Maternal stress induces adult reduced REM sleep and melatonin level

We have previously reported that neonatal maternal deprivation (MD) resulted in a decrease of total sleep and an increase of orexin A in adult rats. Now, we characterized features of sleep, activity, and melatonin levels in rats neonatally treated with MD and control (MC) procedures. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with either MD or MC procedures for 10 days starting at postnatal day 4. At 3 months of age, sleep was recorded for 48 h in one set of MD and MC rats, while another set of MD and MC rats was measured for locomotor activity (under LD = 12:12). Melatonin levels in the blood, pineal gland, and hypothalamus were measured as well as clock protein level in the hypothalamus. Compared to the MC rats, REM sleep in the MD rats was significantly reduced in the light periods but not in the dark periods. Both quiet wake and total wake in the MD rats were significantly increased during the light period compared to the MC rats. The weight of the pineal gland of the MD rats was significantly smaller than in MC rats. Melatonin levels of the MD group were significantly reduced in the pineal gland and hypothalamus compared to the MC group. No significant difference was identified between groups in the expression of the clock protein in the hypothalamus. Neonatal MD resulted in reduced REM sleep and melatonin levels, without changes of circadian cycle of locomotor activity and levels of clock protein.     

慢性睡眠剥夺对颞下颌关节微结构的影响

目的:研究慢性睡眠障碍对大鼠颞下颌关节微结构的影响。方法:采用改良多平台法(MMPM)建立睡眠剥夺模型,将90只Wistar大鼠随机分为3组(n=30),分别为小平台组、网格组和对照组。小平台组和网格组大鼠接受每天18 h的睡眠剥夺和6 h间歇期(10:00—16:00),间歇期大鼠正常笼养。实验第7、14和21天时分别行动物行为学观察、旷场试验和动物血浆检测,并通过HE染色和扫描电镜观察颞下颌关节微结构的变化。结果:与对照组和网格组相比,小平台组大鼠血清促肾上腺激素(ACTH)和皮质醇(CORT)水平均增高(P<0.05),髁突软骨HE染色显示软骨细胞层次及厚度改变;扫描电镜结果显示关节盘表面纤维排列松散。结论:慢性睡眠障碍可能导致颞下颌关节微结构发生病理性改变。     

莫达非尼对睡眠剥夺条件下工作记忆的影响

目的:观察在睡眠剥夺条件下莫达非尼对工作记忆的改善作用,为此药在我军的应用策略提供实验依据。方法:18名健康男性志愿者,在两次睡眠剥夺实验中交叉服用莫达非尼和安慰剂,睡眠剥夺时间从第一天的07:00到第3d的07:00,并于第二天的0:00、12:00和第三天的0:00分别服用莫达非尼100mg或安慰剂。采用随机双盲设计给药,并在第一天的07:00、第二天的02:00和14:00以及第三天的02:00和07:00安排工作记忆测验。结果:工作记忆测验中,两组的反应时和正确率均有统计学差异(P<0.01),莫达非尼组的反应时要快于安慰剂组,正确率也要高于安慰剂组。莫达非尼对工作记忆的改善效果随着睡眠剥夺时间的延长而更趋明显。结论:莫达非尼对睡眠剥夺条件下个体的工作记忆有改善作用,是较为理想的睡眠剥夺对抗药物。     

寒冷刺激对部分睡眠剥夺小鼠血细胞参数的影响

目的：探讨寒冷刺激,部分睡眠剥夺,以及部分睡眠剥夺的基础上再给予寒冷刺激等处理对小鼠血细胞参数的影响。方法：昆明小鼠24只,随机均分为4组（n=6）：对照组、寒冷组、不完全睡眠剥夺组和不完全睡眠剥夺加寒冷组。寒冷组每天给予（10±2）℃的低温处理4h,不完全睡眠剥夺组每天18：00至次日9：00剥夺睡眠,不完全睡眠剥夺加寒冷组在每天睡眠剥夺的基础上再给予4h寒冷刺激。连续处理4d后采血检测血常规和血沉率。结果：与对照组相比,寒冷刺激可使小鼠血液中淋巴细胞含量（P〈0．05）以及百分比（P〈0．01）显著增加;部分睡眠剥夺可使小鼠血液白细胞和淋巴细胞含量（P〈0．05）及百分比（P〈0．01）明显降低。不完全睡眠剥夺加寒冷刺激处理后与其它三组相比小鼠血液白细胞和淋巴细胞含量显著降低（P〈0．01）,而血沉率则显著升高（P〈0．01）。结论：部分睡眠剥夺会抑制机体免疫能力,在部分剥夺睡眠的基础上再给予寒冷刺激则将进一步抑制机体免疫能力并使血沉率加快,降低机体对外界环境变化的适应能力。     

完全睡眠剥夺对大脑注意网络冲突效应和脑电样本熵的影响*

目的: 本研究分析睡眠剥夺对个体选择性注意网络冲突效应和脑电样本熵的影响,探讨睡眠剥夺对大脑注意网络的影响。方法: 25名健康受试者参与36 h完全睡眠剥夺试验。试验于当天9:00开始,于次日21:00结束,试验采用自身前后对照设计。受试者在睡眠剥夺前后分别完成注意网络任务,同步采集受试者的脑电图。用脑电样本熵算法分析脑电图的delta、theta、alpha、beta和gamma频率段的脑电复杂度并对比各频段脑电样本熵在睡眠剥夺前、后的变化。结果: 同睡眠剥夺前比较,睡眠剥夺后与受试者的注意网络冲突效应密切相关的反应时显著下降(P＜0.01),正确率显著增加(P＜0.01)。脑电样本熵分析发现在beta频率段,与注意网络冲突控制相关的脑电样本熵值在睡眠剥夺后明显增大(P＜0.01)。其余脑电频率段脑电样本熵未发现显著差异。结论: 表明完全睡眠剥夺后大脑的注意网络冲突效应降低,表明睡眠剥夺后执行冲突控制能力的下降。     

Reduction in Ultrasonic Vocalizations in Pups Born to Rapid Eye Movement Sleep Restricted Mothers in Rat Model

The effects of rapid eye movement sleep restriction (REMSR) in rats during late pregnancy were studied on the ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) made by the pups. USVs are distress calls inaudible to human ears. Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep was restricted in one group of pregnant rats for 22 hours, starting from gestational day 14 to 20, using standard single platform method. The USVs of male pups were recorded after a brief isolation from their mother for two minutes on alternate post-natal days, from day one till weaning. The USVs were recorded using microphones and were analysed qualitatively and quantitatively using SASPro software. Control pups produced maximum vocalization on post-natal days 9 to 11. In comparison, the pups born to REMSR mothers showed not only a reduction in vocalization but also a delay in peak call making days. The experimental group showed variations in the types and characteristics of call types, and alteration in temporal profile. The blunting of distress call making response in these pups indicates that maternal sleep plays a role in regulating the neural development involved in vocalizations and possibly in shaping the emotional behaviour in neonates. It is suggested that the reduced ultrasonic vocalizations can be utilized as a reliable early marker for affective state in rat pups. Such impaired vocalization responses could provide an important lead in understanding mother-child bonding for an optimal cognitive development during post-partum life. This is the first report showing a potential link between maternal REM sleep deprivation and the vocalization in neonates and infants.     

High intensity exercise during pregnancy of rats. Effects on mother and offspring

We see in this study the effect of high intensity exercise (90% VO₂ max) in pregnant rats and their offspring depending on the length of pregnancy. The findings were compared with those obtained for sedentary pregnant rats and non-pregnant rats for similar exercise. This allowed for analysing the isolated effects of exercise (against the sedentary non-pregnant rat control group), of pregnancy and of the interaction between the two factors. For checking the effect of the length of pregnancy, each group of rats was subdivided into those with pregnancy terminated or sacrificed on the seventh, fourteenth or twentieth day of the experiment. VO₂ max, post-exertion blood lactic acid level, body weight gain, food intake, feed efficiency, glucose, triglyceride, total cholesterol, total protein and albumin plasmatic concentrations in adult rats, and weight and number of offspring of pregnant rats were determined. Pregnancy increased weight gain and feed efficiency from the first week of the study, accompanied by a greater food intake (from the twelfth day). In the group of pregnant rats subjected to exercise, there was a reduction in weight gain percentage and feed efficiency in the first and third weeks, staying the same in the second week. A greater food intake during the period accompanied this recovery in the second week. In the group of non-pregnant rats subjected to exercise, food intake did not vary. As the weight gain percentage was less in relation to the non-pregnant control group, feed efficiency decreased. Pregnancy induced a drop in blood sugar level starting in the second week, and the exercise performed during pregnancy did not change this behavior. Pregnancy produced, however, an increase in plasmatic concentration of triglycerides and total cholesterol during the third week of pregnancy. Exercise performed by pregnant rats also did not change this behavior, but the increase observed in the third week was less. Exercise performed by non-pregnant rats did not change the blood sugar level and plasmatic concentration of triglycerides and total cholesterol during the entire experiment. Plasmatic concentration of total proteins and albumin showed a drop in the third week of pregnancy, probably due to high fetal use of proteins in this stage. Exercise performed by the pregnant group caused a lower protein drop in the third week, and in the non-pregnant group, determined an increase in plasmatic protein concentrations. The weight of the offspring of mother rats exercised until the end of the second and third weeks of pregnancy was found to be reduced in relation to the sedentary pregnant group. The group exercised until the third week showed a reduction in the number of offspring, indicating a possible fetal reabsorption. These findings confirmed that high intensity exercise can produce deleterious effects on the mother and fetus, especially when applied up to the last stage of pregnancy.     

Restricted sleep regime in rhesus monkeys: differential effect of one night's sleep loss and selective REM deprivation.

The differential effect of either one night's total sleep deprivation (TSD) or of selective REM deprivation (REMD) was examined on post-deprivation daytime EEG patterns with respect to control, in the same group of rhesus monkeys. TSD resulted in significantly decreased wakefulness and increased amounts of NREM and REM on the first day following TSD. In contrast, highly significant REM elevation without alteration of other EEG states occurred for 3 days after REMD. Post-deprivation behavioural and photic-induced neural changes were minor. The results obtained after sleep deprivation in simians are comparable with similar findings in human subjects.     

Time-of-day modulation of homeostatic and allostatic sleep responses to chronic sleep restriction in rats

To study sleep responses to chronic sleep restriction (CSR) and time-of-day influences on these responses, we developed a rat model of CSR that takes into account the polyphasic sleep patterns in rats. Adult male rats underwent cycles of 3 h of sleep deprivation (SD) and 1 h of sleep opportunity (SO) continuously for 4 days, beginning at the onset of the 12-h light phase ("3/1" protocol). Electroencephalogram (EEG) and electromyogram (EMG) recordings were made before, during, and after CSR. During CSR, total sleep time was reduced by ～60% from baseline levels. Both rapid eye movement sleep (REMS) and non-rapid eye movement sleep (NREMS) during SO periods increased initially relative to baseline and remained elevated for the rest of the CSR period. In contrast, NREMS EEG delta power (a measure of sleep intensity) increased initially, but then declined gradually, in parallel with increases in high-frequency power in the NREMS EEG. The amplitude of daily rhythms in NREMS and REMS amounts was maintained during SO periods, whereas that of NREMS delta power was reduced. Compensatory responses during the 2-day post-CSR recovery period were either modest or negative and gated by time of day. NREMS, REMS, and EEG delta power lost during CSR were not recovered by the end of the second recovery day. Thus the "3/1" CSR protocol triggered both homeostatic responses (increased sleep amounts and intensity during SOs) and allostatic responses (gradual decline in sleep intensity during SOs and muted or negative post-CSR sleep recovery), and both responses were modulated by time of day.     

Delaying and Extending Sleep During Weekends: Sleep Recovery or Circadian Effect?

There is a well-known tendency to delay and prolong our sleep during weekends (Saturday and Sunday), with an advance and reduction of sleep during workdays (Monday to Friday). The objective of this work was to determine if the changes of sleep during weekends are produced by a partial sleep deprivation or a lack of entraining of circadian rhythms to an advanced phase, during workdays. The subjects were 52 undergraduate female students, mean age = 17.5 years, SD = 1.32. All students attended school following a regular schedule, from Monday to Friday. Two groups of students were studied: one attended school from 07:00 to 12:00 h (morning group, n = 30); the other attended school from 14:00 to 18:00 (afternoon group, n = 22). None of the students worked or was engaged in other activity with a fixed schedule. All kept a sleep-wake diary for 2 weeks, in which they recorded their bedtimes, wakeup times, and sleep-onset latencies. The morning group delayed 47.4 min [t(29) = 4.72, p < 0.0001] and prolonged their sleep 118.2 min [t(29) = 9.4, p < 0.0001] during weekends. Although the afternoon group had the opportunity to maintain a delayed phase and a long sleep time throughout the week, they delayed their bedtime by 24 min [t(21) = 2.99, p < 0.01] during weekends, without changing their sleep duration. The findings suggest that the prolonged sleep during weekends is due to reduction of sleep during workdays, whereas the delay of bedtime seems to be associated with a tendency of the human circadian system to maintain a delayed phase     

Effect of bright light on EEG activities and subjective sleepiness to mental task during nocturnal sleep deprivation

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of the exposure to bright light on EEG activity and subjective sleepiness at rest and at the mental task during nocturnal sleep deprivation. Eight male subjects lay awake in semi-supine in a reclining seat from 21:00 to 04:30 under the bright (BL; >2500 lux) or the dim (DL; <150 lux) light conditions. During the sleep deprivation, the mental task (Stroop color-word conflict test: CWT) was performed each 15 min in one hour. EEG, subjective sleepiness, rectal and mean skin temperatures and urinary melatonin concentrations were measured. The subjective sleepiness increased with time of sleep deprivation during both rest and CWT under the DL condition. The exposure to bright light delayed for 2 hours the increase in subjective sleepiness at rest and suppressed the increase in that during CWT. The bright light exposure also delayed the increase in the theta and alpha wave activities in EEG at rest. In contrast, the effect of the bright light exposure on the theta and alpha wave activities disappeared by CWT. Additionally, under the BL condition, the entire theta activity during CWT throughout nocturnal sleep deprivation increased significantly from that in a rest condition. Our results suggest that the exposure to bright light throughout nocturnal sleep deprivation influences the subjective sleepiness during the mental task and the EEG activity, as well as the subjective sleepiness at rest. However, the effect of the bright light exposure on the EEG activity at the mental task diminishes throughout nocturnal sleep deprivation.     

The levels of urinary epinephrine during daytime REM sleep deprivation.

Urinary excretion of epinephrine during REM sleep deprivation in the daytime was examined in an attempt to determine whether epinephrine excretion during sleep is related to the structure of disturbed sleep. Six healthy males were subjected to two experimental conditions: 1) day sleep without interruption, as a control condition, and 2) day sleep with REM sleep deprivation. Under both conditions, epinephrine excretion levels of five of the subjects were found to be distributed along a basal regression line, expressing the relationship of epinephrine excretion and percent of waking time, as calculated in a previous study. The epinephrine levels of the one remaining subject exceeded the values predicted by the regression line. His sleep structure was not only distorted under REM deprivation conditions but also under control conditions as well. These results suggest that the basal regression line is useful for observing the existence of sleep disturbance; indeed, a subject with epinephrine excretion levels much higher than those predicted by the regression line was found to have spontaneously disturbed sleep. More study is needed to clarify the relationship between high epinephrine levels and disturbed sleep.     

MMP-1、MMP-3 和MMP-13在慢性睡眠剥夺所致颞下颌关节损伤中的变化

目的：观察MMP-1、MMP-3 和MMP-13 在慢性睡眠剥夺所致颞下颌关节损伤中表达的变化,探讨慢性睡眠剥夺所致颞下颌 关节损伤的可能机制。方法：采用改良多平台(MMPM)建立大鼠慢性睡眠剥夺模型,将90 只成年雄性Wastar 大鼠随机分为小平 台组、网格组和对照组。小平台组和网格组大鼠接受每天18 h的睡眠剥夺和6 h间歇期(10:00-16:00),间歇期大鼠正常笼养。实验 第7、14 和21 d时分别观察动物的行为学观察、检测动物血浆皮质醇(CORT)和促肾上腺皮质激素(ACTH)水平检测,通过免疫印 迹法和实时定量聚合酶链反应(PRC)检测颞下颌关节软骨中MMP-1、MMP-3 和MMP-13 的蛋白和mRNA表达,并通过HE 染色 法观察颞下颌关节结构的变化。结果：与对照组和网格组大鼠相比,小平台组大鼠第14 d和21 d 时髁突软骨中间部位表面纤维 在出现明显的炎症、松解及脱落现象;第21天时的血浆ACTH 和CORT 水平均显著高于网格组和对照组,差异有统计学意义 (P<0.05);第7、14、21 d时关节软骨MMP-1 和MMP-13 蛋白和mRNA 的表达水平均显著上调(P<0.05)。结论：慢性睡眠剥夺所致 的颞下颌关节损伤可能与关节软骨中MMP-1、MMP-3 和MMP-13 的表达上调有关。     

Paradoxical sleep deprivation, stress and emotionality in the rat

88 adult male rats were divided into 9 groups. Group I and II served as controls. The rats of group III were repeatedly aroused during 4 days at the very onset of each paradoxical sleep period by direct MRF stimulation. This deprivation reduced the daily amount of paradoxical sleep by 70%, while the slow wave sleep was reduced by 10% only. In group IV, the animals were given food and water for one hour a day only. Groups V and VI were subjected to immobilization and cold stress, respectively. Groups VII, VIII and IX were deprived of paradoxical sleep on platforms of 15, 11 and 6.5 cm in diameter, respectively. Stress was estimated by the classical Selye's triad: weight of adrenals and thymus and gastric ulceration. Emotionality was measured in the open field and also by self-stimulation of the lateral hypothalamus. Neither emotional behaviour disturbances nor stress features were found after paradoxical sleep deprivation in the group III. Moreover, this deprivation induced a slight, though significant, reduction in adrenals weight. Also, no changes in emotional behaviour were noted in the stress-exposed group V and VI. Only the interplay between REM-sleep deprivation and stress on the platforms in groups VII, VIII and especially IX led to a considerable shift in emotionality.     

Effects of wire-bottom caging on heart rate, activity and body temperature in telemetry-implanted rats

Some experimental procedures are associated with placement of animals in wire-bottom cages. The goal of this study was to evaluate stress-related physiological parameters (heart rate [HR], body temperature [BT], locomotor activity [LA], body weight [BW] and food consumption) in rats under two housing conditions, namely in wire-bottom cages and in bedding-bottom cages. Telemetry devices were surgically implanted in male Sprague-Dawley rats. HR, BT and LA were recorded at 5 min intervals. Analysis under each housing condition was performed from 16:00 to 08:00 h of the following day (4 h light, 12 h dark). During almost all of the light phase, the HR of rats housed in wire-bottom cages remained high (371 ± 35 bpm; mean ± SD; n = 6) and was significantly different from that of rats housed in bedding-bottom cages (340 ± 29 bpm; n = 6; P < 0.001; Student's t-test). In general, BT was similar under the two housing conditions. However, when rats were in wire-bottom cages, BT tended to fluctuate more widely during the dark phase. LA decreased when animals were housed in wire-bottom cages, in particular during the dark phase. Moreover, there was a significant difference with respect to the gain in BW: BW of rats housed in bedding-bottom cages increased 12 ± 2 g, whereas that of rats in wire-bottom cages decreased by 2 ± 3 g (P < 0.001). Our results demonstrate that housing rats in wire-bottom cages overnight leads to immediate alterations of HR, BW and LA, which might be related to a stress response.     

The Effect of One Night's Sleep Deprivation on Temperature,Mood, and Physical Performance in Subjects with Different Amounts of Habitual Physical Activity

Eleven healthy males were studied twice. On one occasion (control, C), they slept (night 1) and then underwent a battery of tests at 4h intervals from 06: 00 day 1 to 02: 00 day 2; then, after a normal sleep (night 2), they were tested from 10: 00 to 22: 00 on day 2. On the second occasion (sleep deprivation, SD), the subjects remained awake during night 1. Each battery of tests consisted of measurements of tympanic membrane temperature, profile of mood states (POMS), muscle strength, self-chosen work rate (SCWR), perceived exertion, and heart rate (HR) while exercising on a stationary cycle ergometer. Subjects also kept a diary of their activities during the two days and answered a questionnaire about their habitual physical activity. Results showed a significant negative effect of sleep deprivation on most mood states on day 1, but no effect on the other variables. By day 2, mood had tended to recover, though muscle strength tended to be worse in both control and sleep-deprivation experiments. There was also a more general tendency for negative effects to be present at the end of day 1 (02: 00) or at the beginning of day 2 (10: 00). There was limited support for the view that subjects who were habitually more active showed less negative effects after sleep deprivation and responded less adversely to the poor sleep achieved on the university premises (night 2). These results stress the considerable interindividual variation in the responses to sleep loss and, therefore, the difficulty associated with giving general advice to individuals about work or training capability after sleep loss.     

Longitudinal Study of Mothers’ Sleep-Wake Behaviors and Circadian Time Patterns from Late Pregnancy to Postpartum – Monitoring of Wrist Actigraphy and Sleep Logs

This longitudinal study investigated sleep-wake behavior patterns during and after pregnancy, using an actimeter worn on the non-dominant wrist and a sleep log. Records were obtained from ten mothers, from the 34th week of gestation until the 15th week postpartum. Ten non-pregnant women were used as a control group, data being collected from them for 2 weeks. The sleep-wake behavior after delivery, obtained from wrist actigraphy, was greater in the postpartum period. Total sleep time, sleep efficiency, and circadian amplitude decreased in the weeks immediately following parturition, but wake after sleep onset increased. Subsequently, all the sleep and circadian variables improved slightly, but they had not returned to the levels of the non-pregnant control group even by the 15th postpartum week. The length of daytime naps increased, in order to make up for nocturnal sleep deprivation when the number of awakenings during nighttime had increased. There were significant positive correlations between total sleep time, sleep efficiency, wake after sleep onset, and the length of daytime naps, but the numbers of awakenings at night and daytime naps did not show this correlation. The total sleep time indicated by sleep logs tended to be greater than that indicated by actigraphy, but wake after sleep onset tended to be underestimated by the sleep logs. The implications of these results are discussed.     

Longitudinal Study of Mothers' Sleep-Wake Behaviors and Circadian Time Patterns from Late Pregnancy to Postpartum - Monitoring of Wrist Actigraphy and Sleep Logs

This longitudinal study investigated sleep-wake behavior patterns during and after pregnancy, using an actimeter worn on the non-dominant wrist and a sleep log. Records were obtained from ten mothers, from the 34th week of gestation until the 15th week postpartum. Ten non-pregnant women were used as a control group, data being collected from them for 2 weeks. The sleep-wake behavior after delivery, obtained from wrist actigraphy, was greater in the postpartum period. Total sleep time, sleep efficiency, and circadian amplitude decreased in the weeks immediately following parturition, but wake after sleep onset increased. Subsequently, all the sleep and circadian variables improved slightly, but they had not returned to the levels of the non-pregnant control group even by the 15th postpartum week. The length of daytime naps increased, in order to make up for nocturnal sleep deprivation when the number of awakenings during nighttime had increased. There were significant positive correlations between total sleep time, sleep efficiency, wake after sleep onset, and the length of daytime naps, but the numbers of awakenings at night and daytime naps did not show this correlation. The total sleep time indicated by sleep logs tended to be greater than that indicated by actigraphy, but wake after sleep onset tended to be underestimated by the sleep logs. The implications of these results are discussed.     

Sleep and sleepiness among working and non-working high school evening students

The aim of this study was to evaluate patterns of sleepiness, comparing working and non-working students. The study was conducted on high school students attending evening classes (19:00-22:30 h) at a public school in S?o Paulo, Brazil. The study group consisted of working (n=51) and non-working (n=41) students, aged 14-21 yrs. The students answered a questionnaire about working and living conditions and reported health symptoms and diseases. For seven consecutive days, actigraphy measurements were recorded, and the students also filled in a sleep diary. Sleepiness ratings were given six times per day, including upon waking and at bedtime, using the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale. Statistical analyses included three-way ANOVA and t-test. The mean sleep duration during weekdays was shorter among workers (7.2 h) than non-workers (8.8 h) (t=4.34; p<.01). The mean duration of night awakenings was longer among workers on Tuesdays and Wednesdays (28.2 min) and shorter on Mondays (24.2 min) (t=2.57; p=.03). Among workers, mean napping duration was longer on Mondays and Tuesdays (89.9 min) (t=2.27; p=.03) but shorter on Fridays and Sundays (31.4 min) (t=3.13; p=.03). Sleep efficiency was lower on Fridays among non-workers. Working students were moderately sleepier than non-workers during the week and also during class on specific days: Mondays (13:00-15:00 h), Wednesdays (19:00-22:00 h), and Fridays (22:00-00:59 h). The study found that daytime sleepiness of workers is moderately higher in the evening. This might be due to a work effect, reducing the available time for sleep and shortening the sleep duration. Sleepiness and shorter sleep duration can have a negative impact on the quality of life and school development of high school students.     

Differential metabolic response to 48 h food deprivation at different periods of pregnancy in the rat

Since during pregnancy the mother switches from an anabolic to a catabolic condition, the present study was addressed to determine the effect of 48 h food deprivation on days 7, 14 and 20 of pregnancy in the rat as compared to age matched virgin controls. Body weight, free of conceptus, decreased with food deprivation more in pregnant than in virgin rats, with fetal weight (day 20) also diminishing with maternal starvation. The decline of plasma glucose with food deprivation was greatest in 20 day pregnant rats. Insulin was highest in fed 14 day pregnant rats, and declined with food deprivation in all the groups, the effect being not significant in 7-day pregnant rats. Food deprivation increased plasma glycerol only in virgin and 20 day pregnant rats. Plasma NEFA and 3-hydroxybutyrate increased with food deprivation in all groups, the effect being highest in 20 day pregnant rats. Food deprivation decreased plasma triacylglycerols in 14 day pregnant rats but increased in 20 day pregnant rats. In 20-day fetuses, plasma levels of glucose, NEFA and triacylglycerols were lower than in their mothers when fed, and food deprivation caused a further decline in plasma glucose, whereas both NEFA and 3-hydroxybutyrate increased. Liver triacylglycerols concentration did not differ among the groups when fed, whereas food deprivation caused an increase in all pregnant rats and fetuses, the effect being highest in 20-day pregnant rats. Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity in adipose tissue was lower in 20 day pregnant rats than in any of the other groups when fed, and it decreased in all the groups with food deprivation, whereas in liver it was very low in all groups when fed and increased with food deprivation only in 20 day pregnant rats. A significant increase in liver LPL was found with food deprivation in 20 day fetuses, reaching higher values than their mothers. Thus, the response to food deprivation varies with the time of pregnancy, being lowest at mid pregnancy and greatest at late pregnancy, and although fetuses respond in the same direction as their mothers, they show a specific response in liver LPL activity.