If the Genome isn’t a God-like Ghost in the Machine,Then What is it?

Implicit God-like and ghost-in-the-machine metaphors underlie much current thinking about genomes. Although many criticisms of such views exist, none have succeeded in substituting a different, widely accepted view. Viewing the genome with its protein packaging as a brain gets rid of Gods and ghosts while plausibly integrating machine and information-based views. While the ‘wetware’ of brains and genomes are very different, many fundamental principles of how they function are similar. Eukaryotic cells are compound entities in which case the nuclear genome might best be thought of more as a government than simply as a brain.     

Daily,weekly and annual patterns in children’s accidental sport injuries*

Details of serious injuries to children ≤16 yrs. of age that necessitated urgent surgical intervention by the Department of Pediatric Surgery of the University Hospital of Lausanne, Switzerland were recorded into a database registry. Some 15 110 entries listed the precise time of injury, and 3114 (20.6%) of these resulted from participating in sport-associated activities. Time-of-day, day-of-week and month-of-year differences in the total number of children’s accidental sport injuries (CASI) were validated. Time-of-day patterns were substantiated for “All Sports”, for both boys and girls 5–16 yrs. of age, with more boys than girls experiencing incidents at almost every clock hour. Moreover, they were substantiated for this age group for each of the six different considered individual and team CASI categories – Physical Exercises at School; Bicycle Riding; Roller Skating and Skateboarding; Snow Skiing, Sledding, and Tobogganing; Soccer; and Basketball – for which sample sizes were sufficiently large (n > 230) to perform statistical assessment by ANOVA, t-test and/or cosinor analyses. CASI happened primarily between 06:00 and 17:00 h and rarely evening or overnight. Features – specific clock-time and number of peaks and troughs – of the CASI daily curve pattern of the individual six sport categories differed somewhat; nonetheless, excess or greatest number of CASI typically happened between 12:00 and 14:00 h, even when summertime and other scheduled school and family vacation periods were taken into account. Time-of-day and day-of-week patterns in the boy/girl sex ratio were also validated, with midday and Friday/Saturday peaks, respectively. We hypothesize the prominent 24 h patterns of CASI of 5–16 yr. olds, in particular, are representative of a combination of several determinants. These include exogenous periodic and cyclic environmental and sociocultural phenomena, genetic sex-related traits, plus endogenous circadian cognitive and physiologic rhythms, with the common midday injury excess of many sport categories, at least in part, the consequence of the well-documented midday dip in attention and vigilance of children.     

Is the hepatic metabolism of glucose and linoleic acid influenced by species in overfed ducks?

There are genetic differences in the hepatic glucose and linoleic acid metabolisms between Muscovy and Pekin ducks ad libitum-fed. To understand the effect of overfeeding on the hepatic metabolisms in these two species of ducks, we compared the different pathways of glucose and linoleic acid reaching the liver of Muscovy (Cairina moschata) (n = 6) and Pekin (Anas platyrhynchos) (n = 6) ducks overfed for 1 week and sacrificed 2–4 h after their last meal by using the ex vivo method of liver slices incubated for 16 h with [U-¹⁴C]-glucose, [1-¹⁴C]-linoleic acid and [³⁵S]-methionine added to the survival medium. The glucose was the main precursor of triacylglycerol synthesis in the liver of these two species and its hepatic metabolism was similar between species. The hepatic uptake of linoleic acid was 1.7-fold higher (P = 0.020) in the Muscovy duck than in the Pekin duck leading to a 1.9-fold higher (P = 0.017) esterification of this fatty acid in the liver of the Muscovy duck than in that of the Pekin duck. Finally, both species after 1 week of overfeeding exhibited the same capacity to secrete VLDL remaining insufficient to avoid hepatic steatosis.     

The impact of shift starting time on sleep duration,sleep quality,and alertness prior to injury in the People’s Republic of China

Early shift start time and night shifts are associated with reduced sleep duration and poor sleep quality that often lead to increased fatigue levels, performance decrements and adverse safety and health outcomes. This study investigates the impact of shift starting time on sleep patterns, including the duration and quality of sleep and alertness/sleepiness at the time of injury, in a large epidemiological field study of hospitalized adults with severe work-related hand injury in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) from multiple industries with severe work-related traumatic hand injury were recruited from 11 hospitals in three industrially-developed cities in the PRC: Ningbo, Liuzhou and Wuxi. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to compare sleep duration, sleep quality and alertness/sleepiness across 3?h increments of shift start time, while adjusting for age, gender, work hours, shift duration, day of injury and several transient work-related factors. Effect modification by gender was also evaluated. Seven-hundred and three hospitalized adults (96.4%) completed a face-to-face interview within 4 days of injury; 527 (75.0%) were male, with a mean (±SEM) age of 31.8?±?0.4 years. Overall, these adults worked relatively long weekly (55.7?±?0.6?h) and daily hours (8.6?±?0.07?h). Average sleep duration prior to injury was 8.5?h (±0.07), and showed significant variations (p value <0.05) across shift starting time increments. Overall mean prior sleep duration was shortest for individuals starting shifts from “21:00–23:59” (5.6±0.8?h) followed by midnight “00:00–02:59” (6.1?±?0.6?h). However, a statistically significant interaction (p?<?0.05) was observed between gender and shift starting time on mean sleep duration. For males the shortest sleep duration was 5.6?h (“21:00–23:59”) and for females the shortest was 4.3?h (“24:00–02:59” and “15:00–17:59”). Sleep quality (generally quite well) and alertness/sleepiness based on the KSS (generally alert) did not vary significantly across shift starting time. Results suggest that sleep duration is shortest among injured PRC adults starting shifts late night and early morning. However, with more than 8.5?h of sleep on average work days, Chinese slept much longer than typical US day workers (Sleep in America Poll, 2012, 6:44 on workdays, 7:35 on free days), and this may help to explain higher than expected alertness/sleepiness scores at the time of injury.     

Is bacterioplankton production in the Ria de Aveiro influenced by salt marshes and bed sediment?

The contribution of potential export of materials from bottom sedimentsand salt marshes into the water column of a shallow estuarine system of Ria deAveiro to the observed high bacterial productivity in the mid section of thisestuary was evaluated. Vertical profiles of physical, chemical and bacterialvariables were studied in the marine and brackish water zones, and oftransversal profiles in the brackish zone only. Although the concentrations ofseston (17–241 mg l^–1), particulate organiccarbon (3–15.5 mg l^–1) and chlorophyll(1.2–7.0 g l^–1) varied widely, thevertical and transversal profiles were without much variation. Total bacterialnumber (0.2–8.5 × 10⁹ cellsl^–1) and the number of particle-attached bacteria(0.02–2.50 × 10⁹ cellsl^–1)along vertical and transversal profiles did not differ much, but the rate ofbacterial production (0.05–14.2 g C l^–1h^–1) and dissolved organic carbon concentration(6.0–69.2 mg l^–1) were frequently highernear the salt marsh margin at the brackish water transect. The increase inproductivity could not be associated with runoff of particulate matter butcoincided with the inputs of dissolved organic carbon. The results of verticaland transversal profiles point to a minor role of particulate matter additionsfrom the salt marsh area or from bed sediments.     

Growth and population parameters of the world’s northernmost harbour seals Phoca vitulina residing in Svalbard, Norway

The harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) in Svalbard are the northernmost population of this species. The population size is thought to be less than 1,000 individuals; these animals reside principally within a national park on Prins Karls Forland on the west coast of Spitsbergen, Svalbard, at about 78°20N. The material presented in this study was collected from 367 live-captured animals, aged based on growth layers read from stained, decalcified incisor sections (except for pups of the year). Standard length (F_1,246=45.70, P<0.0001) and body mass (F_1,258=25.28; P<0.0001) were both significantly influenced by sex when age was taken into account. Adult males are both longer [152.9±4.8 (SE) vs 140.1±2.0 cm, standard length] and heavier (104.0±5.0 vs 83.2±2.7 kg, body mass) than adult females in this population. Age at sexual maturity was assessed based on analyses of sex hormones. Testosterone levels in males showed an abrupt increase at 6 years of age, while estradiol levels in females increased from age 4. The reproductive rate of adult females was 0.93. The longevity of Svalbard harbour seals was short compared to harbour-seal populations from other areas. However, these seals are not exposed to terrestrial predation; there is no known mortality due to fisheries or hunting and their pollution burdens are low. Extreme seasonality and perhaps other harsh environmental conditions at the northern edge of this species distribution may exert long-term low levels of stress that result in short life span, or there are currently unknown acute sources of mortality in this population. To our knowledge, this is the first study of population parameters on a pinniped species using cross-sectional, non-terminal sampling.     

Can sleep quality and wellbeing be improved by changing the indoor lighting in the homes of healthy,elderly citizens?

The study investigated the effect of bright blue-enriched versus blue-suppressed indoor light on sleep and wellbeing of healthy participants over 65 years. Twenty-nine participants in 20 private houses in a uniform settlement in Copenhagen were exposed to two light epochs of 3 weeks with blue-enriched (280 lux) and 3 weeks blue-suppressed (240 lux) indoor light or vice versa from 8 to 13 pm in a randomized cross-over design. The first light epoch was in October, the second in November and the two light epochs were separated by one week. Participants were examined at baseline and at the end of each light epoch. The experimental indoor light was well tolerated by the majority of the participants. Sleep duration was 7.44 (95% CI 7.14–7.74) hours during blue-enriched conditions and 7.31 (95% CI 7.01–7.62) hours during blue-suppressed conditions (p?=?0.289). Neither rest hours, chromatic pupillometry, nor saliva melatonin profile showed significant changes between blue-enriched and blue-suppressed epochs. Baseline Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was significantly worse in females; 7.62 (95% CI 5.13–10.0) versus 4.06 (95% CI 2.64–5.49) in males, p?=?0.009. For females, PSQI improved significantly during blue-enriched light exposure (p?=?0.007); no significant changes were found for males. The subjective grading of indoor light quality doubled from participants habitual indoor light to the bright experimental light, while it was stable between light epochs, although there were clear differences between blue-enriched and blue-suppressed electrical light conditions imposed. Even though the study was carried out in the late autumn at northern latitude, the only significant difference in Actiwatch-measured total blue light exposure was from 8 to 9 am, because contributions from blue-enriched, bright indoor light were superseded by contributions from daylight.     

Is the development of infectious keratoconjunctivitis in Alpine ibex and Alpine chamois influenced by topographic features?

Infectious keratoconjunctivitis (IKC) caused by Mycoplasma conjunctivae is a widespread ocular affection of free-ranging Caprinae in the Alpine arc. Along with host and pathogen characteristics, it has been hypothesized that environmental factors such as UV light are involved in the onset and course of the disease. This study aimed at evaluating the role of topographic features as predisposing or aggravating factors for IKC in Alpine chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra rupicapra) and Alpine ibex (Capra ibex ibex). Geospatial analysis was performed to assess the effect of aspect (northness) and elevation on the severity of the disease as well as on the mycoplasmal load in the eyes of affected animals, using data from 723 ibex and chamois (583 healthy animals, 105 IKC-affected animals, and 35 asymptomatic carriers of M. conjunctivae), all sampled in the Swiss Alps between 2008 and 2010. An influence of northness was not found, except that ibex with moderate and severe signs of IKC seem to prefer more north-oriented slopes than individuals without corneal lesions, possibly hinting at a sunlight sensitivity consequent to the disease. In contrast, results suggest that elevation influences the disease course in both ibex and chamois, which could be due to altitude-associated environmental conditions such as UV radiation, cold, and dryness. The results of this study support the hypothesis that environmental factors may play a role in the pathogenesis of IKC.     

Kinetics of protein tyrosine phosphorylation in sperm selected by binding to homologous and heterologous oviductal explants: how specific is the regulation by the oviduct?

Essential steps of the capacitation process take place in the oviductal isthmus. A crucial step in the process of capacitation is the phosphorylation of membrane proteins. The aims of this work were (1) to study the effect of dog sperm binding to oviductal epithelium on tyrosine phosphorylation and (2) to investigate the specificity of regulation of molecular changes by the oviduct of different species by comparing the numbers of canine sperm bound to heterologous (porcine) and homologous epithelium, and the kinetics of tyrosine phosphorylation. Semen was collected from four healthy dogs and washed through a Percoll gradient. Explants, small pieces of epithelium, were cut from porcine and estrous bitch oviducts. During 6 h of coincubation in Tyrode medium, the numbers of bound sperm were counted by microvideographic observation, and the state of tyrosine phosphorylation was determined immunocytochemically after 3, 30, 90, 180 and 360 min. Canine sperm bound in similar numbers to homologous and heterologous explants. Increasing tyrosine phosphorylation of tail proteins and subsequent phosphorylation of sperm head proteins were observed. Binding occurred mainly in sperm with non-phosphorylated heads (approximately 2% phosphorylated), while higher proportions of head-phosphorylated cells were found in unbound populations (approximately 40-60%;P<0.05). The head phosphorylation progressed significantly during incubation in unbound spermatozoa (P<0.05), while it was suppressed in bound suspensions. The rate of tyrosine phosphorylation of sperm tail proteins was higher in cells bound to explants than in unbound cells or in those incubated in control medium. There were no significant differences with respect to the kinetics of tyrosine phosphorylation between the two coincubation systems. These observations support the hypothesis that spermatozoa with non-phosphorylated heads preferentially attach to epithelial cells. Tyrosine phosphorylation of sperm head proteins and capacitation are delayed in spermatozoa in close contact with oviductal epithelium. This mechanism appears to be species-independent, as sperm bound similarly to pig and dog oviduct explants, and similar phosphorylation kinetics were observed in both types of tissue.     

Defibrillation testing of the implantable cardioverter defibrillator: when, how, and by whom?

The implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) has become an integral part of treatment for a variety of patients with symptomatic, or at risk for, ventricular tachyarrhythmias. The ICD's effectiveness is attributed to its ability to promptly detect and terminate ventricular tachycardia (VT) and fibrillation (VF). The clinical trials that established the positive role of ICD therapy were based on patients who underwent some form of defibrillation testing at the time of implantation. Therefore, since its advent, intraoperative defibrillation testing of the ICD to assure reliable detection and termination of VT/VF has been a standard practice. But because of advances in defibrillator and lead technology, which now facilitates successful device implantation (i.e., low defibrillation energy requirement to allow for an adequate programmed safety margin) in the majority of patients, the necessity of defibrillation testing has been called into attention. Despite substantial progress, it is not altogether clear whether a wholesale abandonment of intraoperative ICD testing is appropriate at this point. We review pertinent data regarding pros and cons of ICD testing and offer a suggestion as to when, how, and who should test ICDs.     

What are the relations between mechanics, gait parameters, and energetics in terrestrial locomotion?

Are the different energy-conserving mechanics (i.e., pendulum and spring) used in different gaits reflected in differences in energetics and/or stride parameters? The analysis included published data from several species and new data from horses. When changing from pendulum to spring mechanics, there is a change in the slope of metabolic rate (MR) vs. speed in all species, in birds and quadrupeds there is no step increase, and in humans there are conflicting reports. At the trot-gallop transition, where quadrupeds are hypothesized to change from spring mechanics to some combination of spring and pendulum mechanics, there is a change in slope of MR vs. speed in horses but not in other species. Stride frequency (SF) is a logarithmic function of walking speed in all species, a linear function of trotting/running speed, and nearly independent of speed in galloping. In humans and horses there is a discontinuity in SF at the walk-trot (run) transition but not in birds. The slope of time of contact vs. speed does not change with mechanics in most species, but it does in humans. In horses and humans, there is a discontinuity at the walk-trot (run) transition and data for other species do not permit generalization. Duty factor (DF) in humans is greater than 0.5 in walking (pendulum mechanics) and less than 0.5 when running (spring mechanics). However, this is not true in many species that have DF>0.5 at the lowest speeds where they use spring mechanics. When trotting at low speeds, horses use forelimb DF>0.5 and hind limb DF<0.5. Thus, it is confusing to distinguish between walking and running by DF.     

The multidisciplinary therapy in binge eating disorder is able to influence the interdaily stability and sleep quality?

ABSTRACT

We have recently shown that rest-activity circadian rhythm significantly differed in women with Binge Eating Disorder (BED) compared to the Ctrl group. In details, patients with BED exhibited significantly reduced levels of MESOR and Amplitude with respect to the Ctrl group. In addition, in this previous study, the results of the actigraphic sleep monitoring provided no evidence of differences in sleep parameters between the two groups. We expanded the original sample obtaining a total of 28 volunteered women, 14 BED women, and 14 Ctrl. We recorded in all 28 participants a 5-day actigraphic monitoring to detect the rhythmometric parameters, interdaily stability, intradaily variability, L5, M10, and sleep parameters. During the study, BED’s women group kept an individual multidisciplinary therapy lasting five weekly days, from Monday to Friday, consisting in cognitive-behavioral therapy and nutritional program, administered in outpatient care from 8:00 a.m. at 5:00 p.m. The combination of both our previous and current study supports the conclusion that the sleep quality of the BED group is significantly better compared to Ctrl. The non-parametric indexes showed how interdaily stability, significantly correlated to sleep efficiency, was higher in BED group compared to the Ctrl group, indicating a better synchronization of rest-activity circadian rhythm. In conclusion, the maintenance of a regular lifestyle, such as imposed by the multidisciplinary therapy, is important to avoid alterations in the sleep-wake cycle, particularly in patients with eating disorders.     

Neuropeptide signaling near and far: how localized and timed is the action of neuropeptides in brain circuits?

Neuropeptide signaling is functionally very diverse and one and the same neuropeptide may act as a circulating neurohormone, as a locally released neuromodulator or even as a cotransmitter of classical fast-acting neurotransmitters. Thus, neuropeptides are produced by a huge variety of neuron types in different parts of the nervous system. Within the central nervous system (CNS) there are numerous types of peptidergic interneurons, some with strictly localized and patterned branching morphologies, others with widespread and diffuse arborizations. From morphology alone it is often difficult to predict the sphere of influence of a peptidergic interneuron, especially since it has been shown that neuropeptides can diffuse over tens of micrometers within neuropils, and that peptides probably are released exclusively in perisynaptic (or non-synaptic) regions. This review addresses some questions related to peptidergic signaling in the insect CNS. How diverse are the spatial relations between peptidergic neurons and their target neurons and what determines the sphere of functional influence? At one extreme there is volume transmission and at the other targeted cotransmission at synapses. Also temporal aspects of peptidergic signaling are of interest: how transient are peptidergic messages? Factors important for these spatial and temporal aspects of peptidergic signaling are proximity between release sites and cognate receptors, distribution of peptidase activity that can terminate peptide action and colocalization of other neuroactive compounds in the presynaptic peptidergic neuron (and corresponding receptors in target neurons). Other factors such as expression of different channel types, receptor inactivation mechanisms and second messenger systems probably also contribute to the diversity in temporal properties of peptide signaling.