highlands, Sumatra

This chapter deals with the dentognathic remains of the Late Pleistocene large cervids from the Padang Highlands caves in Sumatra. We used linear and geometric morphometric techniques to investigate variation, taxonomic position and body size trends in a dataset of upper and lower molars. Dental mesowear was used to assess dietary preference in a subsample. The results suggest the Padang Highlands cervids belonged to multiple populations of an early stock of Rusa deer the size of sambar (Rusa unicolor), but morphologically reminiscent of Javan rusa (Rusa timorensis). The Rusa sp. of Sumatra was reconstructed as a mixed feeder with an increase in the grazing component with age