A mediated multigroup model examining marijuana use consequences by sexual orientation in us college students

Publication date: December 2018
Source:Addictive Behaviors, Volume 87
Author(s): Jamie E. Parnes, Mark A. Prince, Bradley T. Conner
Marijuana use holds a curvilinear relation to sexual orientation, whereby bisexual individuals reporter higher frequency of use than exclusively hetero- or homosexual individuals. This relation differs by gender, with more pronounced differences among women. Bisexual individuals are at greater risk for negative consequences of marijuana use, such as dependence. To mitigate potential risks, individuals employ protective behavioral strategies (PBS). While differences in use are known, research has yet to examine if consequences and PBS use vary by sexual orientation. This study seeks to address the relations between sexual orientation, consequences, gender, and PBS. It was hypothesized that orientation would be associated with consequences, mediated by PBS, and these relations would vary by gender. College students (N = 8141) from 11 different universities completed an online survey measuring marijuana consequences, PBS use, and sexual orientation. A final analytic sample (n = 2091) was composed of participants who indicated past 30-day marijuana use (60% women, 64% White, mean age 19.92). Path analysis was used to test all study hypothesis. Results indicated a curvilinear relation between sexual orientation and consequences among men, however not women. Moreover, PBS use mediated the relation between orientation and consequences among men, and negatively predicted consequences among women. Conclusions include that mixed sexual orientation men experience higher consequences through lower PBS use. For women, PBS use buffers against consequences. These findings reflect a general effectiveness of PBS use for mitigating negative marijuana-related consequences. The implications of these results are discussed.



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Sex differences in affect-triggered lapses during smoking cessation: A daily diary study

Publication date: December 2018
Source:Addictive Behaviors, Volume 87
Author(s): Sylvie Messer, Atara Siegel, Lauren Bertin, Joel Erblich
IntroductionSmoking lapses during a cessation attempt are common and are thought to be a key predictor of full relapse. Positive and negative affective states have been hypothesized as important precipitants of lapses during quit attempts, although findings have been mixed. Accumulating evidence suggests that women may smoke more when experiencing negative affective states, while men may smoke more when experiencing positive affective states. The possibility that these sex differences may play a role in predicting lapses during a smoking cessation attempt, however, has not been well-investigated. In this study, we hypothesized that, during a quit attempt, negative affect would be more strongly associated with lapses among women, and positive affect would be more strongly associated with lapses among men.MethodWe conducted a prospective study in which male and female nicotine-dependent smokers (n = 60) made an unaided, 'cold-turkey' quit attempt. For fourteen days following the initiation of the quit attempt, participants completed daily diaries in which they recorded the degree to which states of 'good mood' and 'bad mood' preceded smoking lapses.ResultsConsistent with the study hypothesis, findings indicated that men reported higher good-mood-induced smoking lapses than women across the 14-day study interval. Conversely, while levels of bad-mood-induced smoking subsided over the 14-day interval among men, levels persisted among women.DiscussionResults further underscore the need to address sex-specific affective triggers when developing smoking cessation strategies.



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Comparing cigarette and e-cigarette dependence and predicting frequency of smoking and e-cigarette use in dual-users of cigarettes and e-cigarettes

Publication date: December 2018
Source:Addictive Behaviors, Volume 87
Author(s): Meghan Morean, Suchitra Krishnan-Sarin, Stephanie S. O'Malley
IntroductionThe 4-item Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Nicotine Dependence Item Bank is a psychometrically sound measure for assessing cigarette (PROMIS) and e-cigarette dependence (PROMIS-E). We evaluated whether dual-users of cigarettes and e-cigarettes self-report experiencing different levels of dependence on each product. We subsequently examined whether cigarette and e-cigarette dependence are associated with the frequency of using each product in dual-users.MethodsDual-users completed an online survey in Summer 2017 (n = 326; 49.7% male, 85.3% White, mean age 38.17 [13.08] years). Measurement invariance of the PROMIS and PROMIS-E was evaluated. Mean differences in cigarette and e-cigarette dependence then were examined. The correlation between cigarette and e-cigarette dependence also was examined. Finally, one-way MANOVA was used to evaluate how cigarette and e-cigarette dependence relate to past-month frequency of e-cigarette use and cigarette smoking.ResultsThe PROMIS and the PROMIS-E were scalar measurement invariant, and, on average, dual-users reported stronger dependence on cigarettes than on e-cigarettes. Cigarette and e-cigarette dependence were related, yet distinct constructs (r = 0.35), suggesting that dual-users can discriminate between dependence on each product. Stronger cigarette dependence predicted more frequent past-month smoking and less frequent past-month vaping. Stronger e-cigarette dependence predicted more frequent past-month vaping and less frequent smoking.ConclusionsOverall, dual-users reported stronger dependence on cigarettes than on e-cigarettes. However, dependence on each product was associated with increased use of each respective product and with less frequent use of the other product. Future research using the PROMIS can evaluate how potential FDA regulations could reduce nicotine dependence across products.



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Ecotoxicological evaluation of electrochemical oxidation for the treatment of sanitary landfill leachates

Abstract

In this study, the efficiency of electrochemical oxidation to treat a sanitary landfill leachate was evaluated by the reduction in physico-chemical parameters and in ecotoxicity. The acute toxicity of the sanitary landfill leachates, before and after treatment, was assessed with the model organism Daphnia magna. Electrochemical oxidation treatment was effective in the removal of organic load and ammonium nitrogen and in the reduction of metal ions concentrations. Furthermore, a reduction of 2.5-fold in the acute toxicity towards D. magna after 36 h of treatment was noticed. Nevertheless, the toxicity of the treated leachate is still very high, and further treatments are necessary in order to obtain a non-toxic effluent to this aquatic organism. Toxicity results were also compared with others described in the literature for different leachate treatments and test organisms.

https://ift.tt/2KkGI8p

The spatial distribution of phosphorus and their correlations in surface sediments and pore water in Lake Chaohu, China

Abstract

The study presents the spatial distribution of different forms of phosphorus in the sediments in Lake Chaohu, a large eutrophic Chinese lake, and their correlation with phosphorus content in pore water. The sediment and pore water samples were taken from 19 sampling sites. A sequential extraction was used to determine the contents of different forms of phosphorus in the sediments. The compositions and spatial distribution of different forms of phosphorus in the sediments and their correlation with orthophosphate and total phosphorus content in the pore water were studied. The following results were obtained: (1) the mean content of total phosphorus was 474.7 ± 20.5 mg/kg, with 390.8 ± 82.4 mg/kg for the eastern lake (N = 5), 469.0 ± 53.9 mg/kg for the western lake (N = 5), and 524.5 ± 185.3 mg/kg for rivers (N = 9); (2) the order of the proportions of the different forms of phosphorus was occluded phosphorus (Oc-P, 52.4%) > debris phosphorus (De-P, 14.2%) > auto-calcium-bound phosphorus (ACa-P, 13.5%) > aluminum-bound phosphorus (Al-P, 9.8%) > organic phosphorus (Or-P, 6.8%) > exchangeable phosphorus (Ex-P, 2.1%) > iron-bound phosphorus (Fe-P, 1.3%); (3) Ex-P, Al-P, and Fe-P had significantly positive correlations with orthophosphate and total phosphorus content in pore water, which showed that these forms of phosphorus were released more easily and had an indirect impact on lake eutrophication.

https://ift.tt/2IEYCNA

Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation (taVNS) for Improving Oromotor Function in Newborns

Publication date: Available online 30 June 2018
Source:Brain Stimulation
Author(s): Bashar W. Badran, Dorothea D. Jenkins, William H. Devries, Morgan Dancy, Philipp M. Summers, Georgia M. Mappin, Henry Bernstein, Marom Bikson, Patricia Cocker-Bolt, Mark S. George




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Within-subject test-retest reliability of the atlas-based cortical volume measurement in the rat brain: A voxel-based morphometry study

Publication date: 1 September 2018
Source:Journal of Neuroscience Methods, Volume 307
Author(s): Bin Jing, Bo Liu, Hui Li, Jianfeng Lei, Zhanjing Wang, Yutao Yang, Phillip Zhe Sun, Bing Xue, Hesheng Liu, Zhi-Qing David Xu
BackgroundVarious neurological and psychological disorders are related to cortical volume changes in specific brain regions, which can be measured in vivo using structural magnetic resonance imaging (sMRI). There is an increasing interest in MRI studies using rat models, especially in longitudinal studies of brain disorders and pharmacologic interventions. However, morphometric changes observed in sMRI are only meaningful if the measurements are reliable. To date, a systematic evaluation of the test-retest reliability of the morphometric measures in the rat brain is still lacking.New methodWe rigorously evaluated the test-retest reliability of morphometric measures derived from the voxel-based morphometry (VBM) analysis. 37 Sprague-Dawley rats were scanned twice at an interval of six hours and the gray matter volume was estimated using the VBM-DARTEL method. The intraclass coefficient, percent volume change and Pearson correlation coefficient were used to evaluate the reliability in 96 subregions of the rat brain.ResultsMost subregions showed excellent test-retest reliabilities within an interval of 6 h while a few regions demonstrated lower reliability, especially in the retrosplenial granular cortex. The results were consistent between different methods of reliability assessment.Comparison with existing methodTo the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to quantify the test-retest reliability of the VBM measurements of the rat brain.ConclusionAtlas-based cortical volume of the rat brain can be reliably estimated using the VBM-DARTEL method in most subregions. However, findings in subregions with lower reliability must be interpreted with caution.



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HBV infection and extra-hepatic cancers in adolescents and 20s: A retrospective study in China

Publication date: August 2018
Source:Cancer Epidemiology, Volume 55
Author(s): Tingna Lu, Qing Yang, Mei Li, Jiqing Zhang, Jing Zou, Lu Huang, Jianhua Lin, Haosheng Jin, Jiman He
BackgroundThe mean age at cancer diagnosis is younger in hepatitis B virus (HBV) infected than non-infected patients. It remains unknown whether this association reflects an increase in the incidence rates of extra-hepatic cancers in adolescents and younger.MethodsWe examined 10 common extra-hepatic cancers (lung, breast, gastric, prostate, esophageal, rectal, cervical, nasopharyngeal, lymphatic, and urinary bladder) among patients diagnosed at three Chinese hospitals during 2007–2016. We compared the percentage distribution (frequencies at each age point are shown as a percentage of the total frequency) of HBsAg+ with HBsAgˉ patients, and calculated the standardized incidence ratio for each age group.ResultsA total of 60,323 patients were identified. The mean age at cancer diagnosis was 1.5–5.5 years younger in hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positive patients compared to HBsAgˉ patients (p ≤ 0.001). Lymphoma patients had the highest prevalence rate of HBV infection (20.7%). Among the pooled HBsAg+ cancer patients, 14.8% (1138/7666) were aged ≤39 years; by contrast, 9.7% (5122/52657) of HBsAgˉ cancer patients were in the same age range, giving an odds ratio of 1.6 [95%CI1.509–1.733)]. The observations were similar when each cancer was considered individually. The odds ratio was greater in pooled male patients aged ≤39 years [1.9(95%CI1.705–2.085)] compared with females [1.6(95%CI1.382–1.83)]. The ratio of the observed to the expected number of HBsAg+ patients aged 15–19, 20–24, and 25–29 years were 3.3, 4.8 and 2.0, respectively, higher than 1.2–1.7 observed for older age-groups.ConclusionHBV infection is a risk factor for diverse extra-hepatic cancers in adolescents and 20s.



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Sex differences in disordered eating and food addiction among college students

Publication date: 1 October 2018
Source:Appetite, Volume 129
Author(s): Zhiping Yu, Natalie Arce Indelicato, Paul Fuglestad, Michael Tan, Lindsay Bane, Caitlin Stice
This cross-sectional study aimed to assess sex differences and weight status differences in disordered eating behaviors (DEB) and food addiction (FA) along with their co-occurrence among college students. Self-reported demographic and weight information, the Eating Attitude Test (EAT-26), and Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS) were collected from 965 college students. Participants included 703 (72.8%) female, 720 (74.8%) white, and ranged in age from 18 to 25 years old. Female college students had a significantly higher prevalence of DEB (11.6% vs. 5.7%, p = 0.007, odds ratio (OR) = 2.19) and higher prevalence of FA (12.3% vs. 4.6%, p < 0.0001, OR = 3.04) than male students. The co-occurrence was also significantly higher in female students than in male students (5.4% vs. 1.9%, p = 0.022, OR = 3.03). Male and female obese participants versus healthy weight participants had higher prevalence of DEB (15.1% vs.8.6%, p = 0.047, OR = 1.91) and FA (19.4% vs. 8.9%, p = 0.002, OR = 2.51). Higher prevalence of DEB was positively associated with FA regardless of sex and weight status. The findings indicate higher prevalence of disordered eating in female college students than male students and add to the research on sex differences in food addiction. The co-occurrence of both and association between high prevalence of DEB and FA warrant additional research on the incidence as well as factors that contribute to sex differences. Understanding sex differences and comorbidity regarding DEB and FA is critical for the prevention and treatment of eating related disorders.



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A geo-ethnographic analysis of low-income rural and urban women's food shopping behaviors

Publication date: 1 September 2018
Source:Appetite, Volume 128
Author(s): Lillian MacNell
Many scholars have found evidence that low-income neighborhoods contain fewer supermarkets, but there is a lack of consensus regarding whether and how this matters to residents. A few qualitative studies have asked food desert residents about their experiences of their food environments, while a small number of other studies have utilized spatial analyses to examine actual shopping behaviors. To better understand barriers to food access, this study combines the two in a geo-ethnographic analysis. This study draws on data from a USDA-funded project about families and food to combine quantitative geographic data with qualitative interview data of 100 rural and urban low-income mothers of young children. For each participant, the nearest supermarket, as well most-frequented supermarket, was mapped, and distances to stores were calculated. On average, participants traveled more than twice as far as their nearest supermarket to reach a preferred store. Interviews with participants were conducted to assess the motivations and strategies of shoppers, in particular why they chose to bypass their nearest supermarkets. They shared a variety of reasons for doing so; foremost to find lower prices of food in order to stretch income and SNAP benefits. Access to transportation also played a major role in determining where people shopped for food. This research challenges scholars, policymakers, and health practitioners to look beyond proximate food environments to consider the lived experiences of food desert residents. Efforts to address poor food access should aim to increase household income, in addition to providing targeted food and nutrition assistance.

Graphical abstract

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An investigation of relationships between disordered eating behaviors, weight/shape overvaluation and mood in the general population

Publication date: 1 October 2018
Source:Appetite, Volume 129
Author(s): Felipe Q da Luz, Amanda Sainsbury, Haider Mannan, Stephen Touyz, Deborah Mitchison, Federico Girosi, Phillipa Hay
Disordered eating behaviors and cognitions have been extensively examined in samples of individuals with eating disorders, as well as in non-clinical samples. However, such examinations are lacking in the general population. We investigated disordered eating behaviors and cognitions in a community representative sample of 6052 participants in South Australia, aged 15–99 years. Participants were interviewed regarding weight/shape overvaluation, strict dieting, binge eating, purging, low mood and body mass index (BMI). Linear and logistic regression analyses were used to estimate the direct effects between these features. Steiger's Z test was used to compare the difference between the semi-partial associations of low mood and strict dieting with binge eating. Our findings suggest that similar relationships between strict dieting, low mood, purging and binge eating to those shown in the trans-diagnostic cognitive-behavioral model of eating disorders in clinical samples occur in the general community. However, in the general population, strict dieting was associated with elevated BMIs (and not with low BMIs as predicated by the model). Although this study does not ascertain any causal relationships in the observed associations, public health messages or services for weight reduction in people with higher body weights could potentially benefit from integration with messages addressing mood disorders and purging, in order to reduce potential adverse effects on disordered eating behaviors.



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Towards more sustainable food systems. Addressing food waste at school canteens

Publication date: 1 October 2018
Source:Appetite, Volume 129
Author(s): Belén Derqui, Vicenç Fernandez, Teresa Fayos
Food Waste is a global significant issue for ethical, environmental and economic reasons, while its management is difficult due to its frequent low visibility. Individual choices and preferences are closely related to the generation of food waste although likely to be modified through education and awareness campaigns. In particular, school canteens are big generators of food waste and, at the same time, provide a great opportunity to improve habits regarding nutrition and education on sustainability, thus impacting the future of the food system. The end purpose of this research is identifying the causes of food waste and unveiling best practices towards its reduction. To achieve this goal, we have designed and developed a mixed methods research approach including semi-structured interviews with managers and staff in schools and catering firms and waste audits at four school canteens - measuring waste from over 10,000 pupil's trays. In order to avoid potential bias due to meal preference, the audit lasted three to five consecutive weekdays per school, thus comprising different menus. We estimated overall food waste between 60 and 100 g per pupil per day. Plate waste represented the highest source of waste, although a big disparity was found among the schools based on their different educational perspectives. Key food waste determinants found were: first, top management standpoint towards food waste and sustainability in general. Secondly, we observed relevant differences among the three catering business models studied, regarding the stages where food waste is usually produced. Finally, food waste was also impacted by the diverse resource availability among the schools. Despite this, the human factor arose as the most relevant one when aiming to minimise food waste.



https://ift.tt/2Neb0HN

Investigating the impact of a health game on implicit attitudes towards food and food choice behaviour of young adults

Publication date: 1 September 2018
Source:Appetite, Volume 128
Author(s): Eva E. Alblas, Frans Folkvord, Doeschka J. Anschütz, Jonathan van 't Riet, Isabela Granic, Paul Ketelaar, Moniek Buijzen
Improving diets by stimulating fruit and vegetable consumption might be beneficial, in particular when they substitute energy-dense products. The aim of present study was to investigate whether a health game can be used to positively affect healthy implicit attitudes (IAs) towards food and subsequent food choice behaviour of young adults. A 2 (Time: baseline vs. post-test) x 2 (Condition: health game vs. control game) x 2 (Baseline IAs: healthy IAs vs. less healthy IAs) mixed-subjects design was used with 125 participants (age: M = 20.17, SD = 1.88). IAs towards food were assessed at baseline and post-test using an Implicit Association Test (IAT). Additionally, food choice behaviour was assessed after game play. At baseline, the majority of participants had healthy IAs (i.e., favouring fruit over chocolate snacks). At post-test, significantly less healthy IAs were observed in the control condition, while this reduction was not significant in the health game condition. Regarding food choice behaviour, participants with healthy baseline IAs were more likely to select fruit in the health game condition than participants with healthy baseline IAs in the control game condition. However, participants with less healthy baseline IAs were less likely to select fruit in the health game condition than in the control condition. We found tentative support that health games can be used to influence IAs towards food and positively affect food choice behaviour. However, this influence was only observed for those with healthy baseline IAs. The current version of the health game would primarily benefit those already healthy and could negatively affect those that need the intervention most, so modifications are recommendable.



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The psychosocial experience of feeling overweight promotes increased snack food consumption in women but not men

Publication date: 1 September 2018
Source:Appetite, Volume 128
Author(s): Melissa Oldham, A. Janet Tomiyama, Eric Robinson
Self-identification of being overweight has been associated with overeating and weight gain in observational studies, irrespective of whether the individual in question is objectively overweight. The aims of the present studies were to examine whether experimentally manipulating the psychosocial experience of feeling overweight impacted on snack food consumption and to identify mechanisms explaining this effect. In Study 1, to manipulate the psychosocial experience of feeling overweight, 120 women wore an obese body suit or control clothing in public or private settings, before consuming snack foods. Wearing the obese body suit resulted in an increase in snack food consumption and this effect was not moderated by whether participants wore the obese body suit in public or in private. In Study 2, we aimed to replicate the effect of the obese body suit on snack food consumption and also examined whether the effect of the body suit on eating behaviour was moderated by participant sex (n = 150; 80 women). Women who wore the obese body suit ate significantly more than women who wore the control clothing, but this effect was not observed in men. Across both studies we examined a number of potential mechanisms that could explain the effect that wearing the obese body suit had on snack food consumption, but did not find supporting evidence. The psychosocial experience of feeling overweight may lead to increased snack food consumption in women, but the psychological mechanism explaining this effect is unclear.



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Infant hunger and satiety cues during the first two years of life: Developmental changes of within meal signalling

Publication date: 1 September 2018
Source:Appetite, Volume 128
Author(s): N. Shloim, I. Shafiq, P. Blundell-Birtill, M.M. Hetherington
Overfeeding in infancy may lead to overweight and obesity in later childhood. Mothers are advised to "tune in" to their infant's hunger, appetite and satiation cues to prevent overfeeding. The present study aimed to 1) assess stability and change in infant hunger and satiety cues (first two years of life) taken at six monthly intervals; 2) track the expression of appetite cues during the course of a meal (beginning, middle and end). Thirty-eight women (mean age 35.3 + 3.7 years) participated in the study. Mothers were within a normal weight range (BMI = 22 + 3.3 kg/m²), most were married (N = 35; 95%) and for most this was not their first child. After an initial investigation (T1) follow-up visits took place every six months with filmed meals involving solid foods. A typical meal contained foods high in protein and carbohydrate plus cooked vegetables. Films were viewed and communication cues (engagement indicating appetite and disengagement indicating satiation) identified and recorded by appearance using the NCAST (Nursing Child Assessment Satellite Training). Coding included the frequency and time at which each cue appeared. Results showed that infants were more likely to communicate potent engagement cues such as babbling, mutual gaze and looking at mother with age. None of the disengagement cues showed any significant main effects of time of follow up. Most, not all, feeding cues were stable across the segment of the feed and did not show a simple linear change across the meal, rather this appeared to develop with age. Raising awareness of these cues with mothers may encourage more responsive and positive mealtime interactions.



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Association between prenatal nickel exposure and preterm low birth weight: possible effect of selenium

Abstract

There is a proposed link between prenatal nickel (Ni) exposure and preterm low birth weight (PLBW); however, this association remains unclear. Selenium (Se) may modify this relationship by protecting against Ni toxicity. Concentrations of Ni and Se were measured in urine samples collected from 408 pregnant women (102 PLBW cases and 306 matched controls) in China. Conditional logistic regression was utilized to explore the association between Ni levels and PLBW, as well as the effect modification by Se on this association. A significant association was observed between higher maternal urinary Ni levels and risk of PLBW [adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 2.80 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.44, 5.44) for the highest tertile], and this association was more apparent among female infants than that among male infants. Further analyses showed that mothers with high urinary Ni and low urinary Se levels had a significantly increased risk for PLBW [adjusted OR = 2.87 (95% CI: 1.09, 7.56)] compared with the mothers with low urinary Ni and high urinary Se levels. Our study indicates that prenatal exposure to Ni was a risk factor for PLBW. Se might provide protection against the toxicity of Ni.

https://ift.tt/2yW5eaJ

Impact of waste-derived organic and inorganic amendments on the mobility and bioavailability of arsenic and cadmium in alkaline and acid soils

Abstract

In agriculture, more and more frequently waste-derived amendments are applied to soil to improve physical and chemical properties. Nevertheless, in soils polluted by potentially toxic metal(loid)s, this agricultural practice may significantly affect the mobility and bioavailability of pollutants modifying the risks for biota and human health. This work was aimed to assess the influence of poultry manure, biochar and coal fly ash on the mobility and bioavailability of As and Cd spiked in two Australian soils with different pH and texture: Mount Gambier (MGB)-alkaline sandy clay loam and Kapuda (KPD)-acid loamy sand. After 4 weeks of incubation from spiking and another 4 weeks from amendment addition, the soils were analysed for pH and amounts of As and Cd in pore-water and following 1 M NH₄NO₃ extraction. Bioavailable amounts were assessed by plant uptake, using Zea mays L. as test crop. In the alkaline MGB soil, the availability of Cd was reduced, while that of As increased. An opposite behaviour was observed in the acid KPD soil. All amendments, when added to KPD soil, increased pH and consequently reduced the mobility of Cd and increased the mobility of As. In MGB, the amendment addition had an effect only on As mobility and bioavailability, which increased likely as a result of the increased competition for adsorption with DOC released by organic compounds. These trends were confirmed by the amounts of Cd and As uptaken by maize plants.

https://ift.tt/2lM11gA

Varying concentrations of soil chromium (VI) for the exploration of tolerance thresholds and phytoremediation potential of the oregano ( Origanum vulgare )

Abstract

Varying concentrations of soil Cr(VI) were used in order to explore the tolerance thresholds and phytoremediation potential of Greek oregano (Origanum vulgare), in a pot experiment conducted outdoors. Oregano exhibited a rather exceptional capacity to bioaccumulate Cr in both the aerial part (up to 1200 mg of total Cr kg⁻¹ DM) and the root—reaching 4300 mg kg⁻¹ DM when grown in soil [Cr(VI)] of 150–200 mg kg⁻¹. Plant responses indicated that there was a threshold set at 100 mg Cr(VI) kg⁻¹ in the soil, above which the following results were recorded: (i) a restriction of Cr translocation from below- to above-ground plant part, (ii) a raise of the soil-to-root Cr transfer, and (iii) the Cr(III) evolution from the reduction of Cr(VI) was significantly decelerated in the root and accelerated in the aerial part. Soil [Cr] that surpassed this threshold challenged plant tolerance, resulting in a dose-dependent reduction of growth and antioxidant phenolics pool. Nonetheless, the significant Cr uptake capacity at plant level accounted for the considerably short remediation time (i.e., 29 years at soil [Cr(VI)] of 150 mg kg⁻¹) calculated according to these results. The overall performance of oregano indicated that phytoremediation would be feasible at sites with Cr contamination levels ranging within the above-defined thresholds.

https://ift.tt/2yW58jn

Brain mechanisms of visual long-term memory retrieval in primates

Publication date: Available online 30 June 2018
Source:Neuroscience Research
Author(s): Masaki Takeda
Memorizing events or objects and retrieving them from memory are essential for daily life. Historically, memory processing was studied in neuropsychology, in which patients provided us with insights into the brain mechanisms underlying memory. Psychological hypotheses about memory processing have been further investigated using neuroscience techniques, such as functional imaging and electrophysiology. In this article, I briefly summarize recent findings on multi-scale neural circuitry for memory at the scale of single neurons and cortical layers as well as inter-area and whole-brain interactions. The key idea which connects multi-scale neural circuits is how neuronal assemblies utilize the frequency of communication between neurons, cortical layers, and brain areas. Using findings and ideas from other cognitive function studies, I discuss the plausible communication between neurons involved in memory.



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Antioxidant and antitumor activities of Cr(III), Mn(II), Fe(III), Cd(II), Zn(II) and Hg(II) complexes containing a carbohydrazone ligand ending by 4-pyridyl ring

Publication date: 5 December 2018
Source:Journal of Molecular Structure, Volume 1173
Author(s): Ahmed Fetoh, Ola A. El-Gammal, Gaber M. Abu El-Reash
Cr(III), Mn(II), Fe(III), Cd(II), Zn(II) and Hg(II) complexes derived from carbohydrazone ligand were synthesized and characterized by spectroscopic methods, DFT calculations and TGA analysis. IR spectra together with DFT optimization revealed that the ligand uses its two (CN)azomthine in coordination with either Mn(II), Fe(III) or Zn(II) ions. While, Cd(II) and Hg(II) ions coordinates via the nitrogen atoms of the two pyridyl groups. On the other hand, the coordination takes place through the two (CN)azomthine and the (CO)carbonyl groups in Cr(III) complex. On the basis of the electronic spectra and as the magnetic measurements, an octahedral coordination geometry was proposed in case of Cr(III) and Fe(III) complexes and a tetrahedral geometry in case of Mn(II) complex. Kinetic and thermodynamic parameters of the isolated complexes were estimated using Coats-Redfern and Horowitz-Metzger models. The antioxidant (DDPH and ABTS methods), anti-hemolytic and cytotoxic activities of the compounds have been screened. The DDPH and ABTS antioxidant activity was investigated and indicated that Zn(II) complex exhibited the highest antioxidant activity. While, Fe(III) complex had significantly the same percentage of hemolysis as that of the positive control. With respect to antitumor activity, H2APEC and Zn(II) complex demonstrated the potent activity followed by Fe(III) complex.

Graphical abstract

https://ift.tt/2lLQQsl